Most germs enter the body through the nose and throat. Germs are often carried into the body on tiny droplets of water when air is drawn into the lungs.
The inside of the nose is lined with a mucosal membrane that is lined with large number of blood vessels. Nasal congestion occurs when these blood vessels expand and cause the mucosal membrane to become swollen. Expansion of these blood vessels can result from inflammation that accompanies a food-allergic reaction.
Nasal congestion can lead to ear infection. There are many causes of the nasal congestion and can range from a mild annoyance to a life-threatening condition. The newborn infant is an obligate nose breather (must breathe through the nose). Nasal congestion in an infant in the first few months of life can interfere with nursing and cause life-threatening respiratory distress. Nasal congestion in older children and adolescents is often just an annoyance but can cause other difficulties.
Nasal congestion can interfere with the ears, hearing, and speech development. Significant congestion may interfere with sleep, cause snoring, and can be associated with episodes of not breathing during sleep). In most cases it results from the presence of some form of pollen or fungus in the air.
The single most common cause of food-allergic reactions and the number one cause of chronic nasal congestion in the absence of other health conditions is pasteurized dairy. Avoiding significant amounts of pasteurized milk, cheese, ice cream, cream cheese, and other concentrated sources of pasteurized dairy can completely resolve chronic nasal congestion for many people, even those who have suffered with nasal congestion for decades.
- Place a teaspoon of cardamom seeds on hot coals and let the child inhale the smoke. This is one of the best home remedies for nasal congestion.
- Boil water and salt and put in a sterilized container. Wait until it is warm. Get an eyedropper and get some of the solution of boiled water and salt. Put a couple of drops in each nostril while your nose if facing the ceiling. Wait until you feel the salt water in your throat then blow your nose.
- Place a handful of crushed carom seeds in a handkerchief. Tie off and place near the pillow.
- Try a nasal rinse by putting a few drops of grapefruit seed extract in 1/2 cup of warm water and inhaling it; repeat two or three times, especially before bed and when you get up in the morning. One of the useful home remedies for nasal congestion.
- Too high a diet in carbohydrates creates nasal congestion and asthma. Eat less sugar and carbohydrates; whole grains, vegetable and fish are the median balance foods.
- Higher energy and weight loss occur through the increase of meats and the reductions of sugars, fruits and refined carbohydrates.
- A warm bath or steam from the shower can help relieve nasal congestion.
- Prepare a mixture by addiung 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in 8 ounces of warm water. Use a nasal dropper to squirt water into the nose. Hold one nostril closed by applying light finger pressure while squirting the salt mixture into the other nostril. Let it drain. Repeat 2-3 times, then treat the other nostril. This is an effective home remedy for nasal congestion.
- Hot liquids relieve nasal congestion, prevent dehydration, and soothe the uncomfortably inflamed membranes that line your nose and throat.
- Mix a teaspoon of grated fresh horseradish with a little apple cider vinegar or honey, and eat it on toast. Inhale deeply as you grate the horseradish; the fumes alone will relieve your congestion. This is one of the important home remedies for nasal congestion.
- For nasal congestion treatment, put two inches of apple cider vinegar in a pan and heat until it begins to steam. Inhale the vapor.
- Both red and black pepper dilates blood vessels in the nose and stimulates secretions, which helps drain the sinuses, thus relieving the congestion.
- Place a drop or two of either eucalyptus or peppermint essential oil on a cotton ball or handkerchief and hold near the nose while breathing deeply. This increases the airflow.
- Add 1 cup tomato juice, 1 tsp chopped fresh garlic, 1/2 tsp of hot sauce, 1 tsp lemon juice, and a pinch or two of celery salt for flavor. Heat ingredients and drink hot. This is one of the important home remedies for nasal congestion.
- Drink plenty of fluids, more than usual. Water, fruit juice, teas, and carbonated drinks are recommended. Rest as much as possible.
- For nasal congestion treatment, avoid exposure to as many allergens (such as pets, foods that cause allergic reaction, and dust) as possible.
- Sleep with an extra pillow under your head. This will help relieve congested nasal passages.
- A small dab of mentholated salve under your nose can open breathing passages and help restore the irritated skin at the base of the nose.
- Boil some water and smell its vapor. The vapor will actually help open the nose.
Reference:
The Ayurveda Cook Book: A Personalized Guide to Good Nutrition and Health
New Choices in Natural Healing. Ed. Bill Gottlieb, et al. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press, 1995.
The Consumer's Medical Desk Reference. Ed. Charles B. Inlander. New York: Hyperion, 1995.
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