Ear congestion

Presuming you have checked with the proper medical personnel, and you know you have cold, and not some other kind of infection, here's what you do.

Eat as much onion (either raw, in soup, chili, hamburgers, etc.) as you can stand, wrap yourself up real warm, and go to bed.  You will sweat and stink all night, but in the morning your congestion will be broken.  Take a shower so you don't offend anyone else with the smell.

This is what I do for myself, and the cold retreats amazingly quickly in my experience.  Of course, this is folk (herbal, crackpot) medicine, and you should consult with a physician.

i have a daughter who always gets ear aches and we were told by the dr. that steam showers will help rapidily

warm a little olive oil (just warm, not hot) and pour into the ear....You may hear crackling of the ear-wax, but don't worry, that is just the softening of the wax with the warm oil.   I have used this method here in Scotland since childhood, as did my parents and theirs.  It is very soothing and does work!

My parents used to do this for me when I was little and had lots of ear infections, and it seems to work somewhat.  They also used to blow smoke in my ears, which also seemed to help some.

use a steam bath - either with a bowl of hot water or you can buy ones that just go over your mouth.  Also take decongestant or hayfever tablets as that will clear it