How To

How to Prepare a Home Remedy for a Stuffy Nose

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(21 Ratings)

A stuffy nose may be brought on by allergies, but it is also one of the most troublesome symptoms of a common cold. This condition may be addressed via a home remedy. Many people use home remedies, which utilize foods and homemade preparations, can effectively treat certain ailments, and can tackle everything from acne to indigestion.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Chili peppers
  • Nosedropper
  • Table salt
  • Baking soda
  • Stove or microwave for making hot beverages
  • Onions

    Prepare a Home Remedy for a Stuffy Nose

  1. Step 1

    Slice an onion and inhale. The odor given off by onions is a powerful decongestant, and can clear your stuffiness by causing your nose to run.

  2. Step 2

    Eat a red-hot chili pepper. Hot and spicy foods like chili peppers cause your nose to start running almost instantaneously, clearing your stuffy nose.

  3. Step 3

    Have a cup of piping hot tea--or any other hot beverage. The steam given off by your drink will help clear your nose. Furthermore, the liquid itself can help dilute mucus in the nasal passage and ease breathing.

  4. Step 4

    Take a hot shower. The steam from the hot water does an outstanding job of clearing mucus in clogged nasal passages.

  5. Step 5

    Prepare a saline solution. Add 1/4 tsp. of baking soda and 1/2 tsp. of table salt to about 8 oz. of water. Using a nose dropper, administer the solution whenever you need relief.

  6. Step 6

    Keep your head up. When in bed, make sure to use more than one pillow so that your head is kept elevated. Doing so will prevent mucus from pooling in your head and allow your stuffy nose to drain.

  7. Step 7

    Uncover more home remedies at the Home Remedies for Natural Cures and Common Illnesses Web site (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings
  • Expect to spend very little if you plan on treating your stuffy nose via a home remedy. The items that you'll need are budget-priced. Additionally, you'll likely find that you already have some of them in your cupboard.
  • If the cause of your stuffy nose remains a perplexing mystery, examine whether you have an allergy to milk. This kind of allergy (which is different from lactose intolerance) can cause congestion. The surest way to tell is to slash milk and milk products from your diet. If your condition improves, you've found your culprit.
  • If you're experiencing pain under your eyes or in the region of your forehead, or if you've developed a fever, see a doctor. You could have a sinus infection.
  • Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.
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