Overview of runny nose
A runny nose is an uncomfortable upper respiratory tract complication that is accompanied by mucus discharge from the nostrils and may also cause inflammation in the lining of the nasal cavity.
A runny nose is mainly caused due to common cold and flu, sometimes they are also accompanied by allergies. Cold and flu are also accompanied by several other symptoms like coughing, sneezing, sore throat, headache, and body aches.
A runny nose is one of the most annoying symptoms of the common cold. A runny nose is also accompanied by an inability to taste and sometimes may even block your ears. But thankfully there are some runny nose remedies that we can try at our home and also get relief from this annoying symptom!
Runny nose remedies to try at home
If you prefer using home remedies for running nose and sneezing complications, then there are plenty of options available for your help. Let us explore the following runny nose remedies for our cure.
1. Hot tea
Teas contain herbs that are potent decongestants, so instead of consuming regular black tea try non-caffeinated ginger, chamomile or mint tea for runny nose treatment.
These herbs possess anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties which also help to ease the blockage in your nose. Hot beverages, due to heat and steam, help to open airways and also assist in decongestion.
Make a cup of hot tea and try to inhale the steam before drinking it. Hot herbal tea is also beneficial to get rid of a runny nose followed by a sore throat.
2. Facial steam
No wonder, inhaling hot steam works wonders for runny nose remedies but additionally facial steam is also quite an effective home remedy for running nose and sneezing.
Here’s how you can perform facial steam:
- Heat water while placing a pot on the stove so that the steam is created, make sure to not boil the water
- Now place your hand above the steam for 10 to 20 minutes at a time and take deep breaths through your nose.
- You may also take breaks if you feel your face is getting too hot.
- Blow your nose to get rid of excessive mucus.
- You may also add a few drops of essential oils to your facial steam water like- spearmint, rosemary, sage, peppermint, and eucalyptus oil.
- These essential oils being potent decongestants are also found in several over-the-counter runny nose medicines.
3. Neti pot
Using neti pots for nasal irrigation is a common approach for runny nose treatment. These are small teapots like containers with a sprout. Add warm saline or saltwater solution to the pot and then use the pot to pour the solution through one nostril and then out from the other.
These are widely used runny nose remedies as they thoroughly rinse the nostrils. You can purchase a neti pot kit from a pharmacy store near you or online. Make sure to follow the directions while using neti pots to get rid of a runny nose. Improper use of these pots can even make your runny nose worse. Avoid using tap water in a neti pot.
Because they are a little messier than nasal sprays, these neti pots may appear to be weird runny nose cures; yet, they help clean up a runny nose.
4. Avoid spicy foods for runny nose treatment
Among a plethora of runny nose remedies widely available, it is advised to avoid the consumption of spicy foods while treating your runny nose. It is believed that spicy foods rather worsen runny noses.
However, if your symptoms are associated with nasal congestion, eating spicy foods can help. Hot spices like ghost pepper, cayenne pepper, habanero, horseradish, or ginger must be avoided while taking runny nose medicines. Chilli nasal spray or several spicy foods are potent runny nose remedies when these complications are associated with non-allergic rhinitis.
5. Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated by drinking an adequate amount of fluid works wonders while dealing with a runny nose and is also helpful to relieve symptoms of nasal congestion.
Consuming an adequate quantity of fluids ensures that mucus in the sinuses thins out and can be quickly expelled. Hence it is widely used to get rid of a runny nose accompanied by nasal congestion. People must avoid beverages that can dehydrate their bodies like coffee and alcohol.
6. Practice good hygiene to stop germs infection
Good hygiene habits help to reduce the spread of germs. While sneezing or coughing make sure to not spread germs to people around you. Make it a point to wash hands properly for about 20 seconds and also use sanitisers regularly to prevent the occurrence and even transmission of common cold viruses. Also, make sure to dispose of the tissue which you have been using while sneezing and coughing.
You may also consider using a face mask to reduce the contact and spread of germs. If your runny nose remedies fail to treat your symptoms even after 10 to 15 days of treatment make sure to consult your doctor at the earliest.
Runny nose medicines
After discussing several runny nose remedies let us discuss a few over-the-counter cases of flu and cold medicines that may help us to get rid of a runny nose. Before taking these medicines consult your doctor first.
Various cold medicines like- Cetcip can help by drying the nasal passage and help to relieve runny nose symptoms when taken along with snit histamines. These medications also have nasal decongestant properties and hence can also be used to relieve a stuffy nose.
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