7 mistakes that keep a runny nose from going away

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

You can get chronic rhinitis even if you blow your nose incorrectly.

They say that if a runny nose is treated, it goes away in a week, and if not treated, then in seven days. This is usually the case. But sometimes, even despite the treatment, the snot is delayed for a week, two, three … And this is already chronic rhinitis.

This is why it happens.

1. You have chosen the wrong drugs

A runny nose seems so commonplace that you just want to self-medicate. Sniffling, you come to the pharmacy and ask the pharmacist: "Give me some snot drops." And you get a drug, possibly popular and effective, but not suitable for you specifically.

The fact is that a runny nose can have many causes of Runny nose, besides the common cold. For example:

• allergies: from popular seasonal to cold;
• excessively dry and dusty air in the room where you spend most of the day;
• hormonal changes in the body: pregnancy, menopause, developing diabetes and so on;
• even a tiny object accidentally caught in the nasal passages …

Each of these reasons requires a different treatment regimen. And those medications that will help with one will be categorically ineffective or even worsen the symptoms with the other. So, vasoconstrictor drops will not relieve you of a runny nose caused by a foreign object in your nose.

What to do about it

In order not to make a mistake and not drip into your nose what is not suitable in your situation and cannot improve it, buy only those medicines that a therapist or ENT prescribes for you.

If you are already using a medication, cancel it and discuss possible alternatives with the same doctor.

2. You abuse vasoconstrictor drugs

Vasoconstrictor drops and sprays really help to quickly stop a runny nose. But in the instructions for most of them it is not for nothing that it is written: "Use no more than 3-5 days." Continuing to bury them beyond the stipulated period, you run the risk of earning the so-called medicamentous rhinitis Can You Overuse Nasal Spray? …

Vasoconstrictors, as the name implies, reduce the lumen of the blood vessels in the nose. Due to this, the edema of the mucous membrane is removed, due to which we feel congestion. It sounds inspiring, but alas, there are two unpleasant moments here.

The vessels, firstly, get used to the drug and stop responding to it. And secondly, they get out of the habit of narrowing down on their own - they need medicine. But they no longer react to it. It turns out a kind of vicious circle: the nose can no longer get rid of the congestion by itself, and the vasoconstrictor drugs no longer help.

Still trying to breathe freely, you increase the dose of the medication. And for a while it really works, but then everything repeats itself. The dose has to be increased over and over again, and in the end you can no longer live without the coveted bottle, and the runny nose turns into a constant companion.

What to do about it

Go to the lore as soon as possible and solve the problem in close cooperation. You will most likely have to stop the drug and tolerate nasal congestion until the vessels heal.

3. You bury onion juice and other folk remedies in your nose

Onions are great for relieving symptoms of nasal congestion. Experts interviewed by the renowned medical resource WebMD even recommend Home Treatments for Babies to be used in rooms where babies sleep with colds. Like, cut the fresh juicy onion into rings, put it on a plate and place it at the head of the crib. The sulfur contained in onions will help normalize mucus drainage, and as a result, the baby will be able to breathe freely.

Everything is fine, except for one thing: we are talking about inhaling the smell of onions, but in no case about onion drops in the nose! The mucous membrane of the nasopharynx is very sensitive. The pungent onion juice can damage it or dry it out, depriving the body of its natural defenses against infection. And this means that the disease will drag on.

The same applies to other folk recipes like lemon drops, laundry soap solution, and so on. Using them, you take a confident step towards chronic rhinitis.

What to do about it

Discard onion drops and start restoring damaged mucous membranes. This is best done under the guidance of a lore.

Most often, the restoration of the mucous membrane means only its moistening: make sure that the air is moist, and rinse your nose with saline solutions several times a day. You can buy them at the pharmacy or prepare yourself: add ¹⁄₄ teaspoon of salt and soda to a glass of warm water.

4. You sleep and work in a room with low air humidity

In order for the nose (and the whole body as a whole) to function normally, the air humidity in an apartment or office must be 40-60%. However, it happens that the air is dry. Most often this happens in winter due to closed windows and working heating devices. Then the humidity drops to 15–20%.

In such conditions, the nasal mucosa dries out Manage Dry Indoor Air This Winter, becomes thinner. And the body either picks up infections more easily (you don't get out of colds with rhinitis as one of the key symptoms), or starts a process of increased production of snot to compensate for the lack of moisture with a leak from the nose.

What to do about it

Start humidifying the indoor air. Buy a special device or make one yourself.

If this is not your option, regularly moisturize your nasal passages with saline solutions. How to do them, read the previous paragraph.

5. You have a runny nose

A runny nose is not a condition for which you can take sick leave. But if it is accompanied by a cold and a general deterioration in well-being, it is highly advisable. What home remedies can help with a runny nose? reduce activity.

The ideal option is to spend a couple of days at home, under a warm blanket, leaning on hot drinks. In this case, all the forces of the body will be aimed at fighting the infection, and along with the cold, you will get rid of rhinitis.

If you are just dreaming about relaxation, the struggle may drag on, and a runny nose may become chronic.

What to do about it

Allow yourself to rest by allowing your immune system to cope with the disease.

6. You have polyps or other complications that you are not aware of yet

Sometimes swelling of the tissues in the nose becomes habitual. This happens, for example, in those who suffer from seasonal allergies or have had colds on their feet for many years. The swollen areas of the mucous membrane gradually increase. So growths appear in the nasopharynx - polyps of Nasal polyps.

While the polyps are small, they do not make themselves felt. But from year to year they grow and at some point begin to retain mucus in the nasal passages. So there are symptoms of nasal congestion and a runny nose, which does not go away.

Other complications can also cause chronic rhinitis. For example, inflammation of the paranasal sinuses or previous injuries that distort the nasal passages.

What to do about it

Any runny nose that lasts longer than 5-7 days should be shown to a doctor. The specialist will suggest a treatment regimen that is right for you. The scheme may include physiotherapy, medications and even surgery (if it turns out that the cause of nasal congestion is large polyps or, say, curvature of the nasal septum).

7. You blow your nose incorrectly

Clearing your nose regularly is an important step in treating a cold. But this is often neglected. Someone is embarrassed to blow their nose and delicately applies a handkerchief to their nose. Some, on the contrary, blow their nose too actively - so that mucus almost flies out of their ears.

Both options are bad. In the first case, you accumulate snot inside the nasopharynx, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to multiply. In the second, you run the risk of driving mucus into the maxillary sinuses, which is fraught with sinusitis.

What to do about it

Blowing your nose regularly and correctly. What’s the best way to blow your nose when sick? … Like this:

• Take a deep breath through your mouth.
• Press one nostril with your finger.
• Exhale sharply through the free nostril.
• Now press the cleaned part of the nose with your fingers and repeat the same manipulations for the second nostril.

Blow your nose as needed, but at least several times a day. This will prevent mucus from accumulating in the nose and will save you from complications.