The stuffy nose, scientifically called nasal congestion, occurs when the blood vessels in the nose become inflamed or when there is excess mucus production, making it difficult to breathe.
This problem can be caused by colds, colds, sinusitis or respiratory allergies and usually goes away by itself in about 1 week. Nasal decongestants, such as Sorine, or anti-allergy medicines, such as Decongex, for example, should only be used under guidance and medical prescription, as they may still worsen nasal congestion.
However, there are some home measures that help to clear the nose, such as:
1. Use nasal scrubber with warm water and salt
The nasal scrub removes excess mucus and secretions from the sinuses, helping to unclog the nose. In addition, as the mixture has salt, it eliminates bacteria that may be worsening the production of secretions.
As it can cause slight discomfort, the scrubber is not normally used by children, being more practical for adults. This type of nasal scrub, such as Narin, can be purchased at any pharmacy. To know how to do this nasal wash see: How to unclog the nose.
2. Inhale vapor with eucalyptus
This is a great technique that does not cause any discomfort and therefore can be used on children under the supervision of an adult. While the vapor fluidises the secretions and the eucalyptus is decongestant, helping to unclog the nose.
To make the inhalation simply put 3 drops of the essential oil of eucalyptus in a bowl with 500 ml of boiling water and inhale the steam for about 5 minutes, placing a bath towel over the head for the steam to get trapped;
3. Humidify the environment
Humidifying the air helps to make the tissues in the airways more hydrated and less irritated, relieving discomfort and facilitating the removal of secretions. To properly humidify the air one can use humidifiers or put a wet towel or a bucket of hot water in the room, for example.
4. Drink 2 to 3 liters of water per day
Water is very important to keep secretions more fluid and easy to eliminate, even if no other technique is used. So, good options, besides water, are to drink teas, to eat gelatine or to ingest natural juices, for example.
5. Eat foods rich in vitamin C
Vitamin C is a substance well known for stimulating the immune system and making it stronger. This way, the body can avoid colds and flu, or recover faster, avoiding a stuffy nose for a long time.
Some of the foods that can be eaten include pineapple, orange, lemon or tangerine, for example. See a list of foods with vitamin C more complete.
Get to know other home remedies to unclog your nose by watching the video:
How To Unclog Your Baby's Nose
A stuffy nose in infants is very common because of the small diameter of their nostrils, which can cause a lot of discomfort, since they do not know how to get rid of mucus in order to breathe better.
To unclog the baby's nose, what you can do is:
- Use saline to flush the nostrils of the baby or even sea water, which can be bought in pharmacies, applying a few drops in one of the nostrils and sucking with a nasal aspirator, as the images show;
- Perform a gentle massage from the top of the nose to the bottom;
- Put a high pillow under the baby's mattress to make breathing easier;
- Take the baby to the bathroom and let the shower on with warm water and keep the door and the bathroom window tightly closed so the steam does not come out. By breathing this water vapor, the secretion becomes more fluid and the child is easier to blow the nose.
Eucalyptus aromatherapy should not be used in children because it can cause a bronchitis attack, and in addition, if the ambient air is too dry it is recommended to use air humidifiers or leave a wet towel lying in the baby's room, avoiding buckets to prevent accidents.
Learn home remedies to treat the stuffy nose in the baby in: How to unbutton the baby's nose.
