How to clear nasal passage?

I have been nowhere but to the Dr. in the last week, but somehow I got a cold. It started Monday afternoon and the biggest problem is my nasal passages are so stopped up I can not breathe out of my nose at all. When I drink or eat I get chocked because I can not breathe. This is very frustrating. I have tried everything I can think of..... saline, hot coffee, hot tea (tried with lemon, peppermint, etc) eating spicy food, and using Halls type drops that say they clear nassage passages. I have taken hot showers, held my head over boing water, even tried holding ice / heat on my nose. Does anyone know anything else I can try?

 

QUOTE(Jentwinmom @ Nov 9 2007, 08:39 AM) [snapback]488192[/snapback]
I have been nowhere but to the Dr. in the last week, but somehow I got a cold. It started Monday afternoon and the biggest problem is my nasal passages are so stopped up I can not breathe out of my nose at all. When I drink or eat I get chocked because I can not breathe. This is very frustrating. I have tried everything I can think of..... saline, hot coffee, hot tea (tried with lemon, peppermint, etc) eating spicy food, and using Halls type drops that say they clear nassage passages. I have taken hot showers, held my head over boing water, even tried holding ice / heat on my nose. Does anyone know anything else I can try?



This sounds strange, but I saw it on another baby - chat site when I was pregnant two years ago w/ my first baby. You use the saline spray and lay back (propped on pillows, is fine) w/ your head back as far as you can (so the saline can move up to your sinus cavaties) for a few minutes. Then, when you stand up lean your head forward and blow your nose. Sometimes it works better than others, but I usually found it more effective than just using the saline spray while standing up. Also, I've seen the neti pot on Oprah (you can do an online search). Although I have not tried it myself, I hear it works! Just a couple of ideas. Good luck!
I hope you are feeling better very soon!!
Erin

 

I was going to say the saline spray. Hope you find some relief soon.

 

I use sinus rinses by Neilmed. The kit can be purchased at Wal-mart, but you usually have to ask the pharmacist for it. Also, plain Sudafed.

 

Here at the hospital the nurses have let me take plain Sudafed. Having a stuffy nose is horrible! I hope you feel better soon!

 

I also think the saline spray will work. Also, I've also used Vicks Vaporub right under my nose or on my chest. I've also heard that if you put it on your FEET when you sleep, it is supposed to help. I have no clue about that one, but if you're really miserable, it may be worth a shot!

jenny

 

I use sudafed! I lived on it during my twin pregnancy and was popping them last night too! The kind that you have to get from behind the counter... just plain sudafed, no initials after it.

 

we always use the nasal wash system from Dr.Oz off Oprah and it works great...

 

Saline like Erin described...and it's not that weird...that's how you use them on babies before you suction their noses!

Tylenol sinus or regular old behind-the-counter sudafed were the other best options but honestly I didn't find anything that worked particularly well while pregnant and bfing.

 

Puffs also has tissues with Vicks Vaporub in them now. I like those but they don't keep me clear for very long. I get a stuffy nose everytime I get pregnant and nothing really seems to help me. I hope you have better luck!

 

I had the worst cold ever when I was pg & those Shower Soothers helped clear my nose a lot! I would check with your dr, though.....with all the new stuff with cold medicine I don't know if it's still ok.

 

These are them.

 

Netti pot user here!

 

I'm a netti pot user too!!

 

Sudafed is safe to use as long as you don't have high blood pressure.

 

1/4 teaspoon salt (no more than that though) to 1 c body temp water, and you have your own home made saline solution. Just put a few drops in your hand and sniff it in with all your strength. You will feel it go into your sinuses but because it's mildly salty and body temperature it will not hurt, this only rinses out the mucous and doesn't do much in the way of swollen passage ways. After you breathe it into each nostril, tilt your head back a little to make sure it runs down your throat (which means you've successfully filled up your sinuses). You can lay back and do drops, but I found breathing it in was a lot easier and better for me. After you know it's run down your throat a bit (it made me gag once in a while, but helped my sore throat as well), you can lift your head back to normal and it will drip out. So I always do it with a towel to catch the drips. Sometimes I feel I need to blow right afterwards, but if I do, I do the sniffing again to make sure everything is still wet and moisturized. Otherwise I try to let it sit as long as I can handle it before blowing my nose. Make sure you drink a TON of water because that will keep things flowing and you won't blow that hard to get things out. I've noticed if I blow too hard I get swollen again and have a stuffy nose. Unfortunatately because we are pregnant we are even more sensitive to stuffy noses due to increased blood volume in our capillaries and such. So don't blow too hard or you will get bloody noses.

My dr. recommended Claritin-D to dry up. Never was sudafed recommended to me, but that may just be my doctor and local walgreens pharmacist. Just be sure that whatever you take is OK'd by your doctor or even the pharmacist. Most won't recommend more than afrin sprays but you can only use them for 3 days otherwise you will start to get stuffy again from your passage ways swelling in reaction to the spray. That did wonders in the middle of the night when I thought I was going to panic from not being able to breathe. It lasts for 12 hours.

I had a cold that was pretty easy to handle and I used a humidifier, etc. to make sure it wouldn't go into a sinus infection, but it did. I am pretty sure that if I had kept up on the saline for a week or so after the cold had dried up, it wouldn't have happened. So now it's antibiotics, saline, humidifier, and lots of water. I'm not sure how much longer i have to do it, but make sure you take care of it sooner and not later. It's when colds dry up that you can get infections. Mine almost went into pneumonia. (joy)

 

QUOTE(Bernice @ Nov 9 2007, 07:45 PM) [snapback]489317[/snapback]
1/4 teaspoon salt (no more than that though) to 1 c body temp water, and you have your own home made saline solution. Just put a few drops in your hand and sniff it in with all your strength.


I've done it with just salt and it did hurt me. Add 1/4 t. baking soda so that it doesn't hurt.

 

I use afrin nasal spray. I can't sleep w/out it. My OB told me it was safe.

 

this stuff is wonderful and all natural. it's similar to a neti pot and you just spray it up the nose--you don't lean back or anything. it cleans you out! you can also try vicks vapor rub, as well.

good luck!

 

Ah the Breathe Right stips are great also!

 

I had the same problem when pg... I used those shower tabs that dissolve when your in the shower, they were only good for a little while but something is better than nothing. I also wore Breathe Right strips while I was home they helped open up your nostrils. Saline drops gave me some relief also... What about a nose cleaner they sell at natural foods stores that pour salty water into yuour nostril and let it run out opposite side. I never tried this but I've heard it works really well. Good luck!