Head & Chest Congestion Relief

During cold and allergy season many people suffer from congestion in the head and chest. Trying to find relief can sometimes be difficult. Trying different methods can help you find what might work best for you. You may even be able to relieve these symptoms with a simple at home treatment.

Over-the-Counter Decongestant

• Using an over the counter decongestant is sometimes helpful in relieving head and/or chest congestion. Some common decongestants are:

  • Mucinex
  • Benadryl
  • Actifed
  • Sudafed
  • Advil Cold and Sinus

  There are also over the counter nose drops that can relieve congestion in the nose. However, an article on the website for The Mayo Clinic reports that using these drops for more than three days can actually worsen congestion. Using menthol or eucalyptus in hot water and breathing in deeply can help clean out the head and chest. You can also try taking a hot shower. The steam can also be helpful with reducing the mucous.

Nasal Irrigation

• One of the best methods of cleaning out your sinus cavities is the tried and true method of nasal irrigation. This can be done by using a salt water solution (1-2 teaspoons per 1 cup of warm water) and rinse your nose out using a bulb syringe. There are also over the counter products such as the Neti Pot which can do the same job.

Unusual But Effective

• The website for The Earth Clinic gives some recipes for unusual but effective ways of treating head congestion. Some of these recipes are:

  • Jeans Tomato Tea -- Mix together 1 cup tomato juice,1 tsp chopped fresh garlic, ½ tsp hot sauce,1 tsp lemon juice, 1 pinch of celery salt. Heat ingredients and drink hot. This concoction is said to clear your congestion very quickly.
  • Grapefruit Seed Extract -- Mix it with a little warm salt water and sniff up into nose. It is said to clear out nasal passages very quickly.

  For Chest congestion, The Earth Clinic website recommends the following:

  • Cayenne Drink- Mix together 1 tsp lemon juice in 1 cup of warm water, cayenne pepper and syrup (to taste). Drink mixture. It is said to clear head and chest congestion.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar- Mix a little apple cider vinegar with honey and drink. It is said to help clear chest congestion and help with controlling cough.

  Of course, if your head and chest congestion are still not relieved by one of these methods listed above you may need to visit you primary physician to get additional assistance.