By the time you read this article, you would have had too many colds and blocked noses to count. The number would have been fewer if you had a list of stuffy nose remedies on hand.

Nasal congestion isn’t life-threatening but is annoying. It can delay your activities for a day or two. Life Advancer discusses its causes and suggests a few natural remedies as well.

What is a stuffy nose and what causes it?

You get a stuffy or congested nose when the tissues lining it begin to swell. The swelling is usually a result of inflamed blood vessels. There is an excess of nasal discharge, which runs down the back of the throat. It may cause a sore throat because it is infected.

You know that you have a blocked nose when you find discharge dripping down the back of your throat. You will find it difficult to breathe quietly, and will not be able to perform vigorous activities without gasping for breath.

As the information below reveals, this condition may have many causes:

1. Acute Rhinitis

First of all is Acute Rhinitis, which causes swollen nasal cavities. Breathing through the nose is difficult, and may cause headaches. It usually develops because of a cold.

2. Chronic Sinusitis

If the nasal cavities around nasal passages become inflamed for about three months, you may have chronic sinusitis. It interferes with mucus drainage and causes it to build.

3. Churg-Strauss Syndrome

Churg-Strauss Syndrome occurs when the blood vessels in the nose become inflamed, restricting blood flow to vital organs and damaging them. Asthma is a typical sign of this disorder. This disorder may also cause a fever or rash.

4. Common Cold

More people suffer from this than any other illness. It is an infection of the respiratory tract. It is difficult to cure because any number of viruses may cause it.

5. Deviated Septum

This condition occurs when the thin wall between the nasal passages veers to one side. The displacement causes breathing difficulties and mucus build-up. It may even cause bleeding.

6. Influenza

This viral infection attacks the respiratory tract. It mostly resolves itself, but its complications can be deadly. The elderly and pregnant women are at risk for developing them.

7. Nasal polyps

These are painless growths along with the linings of nasal passages. They aren’t dangerous but can interfere with your breathing. Nasal polyps are a result of chronic inflammation, asthma, allergies, and drug sensitivity. They can affect anyone, but adults are particularly prone to them.

8. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

RSV causes the lungs, and the respiratory tract to become infected. It can infect both children and adults.



9. Enlarged Adenoids

Adenoids are large tissue patches at the back of the throat. You may confuse them with tonsils. Like tonsils, they are part of the immune system and protect the body from infection. Infected Adenoids become enlarged, block mucus drainage, and cause swollen nasal passages.

10. Nosebleeds

These are common, though scary. The nose has many blood vessels, which are fragile and bleed easily. Foreign bodies, injury to the nose and irritation may all cause your nose to bleed.

15 Natural Stuffy Nose Remedies to Relieve Nasal Congestion

A stuffy nose usually resolves after you take treatment, and the following ten remedies will help you recover quickly.

1. Have a Shower

First of all, have a shower. A hot bath can help ease nasal congestion. The emanating steam will clear the blockage in the nasal passages.

2. Warm Compress

Warm compresses are traditional remedies for blocked noses. Wring a hot towel and place it over your nose. It will bring comfort to your inflamed nostrils.

3. Hydrate

Also, drink lots of warm water. It will thin the mucus that clogs your nasal passages and decreases the pressure on your sinuses. A regular intake of soups, teas, and juice will help with this as well.

4. Steam

If you don’t like hot showers, why not inhale steam? Put your head about eight inches over a bowl of hot water and inhale until you can breathe freely.

5. Essential Oils

Inhaling the aroma of essential oils for between 10 to 20 minutes can clear a blocked nose. A 2006 review found that Malalucea has an antiseptic that has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. A 2009 study found that Cinole, a component of Eucalyptus Oil, can treat sinusitis safely.

6. Saline

Mix half a teaspoon of saline solution with warm water. Pour it down your nostrils with a dropper. Doing so will clear your nasal passages.

7. Garlic

Take garlic cloves twice daily for quick relief of a stuffy nose. You may throw a few cloves in with water to make garlic soup.

8. Onion

Onions make us cry, and can unclog blocked noses. The onion is a mineral powerhouse. It has health benefits that will allow you to get rid of a stuffy nose almost immediately. Smelling it for five minutes will get rid of nasal congestion and ease breathing.

9. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

Two teaspoons of ACV and a cup of water, drunk three times daily, will get rid of that annoying cold. This stuffy nose remedy will relieve sinus and cold symptoms quickly.

10. Lemon

Lemon is an ideal treatment for a blocked nose because it is aromatic. Combine two tablespoons of lemon juice with black pepper and apply the mixture to your nose. The magic happens after a few minutes.

11. Tomato juice

Tomatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C, folate, and Vitamin K. They are also potent antioxidants. They also contain Lycopene, which has countless health benefits. Drink tomato juice or tomato tea twice daily to ease clogged nasal passages.

12. Basil

Basil has antioxidant and is anti-inflammatory, making it an efficient stuffy nose remedy. Chew four to five basil leaves in the morning to ease your cold.

13. Ginger

Another natural treatment for a stuffy nose is ginger, which has gingerol. This compound has medicinal properties and makes in anti-inflammatory.

Boil a few slices of ginger in water for about 15 minutes. Then, soak a washcloth in the mixture and leave it on your face for another 15 minutes.

14. Mustard Oil

Mustard oils are mucolytics that break up the mucus that clogs up nasal passages. Also, they are antimicrobial and fight infection. Dropping a little mustard oil onto your clogged nose will remove the congestion to a large extent.

15. Fenugreek

Drinking water and fenugreek seeds help to dissolve the mucus in your lungs, throat, and nose. Consume it twice a day to clear your stuffed nasal passages. Research has proven that curry and fenugreek can ward off a cold.

In all, a blocked nose doesn’t have to spoil your weekend. These remedies will help you get rid of the annoying stuffy nose in a short time.

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