When you have nasal congestion and sinus pressure in your head, daily life can feel quite miserable. Commonly, adults can experience this every year and especially in allergy season in the beginning parts of the year. Depending on what is causing your nasal congestion and pressure, treatment options and general remedies might be able to help.
What Causes Nasal Congestion and Pressure?
Nasal conditions can be caused from a few common issues along with a few not-so common ailments. Some common conditions that can cause nasal and sinus congestion include:
- Influenza (flu)
- Common cold and subtypes
- Inflammation
- Allergies
In addition to these common conditions, some lesser common reasons for nasal and sinus congestion and pressure include:
- Other infections not including the cold or flu.
- Nasal passage narrowing, such as with deviated septum.
Depending on what could be causing your nasal congestion and sinus pressure, you might be able to utilize at-home remedies to alleviate this issue.
What Home Remedies Can Help Nasal Congestion and Sinus Pressure?
One of the most common ways to relieve nasal congestion is to add moisture to the nose. A common misconception is that dry air can help prevent congestion, but dry nasal passages can contribute to inflammation. There are various ways to moisturize the nasal cavity and some ways include:
- Saline nasal spray.
Perhaps the easiest and most common way to moisturize the nasal cavity is to directly add moisturizer. Nasal spray is typically sold at any pharmacy and is safe for use for most people.
- Use a humidifier.
Another natural way to add moisture to the nose is to use a humidifier. Especially in dry climates or when indoors, dry air can cause problems and adding humidity to the air could help alleviate some problems.
- Use nasal balm or lotion.
Another way to help a dry or damaged nose is to add a balm to the nasal lining. A nasal balm can help to add moisture to your nasal cavity, and some might include ingredients to help naturally open passageways.
- Neti pot.
Sometimes nasal congestion and sinus pressure is caused by a stuffy nose that needs cleaning. A neti pot is a device that sends water through the nasal cavity on one side and sends it out the other. This allows for moisturizing and cleansing and might help with your congestion.
- Avoid placing tissue in your nose.
If you blow your nose often, it is easy to allow the tissue to enter the nasal cavity. This can dry the nose and cause additional issues. When blowing your nose, blow gently and wipe as needed, while avoiding any tissue into your nose.
What are Common Medications for Nasal Congestion and Sinus Pressure?
When home remedies don’t work as well and when you need more treatment options, medicine might be next in line. Nasal passage medicines come in a variety of forms and offer a range of treatments so you can feel great again. The following medicines are common treatment options that you can find at most all pharmacies and do not require a doctor’s prescription.
- Nasal Decongestant.
A popular treatment option for alleviating nasal congestion is a decongestant. This type of drug works by combatting any constriction of blood vessels in the nasal cavity. When dry air and allergens attach in this area, they can inflame the nasal passages, which then leads to shrinking of vessels. A good decongestant will help open the nasal passages so that you can breathe through your nose more effectively. This type of medicine often comes in combination with an allergy medication and comes in a pill, spray, liquid, or drops. Ask your doctor before using a decongestant because they contain an ingredient that is known to increase heart rate.
- Nasal Antihistamine.
Very commonly, nasal congestion and sinus pressure are due to allergies, especially in spring months. To determine if allergies are part of the issue, you might notice you are sneezing often, have itchy and watery eyes, and do not have an illness despite having these symptoms. Allergens can cause the nasal passages to become dry and congest the nose. If this happens with you, consider allergy medication to help alleviate the issue. Antihistamines come in pill and nasal spray and are quite effective. Some antihistamines can cause drowsiness so if you want protection throughout the day, look for an allergy medication that has a non-drowsy formula.
Over the Counter Nasal Spray.
Another type of decongestant that you can try includes nasal sprays that contain steroids. These sprays work to decrease the inflammation in the nasal passages and moisten the nasal cavity as well. The one downside to using these sprays is that their full effect might take a few weeks to work so if you chronically have allergies, congestion, and sinus pressure, take this as early in the season as possible. Also, because it might take a few weeks to take full effect, daily sprays are needed to get the full benefits.
Ointments.
Ointments are specific for the nose and chest, depending on what your congestion and sinus pressure is from. Often, ointments that contain camphor or Vaseline can be used in the nose to prevent dryness. In addition, ointment rubs can be used on the chest especially when you are recovering from an illness like the flu. Typically, menthol is used in chest ointments and is rubbed at night to help you breath while you sleep.
Additional Precautions to Take for Nasal Congestion and Sinus Pressure
Consider the information above as a guide to alleviating your nasal congestion and sinus pressure. Trying the home remedies might provide some beneficial relief regularly, but if you opt for medicine, be sure to consult your doctor, especially if you take medication for another condition. In addition, caution she be used with medicines due side effects some might have on your health.
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