The stuffed up feeling of full sinus cavities is never a welcome feeling. These symptoms may occur when the seasons change or when it’s cold outside. They can also be caused by illnesses such as a cold or the flu.
Whatever the cause of your nasal issues is, they are undoubtedly annoying. While allergies usually aren’t cause for concern, an infection can occur within the mucus that’s trapped in your sinuses. In these cases, balloon sinuplasty may be necessary to treat the condition. For those with severe allergies, our doctors recommend immunotherapy like allergy drops or allergy shots to stop your reactions altogether.
We know that a visit to the ENT doctor isn’t always feasible, so we are providing you with ways to relieve nasal congestion on your own at home. If you’ve tried each of the methods listed below and your sinuses are still congested, then you may need to schedule a visit to our office.
A humidifier can be a lifesaver when it comes to reducing sinus pressure and relieving nasal congestion. These machines fill your room with moisture, increasing the humidity and soothing irritated tissues and swollen blood vessels.
It’s best practice to run this machine while you sleep or while you are working from home so that the moisture can balance out the dry air in your room. This is a method that relieves your irritated sinuses without requiring any extra time or effort on your part.
You may have already experienced how a steamy shower can drain your nose. This low budget method can help your nasal breathing return to normal.
Inhaling steam soothes your sinuses and helps them drain, and you don’t need a shower to do this. You can heat up a pot of water and stand over it to do the same trick. Turn it into an at-home spa day by soaking a washcloth in the water and lying down with it draped over your face, inhaling the warm vapor. You can also visit a sauna.
Be careful not to burn your skin on the hot water or steam!
Your nasal congestion may be in part due to dehydration. Drinking water can help thin the mucus in your sinuses and speed up the drainage.
Additionally, water can help your body fight off a cold or flu.
You can also try drinking a warm cup of tea to ease the discomfort of your allergy symptoms.
Using a teapot or Neti pot is a universal method of clearing out your sinuses. While it may seem odd, you can fill a pot with water to flush out your nasal passages.
The FDA recommends using distilled or sterile water to clear out your clogged nostrils. It’s also important to use this method correctly.
Follow the instructions below:
There are a variety of medications you can take for your clogged sinuses. Since they are served over the counter, you don’t need an ENTs prescription to buy them.
The first of the drugs that can help your congested nose are decongestants. These medications work by reducing the swelling in your nasal passages, which eases the stuffiness and sinus pressure.
These can be nasal sprays, like naphazoline (Privine), oxymetazoline (Afrin, Dristan, Nostrilla, Vicks Sinus Nasal Spray), or phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine, Sinex, Rhinall). They can also be taken as pills, such as phenylephrine (Sudafed PE, and others) and pseudoephedrine (Sudafed).
Antihistamines can also help if your chronic nasal congestion is due to allergies. These will lower your body’s response to allergens that you are inhaling each day.
If you need chronic nasal congestion treatment, you should visit the best allergy doctor in Los Angeles. Call us to set up an appointment!