Natural Remedies for Nasal Allergies

The best way to get rid of the annoying symptoms of nasal allergies would be to treat the allergy itself. But that is the very problem with allergies: Doctors can hardly identify the exact cause or the complete pathological mechanisms. And until that day will come, when we will know for sure what are we fighting against, the best conventional options remain the steroid nasal sprays, but not everyone can tolerate them and, besides this, prolonged administration is rather contraindicated because, even though the spray is a topical medicine, excessive use can initiate various steroid related side effects.

Symptoms and a few tips for relieving them

Among the symptoms of nasal allergies, these five are surely not to be underestimated:

• Runny or stuffy nose. Add ¼ teaspoon of sea salt and 3-4 drops of lemon juice in half a glass of warm water. This mixture is good for nasal instillations, for which you can use a Neti pot or a nasal rinse.
• Sinus pressure. This is caused by the accumulation of mucus in these small cavities behind the forehead and cheeks. Place a warm, moist cloth over the face and inhale steam from pine, peppermint or chamomile infusion.
• Sneezing. Inhale steam from water in which you added a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil or peppermint essential oil
• Itchy or watery eyes. This is not a symptom that can cause serious vision problems, but still it can be very annoying and counterproductive. Place a cold washcloth over the eyes, don’t rub them and avoid contact lenses.
• Postnasal drip. Swallowing mucus is not something unusual, but if the nasal secretions are thick and/or abundant, you’ll start to feel them dripping from the back of the nose into the throat, where they can cause irritation and pain. And if they are really abundant and last for an extended period, your stomach will begin to suffer too. Drink extra liquids and, if necessary, thin the mucus using a saline nasal spray.

Natural remedies

• Nettle. This is probably the best natural remedy for treating all kinds of allergies, mostly due to its antihistamine properties, which are almost as strong as those of the prescription drugs. You can use it either as an infusion (and drink 2-3 cups or even 1 l a day, for up to 3 weeks) or as a tincture (which you can make it yourself by filling a 1 l jar with fresh leaves and vodka and letting it macerate for 3 weeks). The tincture can be taken internally (1 teaspoon, 2-3 times a day, for up to 3 weeks) or topically (3-4 drops in each nostril, 5-6 times a day; if needed, dilute the tincture 1:1 with nettle tea).
• Tea blends. Mix the following herbs in equal quantities: yarrow, wild pansy, lavender, motherwort, burdock root. Add 1 teaspoon of this mixture in a cup of hot boiled water and let steep for 15-20 minutes. Drink 2-3 cups a day. An alternative mixture includes wild pansy, dandelion root, chicory root, elderflowers and nettle.