Home Treatments
It is important to keep your nasal passages moist and wet, when you are stuffed up. Most people think dry air can be used to clear up runny nose, but it has the opposite effect. It dries out the membranes and causes more irritation. You can do the following things to keep your nasal passages moist:
- Use a humidifier or vaporizer. They are used to add moistures to the air to help break up mucus and soothe inflamed nasal passageways. It is important to ask your doctor before using a humidifier.
- Avoid chlorinated pools. They can irritate your nasal passages
- Place a warm, wet towel on your face. It could reduce discomfort and open your nasal passages
- Try a net pot, nasal irrigator or bulb syringe. Use distilled, sterile water or H2O that has been boiled and cooled to make the irrigation solution. It is important to rinse up the irrigation device after use and allow it dry up
- Prop yourself up. At night, lie on some pillows. Let your head remain elevated so you can make breathing more comfortable. It also allows mucus flow out of the nasal passages.
- Use a nasal line spray. It is salt water and it can prevent your nasal passages from drying out. Tare safe for all ages, but you need to use an aspirator for babies or nasal bulb. Aspirators are used to remove any mucus left in the baby’s nose.
- Drink lots of fluids. This helps to thin out your mucus, which could help stop blocked sinuses.
- Take a long shower or breathe in steam from a pot of warm (but not too hot) water.
It is important to blow your nose the right way: softly, to avoid forcing mucus into your ears or other areas of your sinuses. You should also blow your nose into a tissue paper to avoid spreading germs and remember to wash your hands afterwards.