| Neti pots should be your first choice for chronic head | | | | damp socks. The body wants to maintain warmth to |
| congestion. There are other techniques which may | | | | all tissues and if one area is made cold, the body will |
| relieve your congestion as well but the Neti Pot is | | | | attempt to warm it. The contrast between hot to |
| quite effective. | | | | cold is the most desired effect so ensure that you |
| First we talk about likely causes of head congestion | | | | warm the feet very well prior to placing the cold |
| and then provide a few techniques which have | | | | socks. This will help ensure a proper outcome. |
| shown to aide in reducing it. | | | | |
| - lack of sleep | | | | 1. Find a pair of light cotton socks. |
| - lack of water | | | | 2. Find a pair of heavy wool socks. |
| - laying down too long | | | | 3. Place the cotton socks in a bowl of ice water...or |
| - blocked sinuses | | | | put in the freezer. |
| - lack of exercise | | | | 4. Heat up feet in a bucket of hot water or just |
| - food allergy | | | | take a hot bath. |
| - cold or flu or other acute illness | | | | 5. Dry the feet |
| There are a number of ways to relieve a congested | | | | 6. Wring out the cold cotton socks. |
| head: | | | | 7. Immediately put the ice cold socks onto the feet |
| - Purchase a Neti Pot to assist in removing mucous. | | | | and cover with the wool socks. |
| - Food: hot soups, spicey meals, hot broths | | | | 8. Lay down for the night and go to sleep - or keep |
| - Fluid: hot teas and plenty of water | | | | them on for the day while around the house. I |
| - Hydrotherapy: using cold and how water to move | | | | recommended this to a friend of mine with nightly |
| blood about. | | | | migraine headaches. She did this prior to bed and her |
| - Air humidifier: add salt and eucalyptus oil to it. | | | | migraines did not appear. |
| - Topical essential oils: vick's vapor rub on your | | | | It sounds like it will be a shock to the system but it |
| temples, sinuses and chest. | | | | is fine as the feet are hot. It actually feels nice. |
| - Avoid cold foods: limit dairy | | | | Topical essential oils |
| - Thid-Eye Point: acupressure relief | | | | These are wondrous yet can be problematic if not |
| Food | | | | careful. They should not be in reach of children as |
| Make a steamy hot bowl of spiced broth. That will | | | | they are deadly. Yes deadly. They are super |
| get your body core heated up and cause your nose | | | | concentrated oils and if swallowed or touched directly |
| to run. A running nose will allow your sinuses to drain | | | | onto a little one's skin, serious burns or other harms |
| which will ease off the pressure in your head. | | | | can be done. Keep in a locked cabinet or way up |
| Fluid | | | | high. |
| Not drinking enough water will cause your mucous | | | | Visit your favorite health store to figure out which |
| membranes to be less watery and more sticky. This | | | | ones you like the best. I am a fan of eucalyptus, |
| causes backup and backup causes pressure. Pressure | | | | rosemary and cedar. One must dilute the essential oil |
| equals head congestion. | | | | in a base of olive oil before applying. |
| Drink tons. | | | | Apply to your temples, on your maxillary and frontal |
| Nasal Irrigation using a Neti Pot | | | | sinsuses and you may want to put some between |
| This is paramount if you have chronic sinus infections | | | | your upper lip and nose. Do not put in your nose |
| - or even a one-time blocked sinus that is not | | | | directly as they will burn your mucous membranes. |
| draining. Just last week I was laying down in bed with | | | | Keep away from your eyes also. |
| a bounding headache, nauseated and not wanting to | | | | Limit dairy products |
| get up. I forced myself to do so. After taking 10 | | | | Dairy products and sugar are major mucous forming |
| minutes to get vertical, I found that my right sinus | | | | foods and will only increase head congestion. Limit the |
| was blocked. I prepared a neti pot with my salt and | | | | amount eaten during this time and you will likely |
| neti wash plus and flushed both sides of my nose for | | | | recover faster. |
| a few minutes. My sinuses began to drain like mad | | | | Third Eye Acupressure Point |
| and the headache was ...gone. | | | | According to acupressure.com, this point will help: |
| Hydrotherapy: Wet Sock Treatment | | | | "Directly between the eyebrows, in the indentation |
| Sound goofy? It may but it is effective especially for | | | | where the bridge of the nose meets the center of |
| kids with ear infections. It works by pulling blood | | | | your forehead." Simply place pressure at this point |
| away from your head to your feet. Blood is pulled as | | | | using the method shown to the right. |
| the temperature of the feet is low due to the cold | | | | |