How to treat a runny nose folk remedies

A runny nose (or rhinitis) is a minor symptom that can be a sign of an allergic reaction or a viral cold. A runny nose can be different depending on the nature of the mucus secreted and the intensity of the flow from the nose. In this article, you will be able to understand the nature of snot, the reasons for their appearance, and also learn in detail about home methods for treating a runny nose.

Runny nose is divided into three large groups - infectious, allergic and vasomotor. To defeat the disease, you need to know the nature of its origin. After all, the principles of treatment can be fundamentally different.

How to treat an infectious rhinitis

An infectious rhinitis is the most common colds, which we encounter most often. When a virus enters the mucous membrane, the body begins to actively fight against it, a large amount of mucus is produced to wash the pathogen. So a transparent flow from the nose appears, which is observed only at the beginning of the disease. A common cold rarely lasts more than 10 days, only if it does not become chronic. The presence of thick (green or yellow) snot indicates the attachment of a bacterial infection. It is impossible to treat such a runny nose at home, it is necessary to consult a doctor to prevent the development of sinusitis and other inflammation of the sinuses.

For the common cold, the accompanying symptoms are characteristic - cough, fever, sore throat, lacrimation, aching joints, general malaise. In this case, it is necessary to treat not only a runny nose, but also to begin the fight against the virus itself. To do this, you need to drink as much water as possible - the virus is washed out only with urine. An adult needs to drink at least three liters of liquid in order to feel relief the very next day. In addition, you need to often ventilate the room, observe humidity and air temperature so that the mucous membrane does not dry out, and the runny nose goes faster. These basic techniques will help you get rid of an infectious cold quickly.

How to treat an allergic rhinitis

An allergic rhinitis is easy to recognize - the symptoms quickly disappear after taking an antihistamine. To get rid of such a cold, you need to identify the allergen to which the body reacts. If you still have not found it, you must pass an allergy test. If a provoking factor is detected, it is important to exclude the allergen from life. If there is a runny nose for dust, you need to do wet cleaning more often in the room, remove carpets and soft toys. If you are allergic to animals - give your beloved cat in good hands, no matter how cruel it may seem.You need to always have a spray or drops with you, which at the right time will help to cope with a runny nose of an allergic nature.

How to treat a vasomotor rhinitis

The reason for such a runny nose is a violation in the functioning of blood vessels. With a vasomotor runny nose, the flow from the nose is insignificant, but breathing is completely blocked. A runny nose of this nature can occur from cold air, a pungent smell, or a nervous shock. Often, vasomotor rhinitis occurs due to the body getting used to vasoconstrictive drops. Using them for more than five days, the vessels in the body lose their elasticity and the ability to expand and narrow themselves. A person feels a stuffy nose and again uses drops, forming a circle that is difficult to break. With vasomotor rhinitis, there are no concomitant symptoms, such as lacrimation, sneezing, coughing. But for such a runny nose, signs of dystonia are characteristic - sweating of the palms, trembling of the fingers.

A doctor will help get rid of vasomotor rhinitis. It is very important to find the reason that provokes its appearance. If vasomotor rhinitis is associated with addiction to vasoconstrictor drugs, their use should be gradually withdrawn, giving the vessels the opportunity to work independently.

Since the most common type of runny nose is a cold, in our article we will describe detailed methods of home treatment for this type of runny nose.

Warming up with a cold

Warming is especially effective in the initial stage of the development of the disease. They say that a runny nose without treatment lasts a week, and with treatment 7 days. So, if you run a cold in the first couple of days, then you can completely avoid it.

1. The eggs. Two eggs should be boiled hard, wrapped in a terry towel and applied to both sides of the nose. Keep until the eggs cool.
2. Alcohol. Alcohol compresses perfectly warm the sinuses. A piece of clean gauze should be moistened with alcohol and applied to the nose on both sides. You need to cover the lotion with a film, put something warm on top and lie with this design on your nose for about half an hour.
3. Sand or salt. The loose component must be warmed up in a pan, poured into a cloth, tie corners, and then attach to the nose. Sand and salt hold heat for a long time, so this heating is most effective.
4. White clay. From white clay and boiling water, you need to knead the dough and make a cake out of it. Apply a warm lozenge to your nose and keep to cool completely.

After warming up, you can not go outside, so the procedures are usually performed before bedtime.

It is very important to warm not only the nose, but also the legs. To do this, after hypothermia or at the beginning of the disease, you need to lower your legs into a basin with the most hot water (which you can endure). As the liquid cools, you need to pour hot water into the basin. If you add mustard to the water, the effect will increase several times. After such procedures, you need to put on wool socks, drink hot tea with raspberries and not get out from under the covers until the next morning. The disease will recede, and not having time to develop.

Nasal washes against a runny nose

This method is effective if there is an active secretion of mucus from the nose. You can wash your nose at home or in the office at the ENT.

1. "Cuckoo". This is a special unit, the main component of which is a tube with a vacuum. The procedure is performed only by a doctor. The patient lies on a hard surface, his head is slightly thrown back. A special fluid is poured into one nostril using a syringe without a needle. The tube sucks this fluid from the second nostril. During the procedure, you need to say "Ku-ku" - during the pronunciation of this syllable, the larynx is located so that the liquid does not enter the esophagus.
2. Teapot. This is a home washing procedure that is easy to make with a small kettle. Medicinal fluid is poured into the container, the spout is attached to one nostril.The head above the sink should be slightly tilted to the side so that the fluid begins to flow from the second nostril. For the first time, the procedure is best performed under the supervision of a doctor, otherwise the wrong technique will cause the infected mucus to fall into the middle ear and lead to inflammation.
3. Syringe or syringe. Sometimes washing is performed using a syringe without a needle or syringe. Water under pressure is sent to the nostril so that it flows out of the throat. If this method also does not suit you, you can rinse your nose without additional funds - just type the medicinal composition in your hand, close one nostril and try to draw in the liquid of the second nostril.

Washing the nose removes thick bacterial mucus, relieves dried crusts in the nose, and prepares the mucous membrane for the use of drugs. In addition, washing is an excellent prevention of allergies and colds, since the liquid flushes viruses and allergens from the surface of the mucosa.

As a solution for washing, you can use furatsilin (one tablet per glass of liquid), sea water (salt, soda and iodine), a decoction of herbs (chamomile, calendula, marigold, St. John's wort). In addition to them, miramistin, chlorophyllipt, hydrogen peroxide, protorgol are used for the solution. Breasts are washed with saline or plain warm water.

Folk remedies against the common cold

Here are some effective recipes that you can use in the fight against the common cold.

1. Onion. Onion juice perfectly eliminates even the most serious cold. Grate the vegetable, squeeze the juice from the pulp, and then dilute it with water in a ratio of 1: 2. The prepared composition is dripped into the nose in the morning and evening.
2. Garlic. Garlic contains special volatile, vapors that kill germs in the nasal passages. Garlic needs to be crushed, and it is better to turn into porridge using a meat grinder or a blender. Transfer the mass to a small container and close the lid. 5-6 times a day you need to open a jar and inhale the smell of garlic alternately from one nostril to another. After a couple of days, you need to take fresh pulp. It is also very effective to place a piece of garlic in the nostrils for 20-30 minutes.
3. Sea buckthorn oil. It happens that after long-term treatment and the use of various drugs, the mucous membrane dries up, crusts form on it. In this case, you just need to instill a drop of sea buckthorn oil into each nostril.
4. Aloe. The juice of this home plant has a powerful bactericidal property. Leaves need to be washed, dried and crushed. Using gauze, you need to squeeze the pulp and get healing juice. Dilute it in half with water and instill 2 drops in each nostril in the morning and evening. Instead of aloe, you can use Kalanchoe - it has similar properties.
5. Inhalation. You can make inhalations with fir oil or eucalyptus essential oil. A little tool should be added to hot water, stirred and covered with a towel over the container. Inhale hot steam with your nose. This will help you not only get rid of the flow from the nose, but also help relieve nasal congestion and begin to breathe through the nose.
6. Beets and carrots. The juice of these plants is very effective for colds. Carrot juice can be instilled in its pure form. But beetroot juice should be diluted first with water, otherwise it can burn the mucous membrane.
7. Honey turunduchki. Soak cotton flagella in liquid natural honey and put in nostrils for 10-15 minutes. Honey has antibacterial properties, so it helps to get rid of green snot and nasal congestion.
8. Menthol Oil and Lemon. Menthol oil can be bought at the pharmacy. It is mixed in equal proportions with lemon juice. With the prepared composition, you need to lubricate the nasal mucosa from the inside (using cotton buds at the same time). Menthol will relieve nasal congestion, and lemon will neutralize the viral pathogen.

Folk remedies are not only cheap and effective, but also safe.They can be used by pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, as well as patients with chronic diseases.

A runny nose is not just a flow of mucus from the nose. This and the inability to breathe normally through the nose, this inability to smell your favorite smells. Do not treat the common cold too dismissively. After all, if you run it, it can lead to dangerous complications. Be attentive to yourself, and then a runny nose will be only a minor symptom that will pass in three days.

Video: how to treat a protracted runny nose