What Helps a Blocked Nose?
Natural Home Remedies - Istanbul

A blocked nose is something most people experience at least a few times in their lives. It often seems trivial, but it is very unpleasant while it lasts. It keeps you awake at night, dries out your mouth, causes headaches and can even dull your sense of taste and smell.

In this article I will explain the practical remedies you can try at home, what really works and what is just an urban myth. With natural methods, most cases of nasal congestion can be eased within a day or two. But if the cause is structural, that is, if the shape of your nose is what is blocking it, the situation is different. In that case it is better to read our page on nasal congestion treatment, where I describe the surgical options in detail.

What helps a blocked nose?

The question is a little misleading, because there is no single answer. The right solution depends on where the problem comes from.

In general, four approaches work:

• Moisturising the lining of the nose (salt water, steam)
• Temporarily narrowing the blood vessels (decongestant sprays, to be used with care)
• Improving airflow (sleeping position, humidity in the room)
• Supporting the body from within (fluids, rest)

Do not try them all in sequence. Carry on with whichever helps you most. Some work for one person and do nothing for another. Every body is different.

Natural methods you can use at home

Salt water / saline solution

This is usually the first thing I recommend for a blocked nose. Saltwater sprays sold ready-made at the pharmacy, or a solution you make at home by adding a teaspoon of salt to a glass of warm water, moisturise the lining of the nose, thin the layer of mucus that has built up and make it easier to clear.

An important note: salt water is never harmful and does not cause dependence. You can use the sprays safely throughout the day.

Steam and a hot shower

Half of all hot showers are taken "to clear the nose". That is a sensible choice: warmth and moisture together do the lining of the nose a great deal of good. If you do not have time for a shower, you can also breathe in steam by pouring boiling water into a bowl and draping a towel over your head. Adding 1 or 2 drops of eucalyptus or peppermint oil to the water increases the refreshing effect.

Be careful: boiling water is dangerous for children. For them, choose a warm shower instead of steam.

Raise your pillow

If your nose gets even more blocked when you get into bed, the reason is gravity. When you lie flat, more blood flows into the vessels of the nose and the tissues swell. Raising your pillow by a few centimetres reduces this pressure. Stacking two pillows or lifting the head end of the bed slightly is enough.

Drink plenty of fluids

The advice to "drink water" sounds like a cliché, but for the nose it is half the job. The more fluid you take in, the thinner the mucus becomes and the more easily it clears. Hot teas, especially ginger, chamomile and linden, give extra moisture as well as a soothing effect.

Keep the humidity in the room up

In winter, in a room with the heating on and dry air, a blocked nose feels much worse. A simple humidifier, or a damp towel placed on the radiator, improves the humidity of the room. The ideal humidity is between 40 and 60%. Dryness of the lining is also one of the most common triggers of nosebleeds.

Stay away from smoke and irritating smells

It may seem obvious, but it is always forgotten: cigarette smoke, perfume and household chemicals irritate the lining of the nose and prolong the blockage. While your nose is blocked, try to stay away from these triggers as much as you can.

Nasal sprays: which one, and when?

There are dozens of nasal sprays at the pharmacy. Which one is right for you? There are three main groups:

Saltwater sprays

They do not cause dependence and are suitable for every age, babies included. You can think of them as the "first choice".

Decongestant sprays

Sprays containing active ingredients such as oxymetazoline and xylometazoline narrow the blood vessels in the nose and open it quickly. They work within 5 to 10 minutes.

But there is a big "but": if they are used for longer than 3 to 5 days they cause a "rebound" effect. In other words, when you stop the spray your nose becomes much more blocked than before. If you get into this cycle, it is hard to get out of it. So use these sprays only at critical moments (a flight, before an important meeting) and for a maximum of 3 days.

Steroid sprays

These include mometasone and fluticasone. They are very useful in the long term for people with allergic rhinitis. Some are prescription-only, others can be bought without a prescription. They do not cause dependence, and their effect builds up over 3 to 5 days. If you have a constant allergy, start them after talking to your doctor.

A blocked nose in babies

Babies breathe largely through their noses, so when the nose is blocked, feeding becomes difficult, sleep is disturbed and they may even become short of breath. For this reason a baby's blocked nose should be taken much more seriously than an adult's. For a detailed guide to the causes by age group, how to use saline and a nasal aspirator, and when to go to A&E: a blocked nose in babies: causes and home remedies.

What you can do for a baby's nose:

• Put saline drops in the baby's nose (many times a day is fine)
• Use a baby nasal aspirator, but be gentle
• Keep the baby's head upright while feeding
• Keep the humidity in the room up
• Keep the baby away from every irritant, cigarette smoke included

Always see a doctor if your baby has any of the following: a fever under 2 months of age, difficulty feeding, fast breathing, bluish lips or pauses in breathing during sleep.

A blocked nose with flu and colds

Flu season means typical congestion. While your body is already fighting the virus, the blood vessels in the nose swell and too much mucus is produced. This is the body's defence response; it is not actually a bad thing.

But of course it is uncomfortable. In this situation, the things that help are:

• Plenty of fluids
• Rest (give your body the resources while it is fighting)
• Saltwater rinses
• Hot soup, especially chicken soup (this is not a myth; there is scientific research behind it)
• Antiviral or symptom-relieving medicines recommended by your doctor

Vitamin C supplements may shorten the length of flu a little, but it is not correct to say that they "open the nose". It is best to take it through your diet.

An allergic blocked nose

If it is constant, seasonal or gets worse in certain places, it is probably allergic. It is often confused with a cold. The difference: with an allergic blockage there is no fever, the discharge is usually clear and it comes with sneezing.

In this case, the things that help are:

• Identify the allergen (dust, pollen, pets, mould; testing can be done if you have suspects)
• Antihistamine medicines
• Steroid nasal sprays (the long-term solution)
• Air purifiers with a HEPA filter
• Wash your bedding often and use an anti-allergy pillow

Allergy is a long-term matter. For the right treatment plan you need to see an allergy specialist or an ENT doctor.

Which side should you sleep on?

Sleeping on your back is usually better. When you lie on your side, the lower side swells more; if you turn from side to side, both sides become blocked in turn.

Raising your head (a slightly higher pillow, or lifting the head end of the bed) eases the blood vessels in the nose with the help of gravity.

A cold room or a warm room?

A warm, humid room is better.

Cold air narrows the blood vessels in the nose and seems to open it at first, but within hours it irritates and dries the lining. In the end the blockage gets worse.

Ideal: 20 to 22°C and 40 to 60% humidity.

What causes a blocked nose?

A blocked nose happens when the tissues and blood vessels in the nose swell with excess fluid, giving a feeling of blockage. It can be caused by a cold, flu, allergies to dust, pollen or pet dander, or a reaction to irritants such as tobacco smoke. In some people there is chronic nasal congestion with no obvious cause, known as non-allergic rhinitis. A blocked nose may be accompanied by a runny nose.

In adults and older children, a blocked nose is usually unpleasant but harmless. In babies, however, the situation is different, because babies breathe largely through their noses. For this reason a blocked nose in a baby should be taken seriously.

In one-sided and persistent blockages there is sometimes an unusual cause: a hole in the septum disrupts airflow and gives a feeling of blockage along with whistling, crusting and bleeding. For the symptoms and treatment, see our article on septal perforation.

When should you see a doctor?

In some situations where the blockage does not go away with home remedies, you must see an ENT doctor. If any of the following apply, do not wait:

• Blockage or discharge lasting longer than 10 days
• A high fever lasting longer than three days
• Green or bloody nasal discharge, sinus pain
• Asthma, emphysema or the use of immunosuppressant medicines
• Persistent clear discharge from the nose after a head injury
• Pauses in breathing during sleep

For babies, you need to go to a paediatrician straight away in the following situations: a fever in a baby under 2 months old, difficulty feeding, fast or laboured breathing, bluish lips, pauses in breathing during sleep.

In conclusion

Most blocked noses are solved with simple measures at home. Salt water, steam, sleeping position and fluids are often enough. But in a small proportion of cases there is a structural problem. In that case an ENT assessment is essential. If your blockage has not cleared for months, if one side is always more blocked than the other, or if you stop breathing during sleep, do not lose time and get examined.

You can get in touch with Dr. Çağatay Ruhi to request an assessment of your own blocked nose.

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