1. Clean out the gunk: Thick mucus, whether from allergies or a sinus infection, can obstruct the breathing passages of your nose. Using a saline rinse can help to clean the nasal airway. Try a saline irrigation system or nasal wash twice a day.
2. Humidify the airways: Using a gentle steam treatment or a commercially available vaporizer to humidify the nasal passages can help decrease dry secretions within the nose. Using a diffuser with eucalyptus or peppermint oil adds a sensation of more open nasal airways.
3. Treat allergies: Using an allergy nasal spray such as Flonase or Nasacort plus an antihistamine is the first-line treatment for allergies. These can help ease nasal congestion due to allergic rhinitis.
4. Find out the cause: If the methods listed above don’t bring about total relief, it’s time to see an ENT physician to check out the cause of the congestion. It may be a blockage caused by a deviated nasal septum, enlarged turbinates, nasal polyps, or even a sinus infection.
Whatever the cause, we can help with proper diagnosis and treatment! Call or email us today to make an appointment.
