How to treat blocked or runny nose naturally
If you have a runny or blocked nose, you feel stuffed up, may lose your sense of taste and smell, and may only be able to breathe through your mouth. You may cough at night because of mucus dripping down the back of your throat. If your “bungee up” nose is due to a cold or sinus infection, you may also have a thick yellowish-green discharge from your nose. A blocked or runny nose can also be caused by allergies to substances such as pollen, house dust mites, pet dander (flakes of skin), and mould. Symptoms can occur at any time or be seasonal, as with hay fever.
NATURAL REMEDIES
Aromatic oils such as menthol, eucalyptus, or camphor, are traditional treatments for a blocked nose. Try sucking lozenges containing menthe, or putting a few drops of an aromatic oil on a tissue and inhaling it. Use a menthol chest rub at night if you are having difficulty sleeping.
What you can do yourself
Try the following home treatments to help relieve your blocked or runny nose.
* Drink at least 8 glasses a day of clear fluids such as water, fruit juice, herbal teas, and clear soups. Hot drinks will help to loosen mucus if your nose is blocked. Using saline nose drops has a similar effect .
* Try a steam inhalation, or run hot water into the bath or shower and inhale the steam
* Remedies containing aromatic oils may help to relieve a stuffy nose
* If you have a blocked nose due to a cold, try a decongestant nasal spray
* If your nose is sore from blowing it, apply some petroleum jelly around your nostrils to protect them.
* To treat a blocked or runny nose caused by an allergy, use a steroid nasal spray and/or an oral antihistamine
* Avoid smoke and dust; they can irritate the lining of your nose and worsen symptoms.
DRUG REMEDIES
Saline nose drops (see p 188) can be bought from your pharmacist, or you can make your own by dissolving half a teaspoon of salt in 250 ml (half a pint) of lukewarm water. Apply them using a dropper, 2-4 times a day.
Decongestants. Available as nasal sprays or drops, quickly relieve a blocked nose by reducing swelling and congestion in the tissues lining the nose. They also lessen mucus production. They should not, however, be used for more than 7 days, otherwise they may make you feel more blocked up when you stop using them.
Steroid nasal sprays containing a corticosteroid drug are particularly effective for nasal symptoms such as a blocked nose. They can take several days to reach their full effect, so, if possible, start using them at least 2-3 days before exposure to allergic triggers.
Antihistamines, in the form of tablets or liquids, usually work within 1 hour. You can use them to relieve a runny nose due to allergy, but they are not so effective for a blocked nose. They can be taken regularly or only as needed – for example, if you are visiting a house with pets.
Arrange to see your doctor if:
* Symptoms have not begun to clear up using the measures described here
* You develop new symptoms
* You are using medications continually to relieve your blocked or runny nose.
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