Wes' nose maintenance tips
Wes is relaying his own personal experience.
He is not a doctor.
Standard disclaimers apply.
For sticky infections...
- You can help sinus infections go away by helping them be less sticky, so that they aren't glued inside the sinus cavity. In practical terms, if you are getting a sinus infection it will be easier for it to go away if it's very loose and runny.
- Antihistamines dry up mucous. Do not use them unless you have to. (I try to only use them if I'm having a sneezing fit that won't stop, or must stop my nose from running so that I can get rest.)
- "Drinking more water makes one's snot less sticky." I found this out when taking CrixivanTM, which required drinking lots of water.
- Squirting water into the sinuses with over-the-counter saline solutions such as OceanTM helps keep them flowing.
- Guafinesin, the active ingredient in RobitussinTM and HumibidTM, helps thin mucuous. It is available in generic pill form.
- Neo SynephrineTM drops can help dislodge goo balls that otherwise won't blow out. (I use this only in specific circumstances. Read the label for warnings against using it too often.)
- A cool mist humidifier right next to the bed can help.
- Some things you can do at home:
- Do saline nasal irrigation, using a specific Ph balance (easy make-at-home directions are in the link) that helps mucous release.
- Here is how to use a neti pot to rinse out your nose. (But also see how to get the right Ph balance, from above.)
- Sometimes you need a professional. This is a procedure I call nose suction.
- Reduce or eliminate major dairy items like milk and ice cream to reduce mucous formation. (I take calcium to replace what I don't get in milk, and use Häagen-Dazs' Fat Free Chocolate Sorbet instead of ice cream.)
For runny hassles...
- Antihistamines. But beware that they can embed stuff that would otherwise flow out, sometimes causing a nasty infection.
- HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, which reduce bacteria, dust and other stuff in the vicinity by 99.97%. We have two from Honeywell/Enviracaire that we run all the time. And they help. I can't say I recommend this particular brand, though, as we have to take one of them to the shop on a regular basis.
- Sinus steroids (BeconaseTM, FlonaseTM, etc.) to reduce histamine reactions during allergy season.
- A systemic steroid shot to reduce histamine reactions during allergy season.
- As a longer-term solution, allergy shots to reduce histamine reactions during allergy season.
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