Home Remedies for Runny Nose
There is nothing more annoying than to have a runny nose. Having to constantly hold a tissue to your nose certainly makes it difficult to do anything else. Home remedies for a runny nose will depend to some extent on what is causing the problem in the first place. It could be an allergy or it could be the first sign that you have a cold or throat infection.
If you are suffering from allergies find out what you are allergic to and then if possible, remove it from your home. It could be as simple as pulling out those jonquils, or being more careful with the dusting. However, there are some allergens that are borne for hundreds of kilometers by the wind and these are not so easy to remove. But installing a reverse-cycle air-conditioner with a good filter system will help considerably in keeping your home free of allergens.
An extremely simple home remedy for a runny nose is to make a saline solution of 1 tablespoon of salt to a cup of water, then use a dropper to squeeze one drop into each nostril. Inhale gently so that it goes well up the nostril, and then blow your nose. This can often remove toxins such as dust and other irritating substances. You can do the same with mustard oil. This is much stronger so only do one nostril at a time. The oil and the salt water should be warmed until tepid before use.
Onions can also be used to help dry up a runny nose. Dip a freshly cut slice of onion into a cup of boiling water for one second. When the water cools drink it. Do several cups at the one time so you have plenty on hand to drink. It is not unpleasant to taste and you’ll soon find that those drips are much less frequent. If you can’t manage too much at one time it is fine just to take frequent sips throughout the day. A very old home recipe for a runny nose due to a cold is to slice several onions thinly and soak them in vinegar for an hour or even longer. Then eat the raw onions and drink the vinegar. But not everyone can eat raw onions, let alone drink that vinegar, so this home remedy may not be for you.
Spicy foods or condiments such as ginger, cayenne pepper and curry will often help to clear out your nose too. While spicy food does seem to make some people’s noses run, if you eat it when your nose is runny from another cause, it will help to flush out any toxins that are causing your present problem.
While horseradish and garlic capsules can be bought over the counter, why not do your own thing? It will be much cheaper. Simply swallow a teaspoon of horseradish sauce every so often – and if you like garlic, then eat as much as you want. Those who don’t like garlic might be able to swallow some on a sandwich.