Clogged up nose

[soccerchamp76]

I am not sure if it allergies (the temp is fluctuating between 40-50 degrees outside in St. Louis) but my nose is hella clogged up these days and is annoying as fuck.
I have taken Claritin and this other medication containing *pseudophenadren or something to that extent.

Any ideas on how to un-clog it? (not blowing your nose as it will jsut get clogged back up within 5 minutes)

Thanks in advance to whoever can help!

[sadatx]

Could be what you're eating. If you're getting too much sugar in your diet (any kind of sugar, from candy, juice, fruit, etc.) that could be causing it.

Then again it could be allergies.

You can try this home remedy that my dad learned in the army and swears works (Though I've never tried it and honestly it sounds painful and I probably wouldn't reccomend it).

You take some water as hot as you can stand it (not so you burn yourself though) mix in some salt and then snort it up your nose.

Supposedly it works.

[WarWagon]

I find a good thing to do in the morning is to use a saline nasal rinse. I had SEVERE allergy problems back in CT which in conjunction with a deviated septum (broke my nose when younger) led to constant sinus infections. Using the saline rinse tastes absolutely putrid, but it does clean out a lot of the buildup and can provide a lot of relief, even if only temporary.

[VitaminH]

Claritin should help if its allergies related, pseudoephedrine (thats the generic name for Sudafed) should help really no matter what, but it doesn't always do the whole job. If neither or those work then you could try just a saline nasal rinse as WarWagon mentioned. ONLY put saline in your nose. Stay away from the decongesting nasal sprays that have things like Oxymetazilene (sp?) in them, as you can get 'addicted' to them and end up with a worse stuffy nose when you try to stop it.

[wraithhibn]

Its getting to be the same way over here in Kentucky. Allergy problems wont crop up until April, but the sinus problems are full force. I recently started using a saline spray, it seems to work for a little bit, but not a great solution. I just try to keep doped up on decongestants.

[JayRock]

Afrin might be a good choice, I now when my nose gets like your describing its annoying as hell, but I tried Afrin and I was back to normal in a few seconds, and in a few days it was gone completely.

[raeanna74]

Another option besides the saline spray (which BTW is my first line of defence with colds or allergies) is to mix a small bit of H2O2 with water and using an empty nasal spray bottle squirt that up your nose. It feels nasty when the Hydrogen Peroxide fizzes but it helps heal.

Also get a vaporizer. Run it as constantly as you can. Sometimes dry air alone can irritate the lining of the nose and make it produce extra fluid.

Drink as much fluid as you can. That can help thin the drainage out.

Use menthol - found in cough drops, Vicks inhaler, Vicks vaporub.

One last thing. If this goes on for more than 2 weeks (usual Virus infection lasts 10-14 days) and antihistamines don't have any effect then you really should see a Dr. Especially if you develop any deep pain (not just headache) around you brow or cheek bones. That could be a clear sign of a sinus infection.

(One little remedy that is not approved by the FDA is DMSO cream. You might find it at a health food store. Mostly I've found it at the hardware store. Just a tiny bit on your cheek bones may help. I won't tell all about it here because there is a lot to tell about this chemical. Make sure you have no other chemicals or creams on your hands when you apply it because those can be carried by the chemical into your bloodstream. It is wonderful how it works but can be dangerous if not used carefully. If you are interested in more information you can PM me on this.)

[exponent_doobie]

Originally posted by sadatx
You take some water as hot as you can stand it (not so you burn yourself though) mix in some salt and then snort it up your nose.

Supposedly it works.

Hehe, I've actually that just right now and so far it's working great, I'll report back tomorrow morning to see if it lasts long.

[WarWagon]

Yep, thats the same thing as the saline rinse I use. Saline packet, warm water, and a squeeze bottle.