Severe nasal congestion relief needed-can't breathe. Recommendations please!

B

BAM

Cathlete
I've been quite sick with a bad cold/flu for quite a few days. My nose is TOTALLY blocked. I can't breathe. I do have over the counter nasal spray which does help but can't be used for more than a few days. It feels like there are literally 2 plugs in my nose. No air is getting through which has not happened to me to this severity before. Is there something that you've used that opens up the passages but can be used safely? I welcome natural remedies as well.

Thank you very much!
Bam
 
Hi Bam,

I suffer from nasal congestion a lot. First, until you recover eliminate dairy as it contributes to mucus production. Cutting dairy did wonders for me!! Try not to use Afrin, etc because they cause rebound congestion which is hard to kick (I know).

Have you tried saline spray? Also I have heard a neti pot can be very effective. Try googling that one. You can purchase it at the local drug store.

I feel your pain!!

Sent from my iPhone using CatheForum
 
Thank you emigliori. Saline sprays and the neti pot are not doing it for me. It is just so plugged up. I am using a generic Afrin which I'm not thrilled at doing but until I can find something else to help me, I have to use it or I will go nuts not being able to breathe through my nose. I am watching my dairy intake as well. I'm sorry that you deal with congestion. I've been researching online for some natural products and I have found a few that I will hopefully be able to try today based on the reviews. But I still welcome suggestions as I haven't purchased anything yet.

Thanks again!
Bam
 
I feel your pain too! And I am in the same boat. If you find something that works for you please share. I would love to be able to not rely on Afrin.

Thanks!
Doria
 
Have you tried Breathe Right nasal strips? They work wonders for me.

Also have you tried placing your face over a steaming bowl of warm to hot water?
 
melagras said:
Have you tried Breathe Right nasal strips? They work wonders for me.

Also have you tried placing your face over a steaming bowl of warm to hot water?
Click to expand...

Do the strips work when you're totally blocked? The steam only helps a little for a brief moment.

Thanks.
Bam
 
BAM said:
Do the strips work when you're totally blocked? The steam only helps a little for a brief moment.

Thanks.
Bam
Click to expand...
Yes, as long as you leave the strip on it will help with the blockage so you can breathe. Sometimes I have to put one on when I come home from work if I'm feeling stuffed up. I swear by them.
 
Hot spicy food (Mexican) works really well at making your nose run (relieving the congestion.) and a real decongestant also helps (you may have to sign for it at the pharmacy counter at CVS-its now semi-controlled substance.)
 
I'm heading out now to buy some nasal strips and I will also talk to the pharmacist about a decongestant. I know they have extra strength strips so hopefully I'll find those on sale. I have no energy to go out. Where's my butler Charles to go and get these for me? Geesh, they're never around when you need them. ;)

Thanks everyone!
Bam
 
nasal spray decongestants work well for me... however... my nose gets so swollen shut and blocked that the spray goes in and runs directly out ot a tissue. Can't sniff it in, no air movement.
I climb up and down stairs a couple times. that little change in elevation opens things up enough to get a squirt or two in "further" to where it actually can work. different sprays have different allowable times for frequency of use. I tend not to use 12 hour sprays because they don't last that long, whereas the 4 hour ones can be reused if I re-swell shut. oral decongestants work pretty well too used along with spray. blowing my nose too much tends to make it swell shut too. If I need to re-use the sprays before allowable time, I do it anyway but try to stick close to the recommended timing.

the nasal strips are use less for me.
mostly I foccus on not getting head colds because I get so miserable &sick. lots of hand washing, sanitizer, touching public surfaces as little as possible, and sanitizing after. learning not to touch my face after my hands have been contaminated.
 
-eating or drinking citrus

-eating wasabi such as wasabi peas

-taking a shower while drinking very hot tea/theraflu/etc
if you have or can get a massaging shower head this is especially
helpful when it's on the chest/back areas wherever you feel sore.

-cold air, a brief walk outside

- mint leaves or tea bags in your tea and or ginger root or tea bags
sometimes helps

-often this is accompanied by a sore throat and cough
very good quality honey sometimes helps as a cough suppressant
some studies say it works better than cough medicine

I hope you feel better already and continue to improve.
Sorry this year is starting out so terribly. ((hugs))
 
Sometimes I use the Vicks inhalers (the ones the size of a lip balm stick). The vapor helps a bit to start the drain.

I have also just put Vaseline in my nostrils to keep the vapors there for a while.

Another thing I do is heat up chicken stock and add some hot spices like cayenne and sip it.

And when I workout my nose runs constantly ! Double duty ! :p

Hope you find something quickly.
 
I just got over a sinus infection.First it was a minor cold then my nose was totally blocked and i had face pain the next day.I went to a clinic and got antibiotics.It took a week+ to get cured.Could you possibly have a sinus infection?

laura
 
Sinus problems

Not sure why my earlier post didn't go through, but I was going to say that sometimes vicks vapor rub is the only thing that works well for me (just a tiny amount right underneath my nostrils). Eating spicy food helps clear my congestion, but only for a very short time. I'm prone to sinus infections and I know that sometimes it takes more than one course of antibiotics to clear it completely.
 
Thanks to each and every one of you for your suggestions and kind thoughts. It means so much to me, truly! I love all of your ideas. I used to eat wasabi peas a lot. They certainly would open things up for a minute or two. I will have to keep them on hand again. I had forgotten about cayenne pepper. I looked for some but am out but I did make hot lemon and honey water which is loosening things up in my chest. Shoot, I forgot to add some ginger to it.:( I tried Vicks but it didn't touch the congestion. Stepping outside into the cool air helps my state of being. It feels soooooooooo good!

I'd like to share my update with you. Yesterday I went out to get some homeopathic nasal spray and nasal strips. As soon as I purchased the spray, I used it and continued on my errands. It seemed to keep things open a bit but by evening, I was struggling but was not totally blocked. I continued using the homeopathic spray and I did feel it was working on some level. I had last used the Afrin 7am yesterday morning. I went to bed late last night (it was New Year's Eve.....almost forgot, lol) and was struggling with satisfying breathing through my nose so I used the nasal strips. Immediately upon putting it on, things began opening up (thank you melagras!) While lying in bed, things were clogging up again. I didn't want to use the Afrin so I waited a bit and I'm glad I did because I was able to breathe and actually slept. I can not tell you what a feeling it was to be able to breathe! Today I continued using my homeopathic nasal spray, took a sudafed, and will use the strip again tonight. I'm not 100% open but it's close. I felt lousy today due to my cough and effects of this horrible cold/flu but at least breathing was not an issue. I am just ecstatic over the solution that worked for me and again, I thank all of you for your wonderful support. Now I just hope the cold hurries up and leaves because I gotta tell ya, it sucks feeling this yucky but some of you, unfortunately, already know what it's like.

Thank you so much again and I wish you all amazing health, peace, blessings, love and joy in this new year!!!!

Bam
 
Last edited:
Thanks for updating us. I have never tried the nasal strips for my congestion, so next time I'll give them a go.
 
BAM said:
Thanks to each and every one of you for your suggestions and kind thoughts. It means so much to me, truly! I love all of your ideas. I used to eat wasabi peas a lot. They certainly would open things up for a minute or two. I will have to keep them on hand again. I had forgotten about cayenne pepper. I looked for some but am out but I did make hot lemon and honey water which is loosening things up in my chest. Shoot, I forgot to add some ginger to it.:( I tried Vicks but it didn't touch the congestion. Stepping outside into the cool air helps my state of being. It feels soooooooooo good!

I'd like to share my update with you. Yesterday I went out to get some homeopathic nasal spray and nasal strips. As soon as I purchased the spray, I used it and continued on my errands. It seemed to keep things open a bit but by evening, I was struggling but was not totally blocked. I continued using the homeopathic spray and I did feel it was working on some level. I had last used the Afrin 7am yesterday morning. I went to bed late last night (it was New Year's Eve.....almost forgot, lol) and was struggling with satisfying breathing through my nose so I used the nasal strips. Immediately upon putting it on, things began opening up (thank you melagras!) While lying in bed, things were clogging up again. I didn't want to use the Afrin so I waited a bit and I'm glad I did because I was able to breathe and actually slept. I can not tell you what a feeling it was to be able to breathe! Today I continued using my homeopathic nasal spray, took a sudafed, and will use the strip again tonight. I'm not 100% open but it's close. I felt lousy today due to my cough and effects of this horrible cold/flu but at least breathing was not an issue. I am just ecstatic over the solution that worked for me and again, I thank all of you for your wonderful support. Now I just hope the cold hurries up and leaves because I gotta tell ya, it sucks feeling this yucky but some of you, unfortunately, already know what it's like.

Thank you so much again and I wish you all amazing health, peace, blessings, love and joy in this new year!!!!

Bam
Click to expand...
Glad the nasal strips worked for you! I hope you start feeling better soon!
 
Thanks again, ladies! This is one of those viruses that apparently found a cozy home and doesn't want to leave. I keep telling it that it needs its independence and should live on its own. It's not listening! :mad:

Emigliori, I purchased the extra strength Target brand strips. I don't know how the regular ones would work but I didn't want to take a chance since I was so clogged up. You save some decent $$$ with the generic brand. Hope they work for you as well as the have for me.

Bam
 
Oil of Oregano. One drop outside each nostril, to be absorbed through the skin, the balance of the dropper under the tongue. Hold there as long as possible before swallowing down w/ water. Taste dissipates quickly. Follow this routine 2x daily. Preventatively as well. Pricey, well worth it. I've not had a cold, congestion, etc in the 3+ years since I started this routine.
 
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