What relieves a sore nose? Water enriched with medicinal herbs or essential oils. Grandma already knew that, and even today, many swear by the home remedy. We explain how to inhale correctly and which additives are particularly good for coughing, runny nose, sore throat, and the like.
A simple cold usually causes a runny nose (acute rhinitis), cough, mild fever, and hoarse throats – for an average of seven days. There is no drug that combats the cause of the infection. Antibiotics are hardly an option because viruses and not bacteria are usually involved. So what helps the sick? A warm bed, rest, sufficient drinking, warm compresses, and all kinds of remedies that alleviate the symptoms – such as balms, candies, or hot steam to inhale.
Inhaling a Cold: Gentle and Healing
Inhaling hot water makes the typical symptoms of an infection more bearable. The fine droplets that get into the respiratory tract moisten the mucous membranes and soothe them at the same time. Fixed secretion liquefies and can then flow off better. In the best case, the result: coughs and rhinitis disappear, breathing becomes easier, the nasal mucous membrane swells.
Inhalations also keep pathogens in check. Because if the mucus loosens and can be transported away, many viruses or bacteria are also transported out of the body. In this sense, coughing up or blowing the nose protects against further spread of the infection and thus, for example, against inflammation of the paranasal sinuses.
Effective Preventive Measure Against Colds
Inhalation alleviates acute symptoms caused by rhinitis and coughing and offers a certain protection against infection. The nose, throat, and bronchi often suffer from the air in heated rooms in winter. The mucous membranes gradually dry out and become more prone to small injuries. As a result, pathogens have an easier game. The hot steam helps them maintain their barrier function.
Head Down and Breathe In
It is best to start inhaling at the first sign of a cold. In the case of cold and other symptoms, a steam bath is recommended immediately after getting up and before going to bed. Inhaling in the morning helps to remove encrusted secretions during the night. In the evening, the blocked nose and bronchi are cleared again so that breathing becomes easier during sleep.
Who from allergies or asthma suffers, should advance to secure the doctor. Otherwise, anyone can inhale who wants to. If you have a cold, it is sufficient to heat them up with steam three times a day for five to ten minutes each time – as follows:
- Bring the water to the boil, pour the hot water into a saucepan or bowl, and cool down a little. Caution: If the infusion is too hot, it can stress the circulation.
- Place a towel over your head, then bend over the water bath two hand widths apart.
- Keep breathing relaxed and calm at your normal pace. Important: not too fast or too deep, otherwise there is a risk of dizziness.
- If necessary, keep lifting the towel and airing it briefly.
- Take a short break after inhaling, do not go directly into the fresh air.
Alternatively, inhalers (available, for example, from the pharmacy) can be used to breathe the steam. However, these special devices with attachments for the mouth and nose are considered to be safer and more precise. The risk of burns is significantly lower, and the eyes are protected.
Which Additives Are Possible?
In principle, pure steam is sufficient to moisten the airways and relieve symptoms. However, the addition of suitable substances can intensify this effect because they also have an anti-inflammatory or decongestant effect. Onions are a tried and tested home remedy for flu-like infections. You can boil it in small pieces and then inhale. But there are other home remedies.
Medicinal Herbs
Sage leaves, or chamomile flowers have proven to be particularly effective as an additive to inhalation (tea or extract is also often added to warm water). The herbal components inhaled with the hot steam are supposed to calm the mucous membranes and clear the airways. Chamomile is also said to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Essential Oils
Many also enrich their steam bath with eucalyptus, mountain pine, spruce needle, or thyme oil. These aromatic additives have expectorant and decongestant effects. In addition, they should kill pathogens and thus quickly counteract a flu-like infection. However, there is no reliable scientific evidence for this.
Sea Salt
Salt is also a popular steam bath additive against cold symptoms, but its effectiveness is controversial. As a preventive measure, salt inhalation is said to help healthy people develop a resistant nasal mucous membrane. Salt is very difficult to dissolve, which is why (if at all) only minimal amounts of it get into the steam.
In general, classic steam inhalation only affects the upper respiratory tract. If you want it to be more effective, you have to resort to special nozzle or ultrasonic nebulizers. These devices create a fine mist of water that also reaches the bronchi.
In order to optimally use the effect of salt against swelling and inflammation, it is also advisable to use a seawater nasal spray as a supplement, and in acute cases, also decongestant nasal sprays. If you permanently suffer from a blocked or runny nose (chronic runny nose), you should consult an ENT specialist.
