I do agree that Blowing your nose forcefully will make it worse, as it will drive the infection into your sinuses and Eustachian tubes to your middle ear, if you must blow your nose blow gently and only one nostril at a time. To see the results of popular decongestants the link is at the foot of this article and since I am a Holistic Therapist I will give you my tips on dealing with this bunged up feeling.

Central Heating/air conditioning whether in the home or car will make it worse as these make the air very dry and this will thicken the mucus in your respiratory tract, so it's a good idea to use a humidifier. Also it's important to drink plenty of water, your body is making mucus for a reason to trap bacteria and viruses and wash out any invading micro-organisms, so this needs replenishing and helps thin the mucus. Steam whether whether on its own or with additives e.g. essential oils or menthol crystals. Steaming is very easy to do, you can purchase electric steamers or cups with a nose piece to aid effective delivery, however the good old bowl of hot water with a few drops of essential added and inhaling the vapour with a towel over the head is effective. It's essential for best effect to do this several times a day and it goes without saying keep away from small children.

These are my favourites for Steam inhalations

Eucalyptus, Camphor Benzoin, Rosemary, Naouli, Ravensara, Rosemary will raise the blood pressure as its a stimulant and of course anyone suffering from Epilepsy should not use essential oils

PLEASE REFER TO THE AROMATHERAPY SECTION ON THIS SITE FOR FULL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ESSENTIAL OILS MUST NOT BE TAKEN INTERNALLY AND MUST ALWAYS BE DILUTED 

The safety section is at the bottom of the Holistic Therapies page

Ravensara is particularly good for preventing catching colds and flu, this can be added to bath water diluted in oil or a little milk or used via a burner.

Ravensara Oil is steam distilled from the leaves and grown in Madagascar. There it is referred to as “the oil that heals” because it is used for so many different conditions. It can also be distilled from the bark.

The best use of the oil is for lung and throat infections as well as chronic sinus inflammation and bronchitis inflammation. It is also helps protect against viral infections such as hepatitis, shingles and herpes.

Ravensara oil also supports the immune systemwhich is so important when you have any type of infection or challenged by any health condition.

Echinacea is believed to support the immune system and help defend the body against infections, so consider taking a course of this periodically, though NOT if you suffer from Autoimmune disorders.

Increase your levels of Vitamin C by eating foods rich in this  such as citrus fruits, potatoes and dark green leafy vegetables and increase your Zinc levels foods such as oysters, toasted wheat germ, veal liver, low fat roast beef, roasted pumpkin and squash seeds,dark chocolate and cocoa powder, lamb, peanuts, crab

For the initial stages of colds and sore throats dissolve half a teasp of salt into a glass of warm water and gargle (DON'T SWALLOW IT) as salt helps prevent infection

Remember too increased mucus and a runny nose are good signs that your immune system is working well

Article below from the Daily Mail.

Bunged up? Blowing your nose will make it WORSE 

Struggling with a blocked-up nose or stuffy feeling in the head? 

It’s that time of year, but while the temptation is to keep blowing your nose, it probably won’t help. 

A blocked nose from a common cold is caused not by mucus, but by swelling and inflammation of the blood vessels in the nasal airways, triggered by the infection, explains Dr Ayah Al Ayoubi, consultant Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgeon at Chase Farm Hospital, London. 

Struggling with a blocked-up nose? It's that time of year, but while the temptation is to keep blowing your nose, it probably won't help

Not only will blowing not work, studies show that forceful nose blowing can propel some infection-laden mucus into the sinuses, where secondary bacterial infections may take hold.

So if you must blow your nose, it’s best to blow gently, one nostril at a time. 

And don’t bother inhaling the steam from a bowl of recently boiled water because that won’t help unblock your nose either. 

But what about an over-the-counter remedy?

Decongestants — in the form of tablets or medicated nasal sprays — contain different chemicals that work as vaso-constrictors. 

These narrow the small blood vessels in the nose, so reducing blood flow, which brings down the swelling and helps to open up the nasal airway so you can breathe more easily. 

 

However, such decongestants should be avoided by people with heart disease, high blood pressure, glaucoma or diabetes. 

That’s because the vaso-constricting drugs also work as stimulants, raising the heart rate and blood pressure. 

These problems are more common with oral tablets which provide a higher dose to the bloodstream than sprays because, if used properly, sprays should be limited to the vessels in your nose.  

Yet despite this, sprays are actually four to five times more effective than tablets as they are applied right at the source of the congestion, says Professor Ron Eccles, director of the common cold centre at Cardiff University. 

A spray is also unlikely to cause side-effects since the amount of medicine absorbed into the bloodstream from the nose is fairly limited. 

Sometimes a spray can cause more sneezing and a dry mouth or throat; tablets can cause raised heart rate and dizziness in some people.

Because of their stimulant effect, these products may well disturb your sleep, says Nicholas Eynon-Lewis, a consultant ENT surgeon at the London Nose Clinic. 

So if you do take an oral decongestant, it is better to do so during the day. This is not such a concern with the sprays.

Don’t use decongestants for more than a week, or you could end up with more severe congestion — rhinitis medicamentosa. 

Normally, the spray shrinks the tissue. But overuse of the drug causes the tissue to swell rather than shrink, making a blocked nose even worse.

And as the tissue swells, the medication stops working. 

Mr Eynon-Lewis adds that you should also limit use of sprays to no more than three times a day. 

Any kind of spray will only be effective if used properly, says Henry Sharpe, a consultant ENT surgeon at East Kent Hospital.

‘They need to go into the nose, rather than ending up down your throat, if you want them to work. 

'To do this, kneel on the floor with your head on the ground or lean over the edge of a table or chair so that your head is forward. Don’t use them sitting up.’ 

‘Once the drops are in your nose, stay in this position for a minute or two to let the drops work their way up to the top of the nose between the eyes.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2262414/Bunged-Blowing-nose-make-WORSE--winter-cold-expert-ideas-help-.html#ixzz2I8XC87QS 

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