A Guide To Using Essential Oils To Treat Sinus Congestion

Sinus congestion is dreadful, you can’t breathe without your mouth open, and that dry feeling in your throat is just horrible. Some essential oils can help open those nasal passages and get you breathing again!

Essential oils can change your mood, make you feel better, and even cover up the stink in a room. Many turn to essential oils as a holistic treatment if they can’t use medication from the pharmacy.

You should never use essential oils directly on your skin, and they should never be consumed. You have to dilute them in water before you use them, here’s how to use essential oils to open those nasal passages.

Which Essential Oils To Use

To open up your nasal passages, especially when dealing with nasal congestion, you want to use essential oils that provide pain relief and reduce inflammation and fight bacteria. So which essential oils have these properties?

Peppermint oil shows the properties of fighting the bacteria that cause congestion. The compound menthol can open your sinuses, making it easier to breathe.

Eucalyptus oil is used in many products like chest rubs that aid in decongestion. The cineole in eucalyptus oil helps alleviate headaches, opens your blocked nose, and helps with a runny nose.

Tea tree oil has viral and bacterial fighting properties and helps reduce inflammation. Its properties can help it combat a stuffed and runny nose, but it could be toxic to your pet.

How To Use Essential Oils

You should never consume essential oils or apply them directly to your skin; they should always be diluted in water before using them. The best way to help relieve congestion symptoms is by inhaling essential oils.

You can inhale it directly from the bottle or by soaking a tissue or handkerchief with a few drops of oil. Just hold it up to your nose and try to inhale it through your nose till you feel your nasal passage open up.

You can go the authentic route, add a few drops of essential oil to a bowl of hot water, cover your head with a towel, and lean over the bowl. The towel creates a steam chamber and helps get the essential oils to your nose safely.

Using one of the many diffusers on the market, you can spread the scent around your home and have the essential oils at work while you go about your day. Just add a few drops to your diffuser and let it run while you get busy.

Safety

You should consult your doctor before using essential oils, especially around younger children. When using a diffuser, everyone in your household gets treated with the essential oil, so be careful around your pets!

Essential oils shouldn’t be your only option when treating colds and flu, but they can be used to help alleviate the symptoms as long as they’re not causing any harm. Always follow the directions for use and never ingest them.