A stuffy nose can be annoying. Your nose drips. You sound funny when you talk. Many people think a stuffy nose is the result of too much mucus in the nasal passages. However, a clogged nose is actually caused by inflamed blood vessels in the sinuses. These irritated vessels are usually triggered by a cold, the flu, allergies, or a sinus infection. Regardless of the reason for your stuffed-up nose, there are easy ways to relieve it. Here are some things you can do now to feel and breathe better.
Use a humidifier: A humidifier provides a quick, easy way to reduce sinus pain and relieve a stuffy nose. The machine converts water to moisture that slowly fills the air, increasing the humidity in a room.
Use a saline spray: Take hydration one step further with saline, a saltwater solution. Using a nasal saline spray can increase the moisture in your nostrils. The spray helps thin the mucus in your nasal passages.
Take a shower: Have you ever had a stuffy nose and found that you could breathe so much better after a hot shower? There’s a good reason for that. The steam from a shower helps to thin out the mucus in your nose and reduce inflammation.
Use a warm compress: A warm compress may help unclog a stuffy nose by opening the nasal passages from the outside.