Various colds accompany a person almost all year round. One of the most annoying and unpleasant signs of these pathologies for many is a runny nose, which interferes with normal breathing, rest and causes a lot of other problems. Traditional medicines in the form of drops are aimed at narrowing the vessels of the inflamed mucous membrane, which often provokes an addiction process. As a result, such drugs simply cease to bring the desired effect or require regular instillations.
But you can get rid of a runny nose with a simple natural remedy - tea tree oil. It is famous for its many beneficial properties and has a strong effect, facilitating breathing and inhibiting bacteria in the nasopharynx. It is only important to know exactly how to use tea tree oil for a cold in order to prevent the development of all sorts of complications and achieve a positive result.
Some information
Tea tree oil is a product with a high concentration of active ingredients, which is obtained by steam processing freshmelaleuca leaves. The tool has a bactericidal, antiviral and antiseptic effect due to the presence in its composition of a huge amount of terpene derivatives. Due to its pronounced therapeutic effect, this oil is often used to treat colds, including laryngopharyngitis, rhinitis, tonsillitis and other diseases accompanied by a runny nose.
The active ingredients of the drug contribute to the elimination of pathogenic microflora in the foci of inflammation, which improves local immunity. Regular use of tea tree oil for a runny nose helps to stop the signs of rhinitis and recover as quickly as possible.
Composition
Tea tree oil is considered an excellent anti-cold drug with a wide spectrum of action. It consists of components that have a pronounced bactericidal, anti-inflammatory and regenerating effect on the cells of the ciliated epithelium. The main ingredients of the product are the following substances:
- terpineol;
- cineole;
- limonel;
- sabinene;
- terpinene;
- pinene.
At the moment of contact with damaged tissues, these components penetrate pathogenic microorganisms and destroy them.
When needed
Essential oil allows you to destroy many pathogenic bacteria. It is exposed to:
- E. coli;
- proteus;
- yeast-like fungi;
- staphylococci;
- streptococci;
- pneumococci.
In fact, tea tree oil is often used not only by folk, but also by traditional medicine to treat colds. This natural antiseptic helps destroy bacteria on the mucous membranes, due to which it is regularly used in otolaryngology, dentistry and even gynecology.
Useful properties
An effective antiviral drug can be successfully used to eliminate the symptoms of a cold, including acute rhinitis. Essential oil promotes increased sweating, due to which pathogens are removed from the body much faster. The desired result is gradually achieved: local immunity increases and the regeneration process begins.
Historically used for the common cold, tea tree oil has many healing properties:
- antiviral - inhibits the activity of rhinoviruses, which often turn out to be the initial cause of inflammation in the nasopharynx;
- bactericidal - inhibits the development and spread of microbes, which helps to reduce the number of pathological foci;
- healing - accelerates metabolism in cells, due to which there is a rapid recovery of damaged areas of the ciliated epithelium;
- anti-inflammatory - prevents the production of mediators of the inflammatory process, which provoke the appearance of puffiness;
- immunomodulatory - increases local immunity, forthereby improving tissue reactivity;
- analgesic - reduces the susceptibility of pain receptors, which helps to get rid of discomfort.
But keep in mind that you can not use tea tree oil for a runny nose caused by an allergic form of rhinitis.
Inhalations
How to use tea tree oil for a cold? To eliminate rhinitis, doctors advise doing inhalation. Warming up the nasopharynx with the use of essential oil helps to eliminate the inflammatory process. Thanks to this therapy, tissue swelling disappears and breathing is greatly facilitated.
To treat a runny nose with tea tree oil, you can resort to several options for inhalation:
- 2 liters of hot water with 5 drops of the drug and the same amount of eucalyptus oil;
- 2 drops each of anise and tea tree oils with a liter of water;
- a spoonful of honey and 4 drops of oil added to 1.5 liters of water.
Therapy session should not last more than 10-12 minutes.
Hot inhalations can be done no more than three times during the day, subject to normal body temperature. Hyperthermia usually indicates the development of serious inflammation in the body. And excessive heating of the nasopharynx may in this case not be beneficial, but, on the contrary, lead to the development of sinusitis.
In general, such activities are considered safe. By the way, in suchthe form of the drug is recommended for the common cold in children. Tea tree oil is a plant-based product and therefore completely safe. For babies who are worried about a runny nose, this remedy will help get rid of unpleasant symptoms as quickly and effectively as possible.
Nose drops
Before resorting to the use of tea tree oil for a cold, it is advisable to consult a doctor. After all, this remedy has an increased concentration of active ingredients and in some cases can be dangerous. So, pediatricians are advised to refrain from using tea tree essential oil for a cold in children under two years old. After all, the mucous membrane of such a baby may be too susceptible, which will become fertile ground for the development of allergies.
For the treatment of adults, this product is used in combination with carrier oils to prevent side effects. To prepare nasal drops, you can use one of the most effective recipes:
- mixing 2 drops each of chamomile, lavender and tea tree oils;
- adding 20 ml of St. John's wort oil to the mixture.
The resulting remedy should be instilled three times throughout the day into the nose.
With a runny nose, tea tree oil acts as quickly as possible if you use cotton turundas soaked in the prepared solution. But if you have ulcers or any damage to the mucous membrane, you will have to refuse this method of treatment.
Rinse the nose
Rhinitis is always accompanied by inflammation of the ciliated epithelium that lines the surface of the nasopharynx. Abnormal changes provoke increased production of mucus, which leads to blockage of the nasal passages. To speed up the process of removing this secret, it is necessary to arrange nose washing procedures using tea tree oil. To do this, prepare a solution:
- add 5 drops of emulsion to 100 ml of water;
- heat the product to 40 degrees;
- rinse your nose with a syringe.
Only during the procedure, try not to throw your head back - this can cause fluid to enter the Eustachian tube.
In conclusion, tea tree oil has a symptomatic effect and cannot completely eliminate the original cause of rhinitis. That is why in the treatment of a cold, this remedy is given only an auxiliary role - it is used only to eliminate the signs of the disease.
Contraindications
Concentrated product may cause side effects due to the presence of a large number of active ingredients. Experts do not advise using tea tree oil for a runny nose in such conditions:
- gestation;
- lactation;
- acute form of sinusitis;
- vasomotor rhinitis;
- prone to allergic reactions;
- mucosal injury.
Conclusion
To avoid the appearance of negative symptoms, an allergy test should be carried out before starting the use of the drug. To do this, moisten a cotton pad or handkerchief in a small amount of emulsion and breathe it for at least an hour. If you do not start to feel a burning sensation and do not find redness of the nasal mucosa, you can safely use tea tree oil to eliminate a runny nose. Just do not forget to follow the rules for using the emulsion.
