Many colds, viral or allergic diseases are accompanied by swelling of the nasal mucosa, runny nose and lacrimation. This often causes severe discomfort to the patient and causes problems in the form of shortness of breath. Nasal congestion makes it difficult to sleep, eat and work. Therefore, in addition to treating underlying diseases in such cases, local drugs are often used to reduce edema. To choose the best remedy for nasal congestion in each case, you need to see a doctor. After all, all such drugs have a different composition and have a different effect. It is very important to consider the cause of the common cold, since without its elimination congestion will not disappear, on the contrary, the patient’s condition will only worsen.
What is nasal congestion?
Runny nose is one of the most common pathologies. It can appear with viral or bacterial infections, colds, allergic reactions. In this case, swelling of the nasal mucosa develops and mucus is liberated from the sinuses. If the current snot can still be reconciled, removing them with a handkerchief or rinsing the nose, then stuffiness causes serious inconvenience. At the same time, the patient breathes with his mouth, he cannot eat normally, sleep and talk a lot. His voice changes and becomes nasal.
And the body lacks oxygen, which especially affects the functions of the brain. Headaches appear, memory worsens. At night, such a patient does not sleep well, does not get enough sleep. Children with a stuffy nose are even harder, because their airways are already shorter. And if a baby’s nose is stuffed up - it’s all a disaster: the baby will not be able to eat normally. It is very important to fix this problem as soon as possible. It is impossible to choose the best remedy for nasal congestion in children, there is no panacea. Therefore, it is not recommended to be treated independently, you need to see a doctor who will help you choose the right drug. It depends on the cause of this condition and the individual characteristics of the patient.
Causes of Nasal Congestion
Most often, this condition appears with a normal respiratory viral infection. The cause can also be an inflammatory process due to hypothermia and the common cold. At the same time, in addition to nasal congestion, other symptoms arise: headache, sore throat, weakness, fever.
The second common cause of congestion is allergy. Mucosal edema may be a reaction to the flowering of some plants, animal hair, cigarette smoke, chemical odors. In this case, often watery eyes, itching, a person sneezes a lot.
Other causes of nasal congestion include:
- hit of a foreign object in the nasal passage;
- sinusitis, sinusitis, frontal sinusitis;
- injuries to the nose;
- congenital pathologies of the structure of the nasal septum;
- dry nasal mucosa.
How to deal with stuffiness
Many people try to find the best cure for nasal congestion, which would quickly facilitate breathing. It is difficult to do it on your own, because with different types of drugs, in case of a viral infection and allergic rhinitis. Typically, such a problem is eliminated by local means. It can be drops in the nose, sprays, ointments. Their advantages include a faster action due to direct contact with the nasal mucosa, ease of use, the possibility of proper dosing and a small number of side effects.
Sprays are often considered the best remedy for nasal congestion, since they allow you to distribute the medicine over the entire surface of the mucosa. But they are not used to treat children, drops for babies are safer. Ointments are used mainly to protect against viral infection or externally as a warming agent.
It’s difficult to understand what is the best cure for nasal congestion. The doctor will help determine the choice, since there are several groups of drugs. All of them are different in composition and principle of action:
- vasoconstrictor drugs;
- moisturizers;
- antihistamines and allergy medications;
- antiviral;
- antibacterial;
- hormonal;
- herbal preparations;
- homeopathic.
These are all medicines that you can freely buy at a pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription. But you can additionally use folk remedies, which can also help cope with congestion.
Vasoconstrictor drugs
When doctors are asked "what is the best remedy for nasal congestion," this group of drugs is most often recommended. These funds eliminate edema due to narrowing of the vessels of the nasal mucosa. In this case, the removal of mucus is facilitated, breathing is restored. They act almost immediately, and the effect lasts from 5 to 12 hours. But not everyone can use such drugs. They are contraindicated during pregnancy, at an early age up to 1-2 years, with diseases of the cardiovascular system. In addition, vasoconstrictors can cause addiction, desiccation of the mucous membrane. As a result of their prolonged use, a runny nose becomes chronic.
Therefore, it is recommended to use such funds strictly according to the instructions - no more than 3-5 days. It is advisable to use them only as an emergency aid to facilitate breathing before bedtime or, if necessary, talk a lot. It is also better not to use such drugs immediately, first you need to try to eliminate edema by other means. And stop using them after relieving the condition.
But, despite these shortcomings, vasoconstrictor drugs are often considered the best remedies for nasal congestion in adults. These include 3 groups of drugs produced in drops and sprays. They are divided by the main active substance:
- The best remedies for a runny nose and nasal congestion include xylometazoline-based drugs. This substance begins to act in 10-15 minutes, and the effect lasts for 5-8 hours. Such funds have few side effects, so they are very popular. These are Xylen, Xymelin, Fornos, Galazolin, Rinonorm. They are available in the form of drops and spray. You can use xylometazoline-based drugs for no more than 7 days.
- Naphazoline is a fairly popular basis for such drugs that has been used in medicine for a long time. Its disadvantages are that it quickly becomes addictive and the effect lasts no more than 4 hours. But then this group includes the cheapest drugs: "Naphthyzin" and "Sanorin." They have been popular for a long time, although they are contraindicated in children under 2 years of age. On the basis of naphazoline, a more modern Tizin is now available, which has fewer side effects.
- Oxymethazoline is part of another group of vasoconstrictors. They have the longest action - up to 12 hours, so it is good to use them at night. Oxymethazoline-based drugs include Nazivin, Nazol, and Fazin. These are the best remedies for the common cold and nasal congestion for people who do not have contraindications for their use.
Moisturizers
One of the best remedies for nasal congestion in children from one year of age and adults are drugs that moisturize the mucous membrane. They are intended to soften it with dryness, growth of crusts, with sinusitis or sinusitis. This is an adjuvant in the treatment of various diseases accompanied by a runny nose. They are recommended to be used in addition to regular drops to protect the nasal mucosa.
Most often they are made on the basis of salt water. Such drugs have almost no contraindications and do not cause side effects; they can be used in conjunction with other agents. Some of them have additional bactericidal properties or enhance immunity.
It is drugs with a moisturizing effect that are among the best remedies for nasal congestion for children from a year and adults. These are such drugs:
- "Salin."
- "Aqua Maris".
- "Physiomer."
- Marimer
- "Aqualor".
Allergy Remedies
If a runny nose is caused by non-infectious and non-inflammatory processes, other drugs must be chosen. Typically, this problem is associated with an allergic reaction to pollen, chemicals, plant hair, drugs. If a person has hypersensitivity to certain substances, he develops special enzymes in his body - histamines. They cause swelling of the mucosa. Therefore, drugs to eliminate it must necessarily contain antihistamines. Usually they have a complex composition and, in addition to blocking histamine receptors, have a vasoconstrictor effect.
The best remedies for nasal congestion in allergies in adults include several antihistamines:
- "Vibrocil" - has a complex composition and is available in various forms. This drug is easily tolerated even by babies, therefore it is most often used in pediatric practice. Many doctors consider it the best remedy for nasal congestion.
- "Rinofluimucil" is a vasoconstrictor agent in the form of a spray. In addition, it has an antihistamine effect and liquefies mucus.
- "Sanorin Analergin" has a complex effect - it narrows the vessels of the mucosa and has an antihistamine effect. But this drug can cause drowsiness.
- "Coldact" is a cold medicine in the form of tablets.
In addition to antihistamines, hormonal drugs are sometimes used to eliminate nasal congestion in allergic reactions. They are available in the form of a spray. The most common are Nazonex, Bekonase, Nasobek. The use of such funds should be strictly prescribed by a doctor.
Antibacterial agents
Often, a runny nose with severe nasal congestion occurs in infectious diseases caused by bacteria. Moreover, such drugs eliminate the cause of nasal congestion, so breathing is facilitated. Although they act at the same time more slowly. For various bacterial infections in an adult, drugs that contain an antibiotic are considered the best remedies for nasal congestion. But agents based on antiseptics or other antimicrobial agents can be used. It is best to use external remedies, as they will have fewer side effects. There are several antibiotic-based drugs:
- Isofra is a nasal drop based on the antibiotic framycetin. They are used to treat and prevent bacterial infections in the nasal cavity.
- Polydex is a combined preparation in the form of a spray. Contains antibacterial components, anti-inflammatory and vasoconstrictors. Therefore, it not only treats a bacterial infection, but also fights nasal congestion.
- "Bactroban" is an ointment based on an antibiotic active against staphylococcal infection. It is used for purulent discharge from the nose.
- "Bioparox" - a spray for the nose based on fusafungin. It is used to treat sinusitis, sinusitis and other infectious diseases of the nasal cavity.
Drugs for viral diseases
If swelling and nasal congestion are caused by a viral infection, treatment should be aimed primarily at eliminating it. After the destruction of viruses, edema will disappear on its own, mucus will cease to be produced and the nose will breathe. Antiviral agents are made on the basis of interferons. These are synthetic analogs of the body's immune cells produced when it encounters viruses. Such funds are most often produced in the form of drops. They are few, for example, "Grippferon" or "Ingaron". In addition, oxolinic ointment has an antiviral effect.
These funds are used both for the treatment of the common cold and for its prevention. They have the greatest effect if they are used at the very beginning of the disease, with the appearance of the first symptoms. Additionally, for the destruction of viruses, you can use similar drugs for oral administration: Tamiflu, Arbidol, Remantadin, Viferon. These funds help to overcome nasal congestion by eliminating its causes.
Natural based products
Many believe that the best remedy for nasal congestion during pregnancy is drops based on natural ingredients. They really have a mild effect, but they can only be used if there are no allergic reactions. Preparations based on essential oils or plant extracts have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and moisturizing effects. They relieve swelling, thin the mucus. Such funds are designed for prolonged use, but still, before using them, you should consult a doctor.
Most often, the composition of such funds includes essential oils: peppermint, fir, eucalyptus. Components can be aloe juice, menthol, camphor, plant extracts. Often, along with natural components, vasoconstrictors or antibiotics are included in the composition of the preparations. One of the most popular natural cures for nasal congestion is Pinosol. These are drops based on essential oils of fir, mountain pine and eucalyptus. The drug eliminates nasal congestion and helps in eradicating the infection. Sinupret is available in tablets and drops for oral administration. This is a complex preparation based on extracts of gentian plants, primrose, elderberry and verbena flowers. It has an anti-inflammatory effect, promotes the outflow of mucus from the sinuses, and thereby facilitates breathing.
In addition, homeopathic medicines are often used to treat a runny nose and nasal congestion, if they are caused by colds. They include plant extracts, minerals, salts. There are homeopathic remedies in the form of drops in the nose or spray, for example Euphorbium Compositum or Edas-131.
The best remedy for nasal congestion in children
Reviews of such drugs note that vasoconstrictors facilitate breathing most quickly. But not all of them can be used by children. Usually prescribed only after 6 years. In rare cases, when a stuffy nose prevents the baby from sleeping and eating, the doctor may prescribe him "Xylen" or "Nazol", but only a children's form of release. But usually with a runny nose, to alleviate the condition of the baby, moisturizing solutions based on sea water are used. They wash well the sinuses, eliminating mucus and nasal congestion.
One of the best remedies for nasal congestion in children from 2 years of age is the drug Tizin. It relieves swelling, inflammation and makes breathing easier. And its “Alergi” form contains antihistamines that help eliminate allergic rhinitis. In addition, for a long time for the treatment of children use a safe tool with antibacterial action based on silver - protargol. These drops have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects.
Folk remedies
Pharmacy drugs effectively relieve nasal congestion. But it’s not always worth starting with them, especially when treating children. After all, such funds can cause side effects. Therefore, at the initial stage, it is recommended to try folk recipes. For some people, such a problem does not even arise - which remedy is better for a runny nose, stuffy nose or a cold. They immediately rinse their nose with salt water, make inhalations over steam, acupressure. You can try warming ointments on the bridge of the nose, iodine mesh or mustard on the soles of the feet. It is also effective to soar feet with mustard.
It cleans the nasal sinuses well from mucus and restores breathing by instillation of 1-2 drops of Kalanchoe plant juice into the nose. It causes frequent sneezing, but after that the nose breathes freely. Sometimes it is recommended to drip beetroot juice, diluted onion juice or ordinary salt water into the nose. Aromatherapy can be used to facilitate breathing. You need to breathe essential oils of eucalyptus, mint or lemon. You can use the Golden Star balm for these purposes.
Additionally, with nasal congestion, it is recommended to drink more. Decoctions and infusions of medicinal plants, which accelerate the release of mucus, are especially useful. Often used raspberries, sage, chamomile, oregano, calendula, St. John's wort. Helps to restore breathing by heating the sinuses with a bag of heated salt, a boiled egg or a blue lamp. But such a procedure cannot be used for bacterial infections.
Reviews of the best remedies for nasal congestion
There is no such drug that everyone would respond positively to. The fact is that the effectiveness of such drugs strongly depends on the cause of the common cold and the individual characteristics of the patient. Someone with nasal congestion is more helped by antihistamines, since the cause of this condition is an allergy. Others with such goals most often use vasoconstrictors. Judging by the reviews, the more modern preparations in the form of a spray - "Fornos", "Tizin", "Nazol", "Snoop" are most often used. They are easier to dose, the drug is distributed throughout the mucous membrane and it is not necessary to go to bed to use the drug.