Runny nose is excess drainage, which may
range from a clear fluid to thick mucus, produced by the nasal and adjacent
tissues and blood vessels in the nose. The drainage of runny nose may run out
of your nose or down the back of your throat or both.
Nasal congestion may or may not accompany
runny nose.
Runny nose can be caused by anything that
irritates or inflames the nasal tissues. Infections — such as the common cold
and influenza — allergies and various irritants may all cause a runny nose.
Some people have a chronically runny nose for no apparent reason — a condition
called nonallergic rhinitis or vasomotor rhinitis (VMR).
Less commonly, runny nose can be caused by
polyps, a foreign body, a tumor or migraine-like headaches.
Causes of
runny nose include:
- Acute sinusitis
- Bright lights
- Chronic sinusitis
- Churg-Strauss syndrome
- Cluster headache
- Cold temperature
- Common cold
- Decongestant nasal spray overuse
- Deviated septum
- Drug addiction
- Dry air
- Dust mite allergy
- Food allergy
- Hay fever
- Hormonal changes
- Influenza (flu)
- Latex allergy
- Lodged object
- Medications
- Milk allergy
- Mold allergy
- Nasal polyps
- Nonallergic rhinitis
- Occupational asthma
- Other infections
- Peanut allergy
- Perfume
- Pet allergy
Remedies
for Runny Nose
1. Salt
Water
Salt water
is the best home remedy for alleviating the irritation that accompanies a runny
nose. Salt water will help thin the mucus, making it easier and more
comfortable to expel. It will also help clear the nasal passages of irritants.
- Mix one-half teaspoon of table salt in
two cups of distilled warm water.
- Using a dropper, put a few drops of
the solution into each nostril with your head tilted back.
- Inhale very gently to draw the
solution further into your nasal passages. Then blow your nose to remove
excess mucus and solution.
- Do this a few times at a sitting until
you feel relief.
- Repeat a couple of times each day
until your condition improves.
2. Steam
Steam is
also an effective home remedy for a runny nose. It helps clear out excess mucus
that causes a runny nose and sneezing.
- Hold your face over a bowl of hot
water, with a towel over your head to trap the steam. Breathe in the steam
for about 10 minutes, and then blow your nose. Do this three or four times
a day.
- You can also add a few drops of
eucalyptus oil or menthol to the hot water before breathing in the steam.
- Alternatively, you can take a hot
shower or bath.
3.
Mustard Oil
Mustard oil
has antibiotic, antiviral and antihistamine properties that can provide instant
relief from various symptoms of a runny nose.
- Heat a small amount of mustard oil
until it is slightly warm. Using a dropper, put one or two drops of the
oil in each nostril. This will help clear up the nasal passages. Do this
two or three times a day.
- Add two to three tablespoons of
mustard oil and one tablespoon of caraway seeds to a pot of boiling water.
Inhale the steam. The strong aroma of mustard oil will warm up the
respiratory system, thus providing instant relief from a runny nose. Do
this twice daily.
Note: Mustard
oil is edible, so you can use the oil for cooking too.
4.
Turmeric
Turmeric
works as an antidote for many health conditions, including a runny nose. The
herb has strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral
properties that make it very effective for treating a runny nose as well
as a cold.
- Soak one-half teaspoon of dry, ground
turmeric in a cup of linseed oil. Hold the mixture over heat
until it starts smoking. Slowly inhale the smoke through one nostril and
then the other. Do this twice daily.
- One-half teaspoon of turmeric powder
can also be taken two times a day. You can take it with some water.
This will help loosen the mucus in the body.
- Mix one teaspoon of turmeric powder in
a glass of warm milk and drink it before going to bed. This will offer
quick relief from a runny nose, cough, cold, sore throat and also asthma.
You can add a pinch of black pepper as well.
5. Ginger
Ginger has a
wide range of antioxidants as well as antiviral, antitoxic, and antifungal
properties that help provide quick relief from various symptoms of a runny
nose.
- Chewing small prices of raw ginger
sprinkled with salt several times a day alleviates a runny nose quickly.
- Cut ginger root into thin slices, put
them in a cup of water and boil it for some time to make a tea. Add a
little honey for taste and drink the tea three or four times a day.
- Boil one teaspoon of ginger powder in
two cups of water and inhale the steam.
- Ginger can also be taken in the form
of lozenges, which are available in the market, to prevent a runny nose.
6. Garlic
Garlic has
strong antibacterial and antiseptic properties that make it a wonderful
treatment for a runny nose.
- Prepare garlic soup by boiling three
or four cloves of chopped garlic in a cup of water for several minutes.
Strain the solution, add some sugar and drink the soup twice a day.
- Chew a small piece of garlic three or
four times a day to warm up your body and get relief from a runny nose.
- Garlic supplements can also be taken
on a regular basis to prevent or reduce the frequency of a runny nose.
7.
Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus
oil is a decongestant and can give you instant relief from a runny nose.
- Heat a large bowl of water. Add seven
drops of eucalyptus oil and four drops each of lavender oil and peppermint
oil to it. Cover your head with a towel and lean over the bowl to inhale
the scented steam. Do this two or three times daily.
- You can also put a few drops of
eucalyptus oil on a handkerchief and inhale it throughout the day to
reduce your symptoms.
REMEMBER
A runny nose
may be annoying and uncomfortable, but it usually clears up on its own. A runny
nose or stuffy nose is usually just an annoyance. But it can be a sign of a
more serious problem, and it may be serious in infants.
Call your
doctor if:
- Your symptoms last more than 10 days.
- You have a high fever, particularly if
it lasts more than three days.
- Your nasal discharge is green and is
accompanied by sinus pain or fever. This may be a sign of a bacterial
infection.
- You have asthma or emphysema, or
you're taking immune-suppressing medications.
- You have blood in your nasal discharge or a persistent clear discharge after a head injury.