Find Out How To Make A Menthol Ointment For Congestion

Although there are commercial alternatives, by preparing your own menthol ointment to relieve congestion you will be making sure to use a natural product and you will be sure of the quality of its ingredients

Nasal congestion is a common symptom in cases of colds, flu, sinusitis and allergies. Although it is not a serious health problem, the truth is that many people find their daily routine very difficult.

Discover in this article a magic recipe to end congestion naturally. Introducing a minty ointment that is quick and easy to prepare. Give it a try and your airways will clear in a few minutes!

Relieve congestion

Congestion is related to inflammation and can affect different organs or parts of the body. However, in this article we focus on nasal congestion, a very common symptom in colds, flu and allergies that is a great annoyance for those who suffer from it.

This type of congestion causes inflammation that limits or even blocks breathing through the nostrils. It is not, as many people believe, due to excess mucus, although this may be another simultaneous symptom.

To relieve congestion naturally, therefore, we need a remedy that allows us to reduce inflammation and thus relieve nasal obstruction. We will achieve this, above all, with two essential oils: mint and eucalyptus.

Peppermint and eucalyptus oils

Essential oils are excellent for making any type of home remedy. These pure essences are extracted to use them in their maximum potency and effectiveness, almost always combined with other products such as oils or gels. However, we must ensure that they are of quality and not synthetic essences without therapeutic properties.

In the case of congestion, the two most effective essential oils are:

• Peppermint: Peppermint, with its vasoconstrictor power, exerts a cooling effect that naturally reduces inflammation.
• Eucalyptus: The oil that is extracted from eucalyptus reduces nasal pressure, removes mucus and deflates membranes to facilitate breathing. It is frequently used in vapors and inhalations.

Menthol ointment

Ingredients

To prepare this mentholated ointment we will need the following ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons of coconut oil (60 ml)
• 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel (30 ml)
• 10 drops of peppermint essential oil
• 10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil

What should we do?

To make the congestion ointment we will follow the following steps:

• When the temperature is below 23 ° C, coconut oil solidifies. Therefore, in that case we should heat it a little in a water bath until it is liquid.
• Mix the coconut oil with the aloe vera gel and let it cool slightly until it is lukewarm, neither cold nor hot.

• Add the two essential oils and mix well so that all the ingredients are integrated.
• Store in an airtight jar. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated and it can stay in good condition for a long time, as long as we don’t expose it to light or heat.

How do we apply it?

• This ointment is used by massaging the neck. In this way, the oils penetrate through the pores until they reach the bloodstream.
• We can also apply a small amount under the nose.
• If we suffer a general congestion in the respiratory tract, we will also apply it to the chest and the upper area of ​​the back.
• We will apply the ointment in circles until adding heat to the skin, for 2 or 3 minutes, with a medium intensity.

• If we have mucus in the bronchi, we can complete this treatment by clapping with the hollow hand ( clapping) on  both the chest and the back.

Other tips

For this remedy to be effective we recommend also following these tips:

• Drink at least two liters of water every day outside of meals.
• Reduce or avoid the consumption of flour and dairy during congestion.
• There is always a relationship between congestion and the gut. Therefore, we could improve intestinal health with probiotic supplements to regenerate the bacterial flora. In the same way, we should also increase the consumption of foods rich in fiber (fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds).

Elena Martinez Blasco

Degree in Journalism from the Ramon Llull University of Barcelona (2005). He has collaborated with different agencies and media such  as Europa Press and Com Ràdio. She has worked in the publishing sector as a writer, editor, translator and proofreader of books (Edicions 62, Editorial Comanegra, Ara Llibres, Océano Gran Travesía). Graduated in Naturopathy (Natural Medicine) from the Heilpraktiker Institut de Barcelona (2011), specialized in nutrition, flower essences and natural remedies and therapies. He has worked as a naturopath for centers in Catalonia and also on his own. He has worked in the organic and vegetarian food sector for the Vegetalia company. He has taken a course Nutrition and obesity: overweight control , offered by the National Autonomous University of Mexico.