How To Unclog Your Nose?

Having a clogged or congested nose can be awkward and irritating at the same time.A clogged nose changes your voice, you may have the urge to blow but nothing comes out, and you also might find difficulty in breathing.

A stuffy nose is a result of inflamed blood vessels in your sinuses. The blood vessels are usually irritated by any allergy or due to the sinuses getting infected.¹

Medicines and over the counter nasal sprays may help you to deal with nasal congestion. ²

However, you have to be careful with them as after all they are chemical substances and they come along with side-effects and sometimes they can also be addictive.

A better approach would be to try the traditional alternatives to unclog your nose as they have minimum side-effects. Down below, you will find few powerful tips and remedies that can bring you relief and unclog your nose.

Home Remedies Ways To Unclog Your Nose

In the below paragraphs, you will find different ways to get rid of the clogged congested nose. Later, we have also written down remedies for a variety of conditions where you fell most difficult with a clogged nose like sleeping, crying, etc.

1. A Vapor Rub

Apply vicks vaporub allover your nose just before going to bed. Additionally, you can also apply a little of vicks on your pillow cover so that when you breath the vicks goes in your nose making you comfortable at all times.It has ingredients that quickly open up the unclogged nose and provide you a feel of coolness inside your nose.

2. Humid Air

Humidity is a key factor, particularly in winters when you have your heaters on, it makes the air dry and hence you may be needing air humidifiers.

You can invest in a humidifier. They add moisture to the air and thus helps to prevent clogged dry nose. Nevertheless, be careful to keep your humidifier clean at all times. ³

Try to keep the air as clean as possible, open the windows of the bedroom before going to sleep. Try changing your pillows every six months and bedsheets once in a week.

In the evenings try using air conditioners instead of a fan, as the fan has a tendency to kick out the dust and make you feel uncomfortable.

3. Ginger Tea

Ginger herbal tea is very powerful to give you relief from the clogged nose during sleep. It also can clear off your sinuses and nasal passage.

Ginger works for nasal congestion by thinning the mucus from the nose and slowly draining it out.⁴Consider having a cup of ginger tea before bed for a good night sleep.

4. Eat Spicy Food

Eat food that is more spicy than usual. This will make your nose run and clear out the stuffed mucus from the nasal passage.⁵It gives immediate relief from the clogged nose.

5. Try A Hot Shower 

The steam and humidity in a hot shower may be just enough to drain off the sinuses and your nasal passage to relieve you against the stuffiness.

The hot steam that goes in your sinuses thins up the mucus, drains it, and eventually unclog the nose.⁶

6. Do A Saline Rinse

To make the spray, dissolve a ¼ teaspoon of common salt in 1 cup of warm water. Slowly spray the common salt solution into one nostril at a time.

Allow the solution to drain from your nose completely before spraying again. Remember to use distilled water or previously boiled water to make up the irrigation solution.⁷It gives instant relief as it cleans up the nasal passage from mucus and dirt.

7. Have A Proper Sleep Schedule

Sleeping can be very effective like any drug during cold and flu season. it gives your body time to recover on its own.However, don’t go for caffeinated drinks or alcohol before going to sleep or to attain sleep.

8. Herbs

Herbs such as  Aloe Vera, Eucalyptus, Mint, Ginger, and Olbas oil have the ability to soothe and also cure the aggravation and the swelling in the nasal lining.

You can use any of the listed herbs to unclog your nose. These herbs are present in powder form and essential oil forms.

When using a powerful form you have to prepare a decoction and drink it twice a day. When using the essential oil form, prefer applying a drop of it in your nasal passage.

9. Try A Steam Treatment

Boil some water in a pan and after boiling it keeps your face near the pan. over your face and the pan with a towel. Inhale the steam with your nose not with your mouth.

You can also use a blanket instead of a towel so that the steam isn’t lost, just to improve the effectiveness of the treatment.

Take long deep breaths with your nose, for better results you can also add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for better results.⁸

10. Keep Yourself Hydrated

Have plenty of fluids as this will thin out your mucus and make it easier to drain out. The extra moisture will also help in soothing the irritated nasal passage and prevent the blockage of sinuses.Include fluids such as herbal teas, fresh fruit juices, ginger tea, and even a hot chicken soup can help.

11.  Try A Neti Pot

The neti pot works by thinning out the mucus and flushing it off your nasal passage. It can give you immediate relief without the use of any medication.It is one of the effective ayurvedic technique to get rid of sinuses, nasal congestion, and the common cold.

Fill the neti pot with some lukewarm water. Sit straight and tilt bed your head on one side. Put the spout of the neti pot in one of your nostril. Keep your mouth open; avoid breathing through your nostrils. Water will slowly release out of the other nostril till the pot empties.

Adjust the alignment of your head according to the position of the nozzle so that there is an easy flow of water. Repeat the process for the nostril. Do if twice  aday for better results.

How To Unclog Your Nose While Sleeping?

Having a clogged nose is worse during the day then how about at night, it would be a misery of tossing and turning whole night. Falling into a deep sleep is very difficult for everyone.Especially, the case is even worse, in infants as they don’t know how to breathe through their mouth.

Here are some tips that can ease your symptoms of the clogged nose while you are sleeping and will ultimately help you to sleep well.⁹

1. Stay Upright When You Sleep

Always rest in an upright position on your back. Don’t lie down on your sides as this will aggravate the situation. Congestion caused by vasomotor rhinitis is known to shift to one part of the nasal passage when we lie.Congestion caused by vasomotor rhinitis is known to shift to one part of the nasal passage when we lie.

2. Keep Your Head Elevated

The position of your head while sleeping may also hinder breathing. Therefore, try to elevate your head by keeping 2-3 excess pillows.This opens the nostrils and making it easier to breathe. This also drains the mucus down your throat and help you breathe easier.¹⁰

3.Use A Nasal Strip

Nasal strips help you breath better and give you relief against any kind of nasal infection.These are applied externally to the middle of your nose and usually have an adhesive on one side.They are available in varied sizes (small, medium, or large), choose the correct one and remember to wash and dry your face before applying it.

How To Unclog Your Nose After Doing Coke?

After a session of coke, usually, people complain of the clogged nose. This is common and is called a coke nose.The best remedy for coke nose would be to avoid and quit doing coke, but if you are a slow quitter here are a few tips to cope up with it.

1. Hot Steam Bath

Try taking a hot steam bath and inhale the steam slowly with your nose, not with your mouth.You can go for a steam therapy. Take a large bowl with hot water; maybe you can add some herbs, place a towel over your head and inhale the steam with your nose.

2. Essential Oils For Clogged Nose

Inhale some scents such as eucalyptus oil, this will give you some relief. Additionally, you can apply a drop of these essential oils on your nasal passages for better results. Make sure you go for the purest essential il for good results.

3. You May Try A Saline Rinse

The same method can be used as described above.

How To Unclog Your Nose So You Can Taste?

A clogged nose does interfere with your sense of taste. Here are the tips and remedies to taste your food while having a clogged nose.

1. Use A Nasal Decongestant Or A Nasal Spray

There is a close link between smell and taste sensation. Using a nasal decongestant, you’ll be able to taste your food better.You cannot taste bitter, sweet or sour taste without clearing your nasal passage.

2. Add Salt

Add some salt to your food, this will enhance the flavor of the food and will aid you in tasting it even with a clogged nose.

3. Have High Flavour Food

One obvious choice will be to have foods high in flavor like mangoes or peanut butter so that at least you can taste them.

4. Blow Your Nose

Try to blow your nose just before eating or you can go for a steam treatment also. By doing this, you may get some relief for the time being until you have your meals.

How To Unclog Your Nose After Crying?

After you cry, the tears drain out from the eyes through the ducts into the nose, and this causes your nose to drip or sometimes get clogged.

Here are some remedies to unclog your nose in such situations.

1. Apply Vapor Rub

Apply a vapor rub just under your nose and inhale it. And even rub some vapor rub over your ears also.

2. Saline Nasal Sprays

Use saline nasal sprays or drops. They are salt water solutions that you can buy at a pharmacy shop.Spray a few drops of this into each nostril and wait until it gets drained out through your nasal passage.Don’t use this medication for infants as they cry often. For babies just wipe off their nose with a tissue.

3. Sneezing

Sometimes sneezing can help you out by clearing up your nose and giving some immediate relief.Try tickling the end of your nostrils to have a sneeze or you may even try a black pepper.

Lastly, don’t try to blow your clogged nose. When you try to blow your nose while it is clogged, it just makes the matter worse as there is nothing to come out.

Blow your nose only when it is running. Blowing hard will make the delicate membranes in your nostrils inflamed and thus leading to more stuffiness.

Should I Consult A Doctor For Nasal Congestion?

After trying out the home remedies mentioned above for 3-4 days, if your condition does not approve consult a doctor.

Final Talk

The home remedies mentioned above to unclog the nose are powerful and have helped many to get rid of the congestion. They are absolutely side-effect free and can be carried out by anyone.

In most cases of mild to moderate nasal congestion, the home remedies show effective results. However, the effect might vary from individual to individual.

Also Read

Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Stuffy Nose