Looking for effective cold remedies that don’t require a doctor’s visit and a prescription? Aromatherapy nasal inhalers can provide quick symptom relief to get you back in action fast, minus the long waiting room times and price tag.
Nasal inhalers are often made with particular essential oil blends carefully formulated to provide a certain effect—this being the basis of aromatherapy. Different oil blends may deal with a range of problems from stress and anxiety to pain relief and even bug repellents. For things like headaches and sinus infections, these blends may not cure the root of the problem, but they can often ease the symptoms that keep you from operating at full capacity.
In this post, we’ll discuss the best nasal inhaler remedies and blends for headaches and sinus problems.
Essential Oils For Headaches
Using aromatherapy for medicinal purposes comes with the added benefit of avoiding some serious side effects that may come with prescription drug medications, especially those for pain relief. These drugs can also interact with other medications and can even be dangerous for individuals with pre-existing conditions.
Certain oils have been known to help relieve headaches, most notably peppermint oil.
Peppermint has strong analgesic properties and helps soothe and relax. Its active ingredient, menthol, can often neutralize mild pain perception and provide numbing.
Other oils great for headaches include rosemary, eucalyptus, and lavender. Rosemary and eucalyptus are known to help circulation of blood which can help relieve tension headaches. Lavender, meanwhile, is exceptional in its stress relief and relaxation promoting qualities—stress often being a main cause of headaches.
Taking these single oils, or mixing them in a blend for a nasal inhaler can provide easy, portable, any-time relief that doesn’t rely on a diffuser set up or prolonged exposure.
Essential Oils For Sinuses
Whether you’re suffering from a cold or dealing with allergies, sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses and a common symptom of both conditions) can be a pretty bothersome affliction. It causes stuffy noses, watery/puffy eyes, and sometimes even pain and soreness around the nose, throat and eyes.
While there are over-the-counter medications that can help with these symptoms, they often cause drowsiness and other unwelcome side effects, and require readministration multiple times a day.
With essential oils, particularly in the form of nasal inhalers, a much simpler and faster relief can be acquired.
Like with headaches, menthol based oils can be effective in treating the symptoms of sinus congestion. Oils high in menthol like peppermint and rosemary are natural decongestants and are often found in chest rubs, cough drops, as well as teas and other remedies.
In a 2009 study, a compound found in large amounts in eucalyptus oil was shown to help ease congestion and even reduce bacteria, which is a common cause of congestion/infection. It is also a natural cough suppressant.
While natural remedies can be great, you should always speak with your doctor if your symptoms persist or worsen to discuss better treatment options for you.
Where To Buy Nasal Inhalers
Nasal inhalers generally consist of cotton wicks soaked in essential oils and encased in a small tube covering with a cap and/or removable cover.
While it’s simple enough to make a DIY home version—simply place a cotton swab in a small 5-10 milliliter glass tube with a cap and pour in a few drops of your preferred essential oil blend—these oils can be expensive and buying several different bottles of oils may come with too high a price tag.
Inhalers with the various oil blends described here and even more can be found at aromatherapy and health and wellness brand MOXĒ. They have a diverse product line that uses only natural and organic ingredients.
You can also check out MOXĒ’s site for more information on essential oils and aromatherapy and how these natural oils can help with other symptoms and conditions.
Summary
Nasal inhalers can help relieve sinus congestion and ease headaches with the right essential oil blends through the power of aromatherapy. They’re simple, cost effective and help you avoid the side effects and inconveniences that come with over-the-counter and prescription drugs.