Treating Common Nose Problems

Nasal Issues Are Surprisingly Common

Everybody’s going to have some sort of nasal sickness at some point. Here’s an article that covers some of the most common nose issues you’ll likely encounter over the course of your life.

Sinusitis, sinus and nasal polyps, problems with taste or smell, allergies, or even epistaxis and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) represent common nasal issues. That last one (HHT) is a fancy term for endless nose bleeds. Essentially, your nose starts bleeding, it won’t stop, and the problem could become life-threatening if not treated.

Also, a burst sinus pocket may transpire prior to something like sinusitis from an injury or illness. If you blow your nose too hard or too zealously, you might just burst one of your sinus pockets, and that will be exceptionally painful. So finding an effective sinus doctor makes a lot of sense. You can put them on the back-burner, in terms of contacts, until you need them.

Hopefully, you never need a sinus doctor; but the likelihood is, one of the above-mentioned issues will impact you at some point in your life. That said, there are things you can do to treat common nose issues. We’ll cover a couple here to help give you an idea.

1. Long Showers, Steam, Breathing Steam From Warm Water

Part of what causes many nasal issues is a simple lack of hydration. The nose gets dried out, it cracks, and then it bleeds; or you get an infection. Maybe you’re dealing with a little of column “A”, and a little of column “B”; and that leads to polyps later on. A lot of things cause a lot of problems over time.

Getting water in your nose can help. It’s not too wise to just inhale it, though. Steam works. Take long, hot showers with lots of steam. Barring that, warm up some water and breathe in the steam that emanates from the top of it.

2. Drink Lots Of Fluids, And Perhaps Use A Nasal Spray

Part of dehydration in the nose has to do with dehydration in the body as a whole. Drink more water. If that still doesn’t help, look into nasal sprays—you can usually pick some variant of a well-known spray at the local pharmacy of your primary grocer.

3. Seek Professional Surgical Help

There are times when absolutely nothing you can do at home will help you, and you may need to go to an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat doctor—officially: otolaryngologist) and get balloon sinuplasty surgery. This can help relieve pressure and help you get to a point where you’ll heal enough that whatever nasal issues you have eventually subside.

4. Neti Pots, Bulb Syringes, Or Nasal Irrigation
5. 

A “Neti Pot” you’ve likely heard of and can help you clear your sinuses. Bulb syringes or nasal irrigation may help as well. Essentially, all of these options in one way or another squirt liquid into your nasal passageways, moistening them and flushing out certain irritants in a way that doesn’t damage the nasal lining.

5. Warm Towels, Propping Yourself Up, Avoiding Chlorine Pools

A warm towel can help your nose feel better, as can changing your posture. Sometimes what you’re dealing with has to do with you leaning back the wrong way. Also, if you like to swim, and you’re in the pool every day, switch it up. Go to a watering hole or something. Chlorine is known to have an adverse effect on nasal health for some people.

Attaining And Maintaining Long-Term Nasal Health

Using warm towels, changing posture, avoiding chlorine pools, injecting fluid with Neti Pots, bulb syringes, or nasal irrigation, seeking professional surgical assistance, drinking lots of fluids, and breathing warm steam can all help with nasal issues. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do, sometimes there is. Be sure to know what options you have to explore them.