Stuffy Nose Remedies
- by Audrey Louis Category: Conditions & Treatments Views: 93
With the arrival of autumn and winter comes cold and flu season, and with colds and flu comes stuffy noses. There are dozens of products on the market for clearing stuffy noses, but they are not always the best choices. Oral medications do not always work as effectively as promised, and topical products that actually work tend to have an overpowering unmistakable odour that no one wishes to wear.
With the arrival of autumn and winter comes cold and flu season, and with colds and flu comes stuffy noses. There are dozens of products on the market for clearing stuffy noses, but they are not always the best choices. Oral medications do not always work as effectively as promised, and topical products that actually work tend to have an overpowering unmistakable odour that no one wishes to wear.
A stuffy nose could be due to colds, allergies, sinus infections or the flu. When there is an excess of mucus secretions the nose is runny. The additional secretions drain from the front of the nose, or down the back (post-nasal drip). The sensation of a stuffy nose occurs when the membranes that line the nose become swollen from inflamed blood vessels.
Remedies
Use a saline nasal spray or rinse to keep your nose moist. They have been proven to significantly reduce nasal symptoms and might help make your nose more resistant to irritants and bacteria.
Drinking fluids like water, tea or juice will thin mucus, which will help alleviate your stuffy nose. But avoid beverages that contain caffeine, because they'll only make your stuffy nose worse.
Humidify when the air is dry. From October through May, you will keep your nose in better health if you humidify the bedroom, says Richard Mabry, M.D., clinical professor of otolaryngology at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. An ultrasonic vaporizer is less likely to grow harmful molds than the cool-mist varieties, says Dr. Mabry, but regular cleaning is vital whichever model you choose. Use a diluted bleach solution of one tablespoon bleach to one quart water to clean your vaporizer weekly, he says.
Avoid irritants. Usual irritants that might stimulate mucus production include cigarette smoke and sudden temperature changes — going from extreme heat into air conditioning, for example.
Consider using vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies to help prevent or shorten colds.
A stuffy nose could be due to colds, allergies, sinus infections or the flu. When there is an excess of mucus secretions the nose is runny. The additional secretions drain from the front of the nose, or down the back (post-nasal drip). The sensation of a stuffy nose occurs when the membranes that line the nose become swollen from inflamed blood vessels.
Remedies
Use a saline nasal spray or rinse to keep your nose moist. They have been proven to significantly reduce nasal symptoms and might help make your nose more resistant to irritants and bacteria.
Drinking fluids like water, tea or juice will thin mucus, which will help alleviate your stuffy nose. But avoid beverages that contain caffeine, because they'll only make your stuffy nose worse.
Humidify when the air is dry. From October through May, you will keep your nose in better health if you humidify the bedroom, says Richard Mabry, M.D., clinical professor of otolaryngology at Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. An ultrasonic vaporizer is less likely to grow harmful molds than the cool-mist varieties, says Dr. Mabry, but regular cleaning is vital whichever model you choose. Use a diluted bleach solution of one tablespoon bleach to one quart water to clean your vaporizer weekly, he says.
Avoid irritants. Usual irritants that might stimulate mucus production include cigarette smoke and sudden temperature changes — going from extreme heat into air conditioning, for example.
Consider using vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies to help prevent or shorten colds.
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