6 Tips to Get Relief From a Stuffy Nose

The steam from a hot shower is a great way to clear a stuffy nose and get immediate relief

A cold can pop up any time, especially during the changes in temperature or weather, and the arrival of spring or fall. They’re characterized by a general feeling of malaise and that signature stuffy nose.

First of all, it makes it hard to get oxygen to the rest of your body and secondly, breathing through your mouth usually doesn’t cut it.

That’s why finding a way to clear a stuffy nose is important – it can alleviate some of the usual annoyances that come with a cold.

Check out the following tips to clear your stuffy nose fast.

1. Eat spicy food to clear a stuffy nose

Spicy foods help loosen mucus, which in turn will clear your blocked sinuses.

To take advantage of these properties, add ingredients to your meals like onion and garlic, preferably raw, or condiments like wasabi. You can also eat raw hot peppers, including serrano or jalapeño chiles.

Just don’t overdo it. Too much spicy food could hurt your stomach. 

2. Massage your sinuses

Your sinuses are the spaces that are right next to the nasal septum. A lot of mucus can build up here, so use a circular massage to help loosen it and reduce the pressure and blockage.

How do you do it?

• With your index and middle fingers, place your fingertips just below your eye sockets and move them in a circular fashion.
• Do this for 20 to 30 seconds. Take care to press along the areas that are closest to your nose and just below your eyes.
• Finally, press your thumbs against your cheeks and massage them using circular outward motions.

3. Control your breathing

Have you ever popped your ears by plugging your nose and blowing? If so, this technique is very similar to that.

How do you do it?

• Take a deep breath and hold your nose. Then try to expel some air from your nose while walking around, to the point that it starts to feel uncomfortable.
• Now let go of your nose and breathe normally. Sit down, and in a few minutes, you’ll feel your nose clear.
• Breathing techniques for relaxation might also help.

4. Traditional cure: saline solution

For this you have two options: buy a saline solution from a pharmacy or make it yourself at home.

If you decide to make it at home, just boil some water with salt and let it cool.

Once you have the solution, use a syringe to flush the liquid into your nostrils where it will work as a solvent, clearing your plugged nasal passages immediately.

5. Mint is the enemy of mucus

As you know, mint is commonly used for respiratory problems associated with colds because it contains acetic and ascorbic acids.

These compounds are so effective that after just a few inhalations of menthol or menthol-based ointments, your problem will disappear in minutes.

6. Take a hot shower

Water vapor penetrates the respiratory system in a way that breaks up any blockages, helping you get that deep breath you’ve been missing.

In addition to that, a small amount of hot water in the nasal passages can also help you fight congestion.

Don’t worry that the shower technique might worsen your condition. When you’re done with your shower, dry off thoroughly and you shouldn’t have any problems. Remember that it’s also important to wash off those microbes from all your sneezing and coughing.

Remember these tips because unfortunately, we’ll all need to use them at some point or another.

Thanks to this guide you’ll be ready to help whenever you, or someone in your life, get a stuffy nose. They’re worth trying!