I'm always amazed, and I don't know why, when I see home remedies that I have used with my family for years, show up on popular websites. On MSNBC, they suggested putting a few drops of eucalyptus oil on the floor of a hot, running shower and inhaling the steam that accumulates.
(Source: Benjamin Kligler, M.D., M.P.H., research director at the Continuum Center for Health and Healing in New York City. Isn't it funny to have to have a source for that?)
A few words about using eucalyptus to ease congestion. I do this all of the time and I will place a few drops on a cotton ball and have my kids breathe it in. Or they can set the cotton ball next to their pillow and inhale throughout the night. You have to be careful not to touch the oil. We have used satchels that contain eucalyptus and place that next to the pillow as well.
My personal favorite is to add eucalptus and perhaps other essential oils to a bowl of hot water and put a towel around my head forming a tent. And then inhale. It's very powerful and the hot water is great for the skin as well.
Many people use neti pots to ease congestion as well. To learn how to use this see Dr. Mehmet Oz's suggestions.
From Web MD come these two suggestions:
Use a Salve Under Your Nose
A small dab of mentholated salve under your nose can open breathing passages and help soothe the irritated skin at the base of the nose. Menthol, eucalyptus and camphor all have mild numbing ingredients that may help relieve the pain of a nose rubbed raw.Apply Hot or Cold Packs Around Your Congested Sinuses
Either temperature may help you feel more comfortable. You can buy reusable hot or cold packs at a drugstore. Or make your own. Take a damp washcloth and heat it for 55 seconds in a microwave (test the temperature first to make sure it's right for you.) Or take a small bag of frozen peas to use as a cold pack.
