What does the color of your nasal mucus mean. How can you interpret different snot colors and consistencies. Why does nasal discharge change color and texture. When should you be concerned about your snot color.

The Rainbow of Nasal Mucus: Understanding Snot Colors

Nasal mucus, commonly known as snot, can provide valuable insights into your health. The color, consistency, and amount of mucus your nose produces can indicate various conditions, from simple allergies to more serious infections. Let’s explore the spectrum of snot colors and what they might mean for your well-being.

Clear Nasal Discharge: Normal or Cause for Concern?

Clear, thin, and watery mucus is generally a sign of good health. The human body produces about 1 liter of mucus and saliva daily, consisting mostly of water with some proteins, antibodies, and dissolved salts. However, an increase in clear nasal discharge may indicate:

• Seasonal allergies
• Exposure to environmental irritants
• Cold weather condensation
• The onset of a mild upper respiratory infection

Is excessive clear mucus always harmless? Not necessarily. If accompanied by symptoms like coughing, fever, or general malaise lasting for several days, it could signal the beginning of a viral infection. In such cases, over-the-counter cold medications may help, but consult a doctor if symptoms persist or worsen.

Cloudy and Thick Mucus: Deciphering the Causes

When your nasal discharge becomes thick and cloudy, it often indicates congestion. This change in consistency can be attributed to various factors:

Chronic Allergies and Their Impact on Nasal Mucus

Year-round allergies, such as dust allergies, can lead to persistent stuffiness and thicker nasal secretions. Unlike seasonal allergies, these chronic conditions may not cause runniness but rather a constant feeling of congestion.

The Role of Hydration in Mucus Consistency

Did you know that your mucus reflects your body’s hydration level? Dehydration can make your nasal discharge thicker and more viscous. This increased concentration can create the illusion of excess mucus when, in reality, you might not be producing enough.

How can you address thick, cloudy mucus? Increasing your fluid intake is a simple yet effective solution. Proper hydration helps thin out the mucus, making it easier to expel and reducing the feeling of congestion.

Yellow and Green Nasal Discharge: Bacterial or Viral?

When your snot takes on a yellow or green hue, it’s natural to assume you’re dealing with a bacterial infection. However, this isn’t always the case.

The Truth About Colorful Mucus

Contrary to popular belief, yellow or green mucus doesn’t automatically indicate a bacterial infection requiring antibiotics. These colors are often the result of your immune system fighting off a viral infection.

Why does mucus change color during an infection? As your body combats the invading pathogens, white blood cells rush to the site of infection. These cells contain enzymes that can tint your mucus green when present in high concentrations.

When to Seek Medical Attention

While colored mucus alone isn’t a cause for immediate concern, certain symptoms warrant a visit to your healthcare provider:

• Facial pain or pressure
• Severe headache
• Fever lasting more than three days
• Symptoms persisting beyond 10-14 days

These signs could indicate a bacterial infection or other complications that may require medical intervention.

Red or Pink Tinged Mucus: Causes and Concerns

Noticing blood in your nasal discharge can be alarming, but it’s not always a sign of a serious condition.

Common Causes of Bloody Nasal Discharge

Red or pink-tinged mucus often results from:

1. Dry air irritating the nasal passages
2. Excessive nose blowing or picking
3. Minor trauma to the nose
4. Use of certain medications, such as blood thinners

In most cases, bloody mucus resolves on its own with proper care and hydration. However, frequent or prolonged occurrences of blood in your nasal discharge should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.

When Bloody Mucus Signals a More Serious Issue

While rare, persistent bloody nasal discharge can sometimes indicate more serious conditions, such as:

• High blood pressure
• Bleeding disorders
• Nasal polyps or tumors

If you experience recurrent nosebleeds or continuous bloody discharge, it’s crucial to consult with your doctor for a thorough evaluation.

Brown or Black Nasal Mucus: Environmental Factors and Health Implications

Dark-colored nasal discharge, ranging from brown to black, often raises concerns. While it can be unsettling, the cause is usually benign and related to environmental factors.

Common Causes of Dark Nasal Discharge

Brown or black mucus typically results from inhaling dark-colored particles, such as:

• Dust
• Dirt
• Smoke
• Air pollution

In these cases, your nasal passages are simply doing their job by trapping and expelling these particles, preventing them from entering your lungs.

When Dark Mucus May Indicate a Health Issue

While rare, persistent dark-colored nasal discharge can sometimes signal more serious conditions, including:

1. Chronic sinusitis with fungal involvement
2. Certain types of pneumonia
3. Tuberculosis (in extremely rare cases)

If you experience prolonged dark nasal discharge, especially if accompanied by other symptoms like fever or difficulty breathing, it’s important to seek medical advice.

The Impact of Lifestyle Factors on Nasal Mucus

Your daily habits and environment can significantly influence the color and consistency of your nasal mucus. Understanding these factors can help you maintain optimal nasal health.

Smoking and Its Effects on Nasal Discharge

Smoking, whether active or passive, can dramatically alter your nasal mucus. Smokers often experience:

• Thicker, more viscous mucus
• Increased mucus production
• Darker colored discharge due to inhaled particles

Quitting smoking can lead to significant improvements in nasal health and overall respiratory function.

Diet and Hydration: Keys to Healthy Nasal Mucus

Your dietary choices and hydration levels play a crucial role in maintaining healthy nasal mucus. Consider the following tips:

1. Stay well-hydrated to keep mucus thin and easy to expel
2. Consume foods rich in vitamin C to support your immune system
3. Include spicy foods in your diet, which can help thin mucus naturally
4. Limit dairy intake if you find it increases mucus production

By adopting these habits, you can promote healthier nasal passages and potentially reduce the frequency of nasal issues.

Nasal Hygiene: Best Practices for Maintaining Healthy Sinuses

Proper nasal care is essential for maintaining healthy sinuses and preventing issues with nasal discharge. Let’s explore some effective techniques and practices.

The Art of Proper Nose Blowing

Believe it or not, there’s a right way to blow your nose. Follow these steps for effective and safe nose blowing:

1. Blow gently, one nostril at a time
2. Avoid applying excessive pressure, which can force mucus into the sinuses
3. Use clean tissues and dispose of them after each use
4. Wash your hands thoroughly after blowing your nose

By following these guidelines, you can effectively clear your nasal passages while minimizing the risk of introducing bacteria or causing injury.

Nasal Irrigation: A Natural Way to Clear Sinuses

Nasal irrigation, also known as nasal lavage or sinus rinsing, can be an effective method for maintaining nasal health. Here’s what you need to know:

• Use a saline solution to flush out your nasal passages
• This technique can help remove allergens, irritants, and excess mucus
• Neti pots and squeeze bottles are common tools for nasal irrigation
• Always use sterile or distilled water to prevent infections

Regular nasal irrigation can provide relief from congestion and help maintain clear, healthy nasal passages.

When to Consult a Healthcare Professional About Your Nasal Mucus

While changes in nasal mucus are often benign, certain situations warrant medical attention. Knowing when to seek help can prevent complications and ensure timely treatment.

Red Flags in Nasal Discharge

Consider consulting a healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:

• Thick, greenish discharge lasting more than 10 days
• Foul-smelling nasal discharge
• Persistent bloody mucus
• Mucus accompanied by severe headache or facial pain
• Changes in mucus along with fever or difficulty breathing

These symptoms could indicate more serious conditions that require professional evaluation and treatment.

Chronic Nasal Issues: When to See a Specialist

If you’re dealing with ongoing nasal problems, you might benefit from seeing an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist). Consider a specialist consultation if:

1. You have recurring sinus infections
2. Over-the-counter treatments fail to provide relief
3. You experience chronic nasal congestion or breathing difficulties
4. There are structural issues in your nasal passages

An otolaryngologist can provide a comprehensive evaluation and recommend targeted treatments for persistent nasal issues.

Understanding the various colors and consistencies of nasal mucus can provide valuable insights into your health. While most changes in nasal discharge are harmless and self-resolving, it’s important to be aware of warning signs that may indicate more serious conditions. By maintaining good nasal hygiene, staying hydrated, and seeking medical attention when necessary, you can ensure optimal sinus health and overall well-being. Remember, your nose is a crucial first line of defense for your respiratory system, so treating it with care is essential for your health.

Snot Color Meaning: What It Can Tell You About Your Health

If you’ve ever blown your nose and had something unexpected come out, you’re definitely not alone if you immediately hopped onto Google and typed “snot color meaning.” But don’t panic: If you’ve ever had a nasty cold, you know that your snot color can change up depending on your health.

To help, we talked to doctors who told us exactly how to decode the color in your tissue. Turns out, it’s more than just color you’ll want to pay attention to. “Color is important, but so is consistency and amount,” Raj Sindwani M.D., an otolaryngologist at Cleveland Clinic, tells SELF. When snot—or nasal mucus, as the pros call it—is abnormal, it may indicate that something is up.

Let’s look at the rainbow of snot color meaning, shall we?

Clear snot

Good news: Normal, healthy snot is clear, thin, watery, and plentiful, Erich P. Voigt, M.D., associate professor in the department of otolaryngology at NYU Langone Medical Center, tells SELF. “Our body produces about 1 liter of mucus and saliva a day, but we don’t notice the normal production.” What’s the stuff made of? Mostly water, with some proteins, antibodies, and dissolved salts, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

That said, you’re not totally in the clear just because your snot is. If your snot is clear, but also runny and more abundant than usual, that often means your nose is working overtime to try to get rid of something in there that your body doesn’t like, typically an allergen or irritant, Dr. Sindwani says. This is a classic symptom of seasonal allergies. “If it’s the start of spring and all of a sudden your nose gets stuffy and starts running and it’s clear,” it’s likely you’re having an allergic reaction, Dr. Voigt says. This will typically be paired with other symptoms, Dr. Sindwani says, like itchy eyes or sneezing. Treating the allergic reaction with something like antihistamines should help stem the flow and clear up your other symptoms, but see your primary care doctor or an allergist if you’re feeling miserable every day.

Runniness that is sudden and short-lived can be due to other elements in the environment. You may be dealing with exposure to irritants, such as pollutants in the air, certain fragrances, or secondhand smoke, Dr. Sindwani says. Or, suddenly drippy discharge on a chilly day could actually just be water condensing as the cold air is warmed in your nasal passages and runs out your nostrils, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Excess clear snot paired with other symptoms like a cough, fever, or general feeling of blahness that hangs around for three or four days may also signal the beginning a mild upper respiratory virus, like a brief cold, Dr. Voigt says. You can often treat yourself with OTC cold medicine, but see your doctor if you start to feel worse or don’t get better after a few days.

Colorless cloudy snot

Colorless, thick nasal mucus (the kind that clogs up your nose and doesn’t seem to budge no matter how much you blow) signals congestion that may be due to a couple things. One possibility is a chronic allergy, like if you’re allergic to dust. “It’s everywhere year round, so you won’t feel that runniness anymore, you’ll just feel stuffy all the time and the nasal mucus might be thicker and more plentiful than usual,” Dr. Voigt says. Consider seeing an allergist if this is the case for you.

Dehydration can also make your snot a little stodgy. “Mucus reflects the level of hydration in our bodies,” Dr. Sindwani says. When there’s less water content, it becomes more concentrated, viscous, and congesting. Thick snot may also make it seem like you’ve got more snot in there than you actually do. “People who think they have too much mucus many times are, in fact, not making enough,” Dr. Voigt explains, “so it’s too dry and not flowing nicely.” So if your snot is like molasses, drink up to help thin it out.

what’s the right way to blow your nose?

If you have a blocked or runny nose, chances are you’ll reach for a tissue or hanky to clear the mucus by having a good blow.

But is there a right way to blow your nose? Could some ways make your cold worse? And could you actually do some damage?

The three most common reasons for extra mucus or snot are the common cold, sinusitis (infection or inflammation of the sinuses, the air-filled spaces inside the face bones) and hay fever. Each of these conditions cause the lining in the nose to swell up, and to produce extra mucus to flush away infection, irritants or allergens.

Both the swelling and extra mucus lead to nasal congestion. This is when the narrowed passages increase the effort of breathing through the nose. Clearing the mucus by blowing the nose should reduce this congestion somewhat.

At the beginning of colds and for most of the time with hay fever, there’s lots of runny mucus. Blowing the nose regularly prevents mucus building up and running down from the nostrils towards the upper lip, the all-too-familiar runny nose.

Later in colds and with sinusitis, nasal mucus can become thick, sticky and harder to clear.

Further reading: Health Check: what you need to know about mucus and phlegm

Think of “snotty nosed kids”, in particular infants or toddlers who haven’t yet learnt to coordinate the mechanics of blowing their noses. They tend to repeatedly sniff thick mucus back into their nose or allow it to dribble down their upper lip.

Keeping this mucus (rather than blowing it out) is thought to contribute to a cycle of irritation that causes the snotty nose to persist for weeks or longer.

This may be due to the retained mucus acting as a good “home” for bacteria to grow in, as well as fatigue of the “hairs” (cilia) that cleanse the nose by moving along mucus and carrying with it irritants, inhaled debris and bacteria.

Thick retained mucus is also more likely to be transported to the throat rather than gravity working it from the nostrils, leading to throat irritation and possibly a cough. This is the mechanism behind the most common cause of prolonged cough after a viral infection or hay fever, known as the post-nasal drip cough.

So it makes sense to encourage people to blow their nose to remove unwanted mucus.

Rare risks if you blow too hard and too often

Although extremely rare, there are a few examples in the medical literature of people blowing so hard they generated pressures high enough to cause serious damage. In most of these cases people had underlying chronic sinusitis or an existing weakness in the structure they damaged after blowing too hard.

These injuries included fractures of the base of the eye socket; air forced into the tissue between the two lobes of the lung; severe headache from air forced inside the skull; and rupture of the oesophagus, the tube that sends food to the stomach.

One study looked at the pressures generated when people with and without a range of nasal complaints blew their noses.

People with chronic sinusitis generated pressures significantly higher than people without a nasal complaint, up to 9,130 Pascals of pressure. They also found blowing by blocking both nostrils generated much higher pressures than blowing with one nostril open.

One study showed how blowing your nose hard could send mucus from the nose into the sinuses, potentially infecting them too.
www.shutterstock.com

Another study comparing pressures from nose blowing, sneezing and coughing found pressures generated during blowing were about ten times higher than during the other two activities.

More worrying was their second finding – viscous fluid from the nose had found its way into the sinus cavities after vigorous nose blowing. The researchers said this could be a mechanism for sinus infection complicating some colds, with the introduction of nasal bacteria to the sinuses. But they did not produce evidence for this.

On balance it seems repeated and vigorous blowing of the nose may carry more risk than benefit, even though it seems to be a natural response to nasal congestion.

Can I take anything to stop the snot?

So looking to remove the need to blow so forcefully is probably a better option.

Decongestants and antihistamines, which you can buy without prescription from pharmacies, reduce both nasal congestion and the volume of mucus.

Decongestants contain ingredients like oxymetazoline and phenylephrine and come in tablets or sprays, and are often included in cold and flu tablets. They work by constricting (narrowing) dilated blood vessels in the inflamed lining of the nose, and decreasing the volume of mucus produced.

While decongestant sprays are effective, they are probably underused due to concerns about nasal congestion when you stop taking them after long-term use (rhinitis medicamentosa). But further studies have questioned this increased risk.

Antihistamines treat nasal congestion associated with hay fever, but may be less effective for treating cold symptoms.

Saline nasal sprays and washes can help.
from www.shutterstock.com

Saline nose sprays have some evidence they work for acute and chronic rhinosinusitis (inflammation of the nasal lining and sinuses), and can reduce the need for medications. They are believed to clear mucus through increasing the effectiveness of the cilia as well as diluting thick and sticky mucus.

A related technique, known as nasal aspiration, is when you squirt liquid saline up the nose with a special medical device to flush out mucus and debris from the nose and sinuses. One study found it lowered the risk of developing acute otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear) and rhinosinusitis.

What’s the verdict?

If you have mucus in the nose, it is probably best to get it out, so blow gently or by clearing one nostril at a time. Use of appropriate treatments can lessen the need to blow, and the force required to clear your nose.

If you are repeatedly blowing your nose you probably have a nasal condition, like hay fever or sinusitis, which should be treated more comprehensively.

And if you see a snotty-nosed kid, please wipe away the mucus discharge for the benefit of all.

How to Clear a Stuffed Nose

Stuck in stuffy nose hell? As tempting as it is to blow through a tissue box a day, the temporary relief you might feel isn’t worth it.  

“Blowing your nose with too much force can actually cause breakage of vessels and undue stress,” says Purvi Parikh, M.D., an allergist and immunologist with Virginia-based Allergy & Asthma Network.

You could also make matters worse by blowing air, nasal bacteria, virus particles, and irritants into your ears and sinuses—which at best could cause irritation, and at worst may trigger an infection, says Andrew Lane, M.D., director of the division of Rhinology and Sinus Surgery Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Besides, it’s essentially pointless to keep reaching for tissues. “If you’re sick, no matter how much you blow, your nose will keep making new mucus,” Dr. Lane says. “You can’t really ‘clear’ it.”  

That’s because the stuffiness you feel comes from your nasal passage tissue swelling. So you need to treat the underlying cause—be it allergies, a virus, or bacteria—to nix your snot gridlock for good.

Put the Kleenex down and try these three ways to breathe easier. None of them will blow your mind, but they’re more effective than blowing your nose.  

(For more essential health advice—and 2,000+ awesome life tips to help you become stronger, happier, and sexier—check out The Better Man Project, the brand-new book from the editor in chief of Men’s Health.) 

1. Steam It Out

Warm air helps add humidity to your nose, opening your nasal passage and breaking up congestion—especially the kind that has hardened into a wall—so you can then blow out the blockage, says Dr. Parikh. 

You can try a couple methods. The easiest is taking a long shower every day that you’re sick, which you’re probably doing anyway. But crank the knob so it’s hotter than usual: If your mirror fogs up, it’s steamy enough to clear your nasal package, Dr. Parikh says. 

If you’ve got some time to kill, boil a pot of water and stand directly over it, inhaling the steam for up to 30 minutes. 

Related: The Fastest Way to Clear a Stuffed Nose 

2. Start the Right Nasal Spray, Stat

Over-the-counter sprays can help decrease and treat underlying inflammation, helping cure your congestion instead of just providing brief relief, says Dr. Parikh. 

The only bummer: Fast-acting sprays like Afrin and oxymetazoline are potentially addictive, and can actually make your congestion come back worse if you use them too often. 

So opt for Nasacort or Flonase, which take at least 7 days to kick in, but boast the best combination of safety and effectiveness, Dr. Parikh says. 

3. Take an Allergy Pill

While you’re waiting for the sprays to work, consider popping an allergy pill like Zyrtec, Claritin, or Allegra, suggests Dr. Parikh. Even if your sniffles aren’t from hay fever or pollen, the antihistamine component in these meds still works to dry up your snot.

Just skip the kind of medicine with a “D” after it. Some decongestants, like Sudafed, have that same potential addictiveness and congesting-worsening properties as short-term nasal sprays.  

Decongestants can also dehydrate, keeping your mucus thick, Dr. Lane says.  

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Yellow, Green, and Bloody Snot Explained

Mucus is something everyone has, and some people wish they had a lot less of the stringy, gooey stuff. Sure, it can be gross to blow globs of snot into tissue after tissue when you have a cold or sinus infection, but mucus actually serves a very important purpose.

“Mucus is incredibly important for our bodies,” explains Michael M. Johns III, MD, director of the Emory Voice Center and assistant professor of otolaryngology — head and neck surgery at Emory University. “It is the oil in the engine. Without mucus, the engine seizes.”

How much mucus is normal, and how much is too much? What does its color tell you about your health? Can you just get rid of it, or at least cut down on it, and how should you do that? Here are answers.

Mucus’ Mission

Mucus-producing tissue lines the mouth, nose, sinuses, throat, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. Mucus acts as a protective blanket over these surfaces, preventing the tissue underneath from drying out. “You have to keep them moist, otherwise they’ll get dry and crack, and you’ll have a chink in the armor,” says Neil L. Kao, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

Mucus also acts as a sort of flypaper, trapping unwanted substances like bacteria and dust before they can get into the body — particularly the sensitive airways. “You want to keep that environment, which is a sterile environment,” free of gunk, says Johns. “Mucus is kind of sticky and thick. It’s got viscosity to it that will trap things.”

But mucus is more than just sticky goo. It also contains antibodies that help the body recognize invaders like bacteria and viruses, enzymes that kill the invaders it traps, protein to make the mucus gooey and stringy and very inhospitable, and a variety of cells, among other things.

Why Am I Making So Much Mucus?

Even when you’re healthy, your body is a mucus-making machine, churning out about 1 to 1.5 liters of the stuff every day. Most of that mucus trickles down your throat and you don’t even notice it.

However, there are times when you do notice your mucus — usually not because you’re producing more of it, but because its consistency has changed.

“Typically, the mucus changes character. It gets thicker,” Johns says. “When it has mass effect you feel it, and when you feel it, you want to hock.” Some people just naturally have thicker, stickier mucus than others.

It generally takes a bad cold, allergy, or contact with something irritating — like a plate of nuclear-hot Buffalo wings — to throw your body’s mucus production into overdrive.

For instance, during an allergic response to an offending trigger, such as pollen or ragweed, mast cells in your body squeeze out a substance called histamine, which triggers sneezing, itching, and nasal stuffiness. The tissue of the mucus membranes starts leaking fluid, and your nose begins to run.

Drinking milk may also make some people produce more mucus. Kao says that’s due to gustatory rhinitis, a reflex reaction that’s triggered by eating. Gustatory rhinitis is also why your nose runs when you eat hot peppers. Milk proteins cause the same type of response in some people. But although you may feel like you have more phlegm, you’re not going to worsen a cold by drinking a glass of milk, Johns says.

Why Does My Mucus Change Color?

If you’ve ever stopped to look at the contents of the tissue after you’ve blown your nose, you may have noticed that your mucus isn’t always perfectly clear. It may be yellow, green, or have a reddish or brownish tinge to it. What do those colors mean?

You might have heard that yellow or green mucus is a clear sign that you have an infection, but despite that common misperception, the yellow or green hue isn’t due to bacteria.

When you have a cold, your immune system sends white blood cells called neutrophils rushing to the area. These cells contain a greenish-colored enzyme, and in large numbers they can turn the mucus the same color.

But “you can have perfectly clear mucus and have a terrible ear and sinus infection,” Kao says. If you do have an infection, you’ll likely also have other symptoms, such as congestion, fever, and pressure in your face, overlying the sinuses, Johns says.

Multi-hued mucus also relates to concentration of the mucus. Thick, gooey mucus is often greenish, Kao says.

Mucus can also contain tinges of reddish or brownish blood, especially if your nose gets dried out or irritated from too much rubbing, blowing, or picking. Most of the blood comes from the area right inside the nostril, which is where most of the blood vessels in the nose are located. A small amount of blood in your mucus isn’t anything to worry about, but if you’re seeing large volumes of it, call your doctor.

How Can I Get Rid of Mucus?

People with chronic sinus problems who are constantly blowing their noses understandably want the goo gone. Over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants are one way to do this. Decongestants cause the blood vessels in the lining of the nose to narrow, reducing blood flow to the area, so you’re less congested and you produce less mucus.

Decongestants are fine for when you can’t breathe due to a cold, but they’re not so good for thick mucus in general. “The reason is the decongestants dry you up and they make the mucus thick, and often the opposite effect happens because you feel like you have thick mucus,” Johns explains. So you take more decongestants and get into a vicious mucus-producing cycle. Decongestants also have side effects, which include dizziness, nervousness, and high blood pressure.

Antihistamines block or limit the action of histamines, those substances triggered by allergic reactions that cause the tissue in the nose to swell up and release more, thinner mucus (a runny nose). The main side effect of older antihistamines is drowsiness. They also can cause dry mouth, dizziness, and headache.

You can also thin out the mucus with guaifenesin, a type of medicine called an expectorant. Thinner mucus is easier to get out of the body. Possible side effects of guaifenesin are dizziness, headache, nausea, and vomiting.

Neti Pot Option

If you want to go a more natural route, an alternative for removing mucus is with nasal irrigation. The neti pot, a little teapot-shaped device, is one form of nasal irrigation. Others include the bulb syringe or squeeze bottle.

Every nasal irrigation method works by the same basic principle: You shoot a saline (salty water) solution up one nostril to loosen up all the mucus that’s collected in your nasal cavity, which then drains out the other nostril. It’s similar to cleaning gunked-up food off a dinner plate in the dishwasher, Kao says.

According to the CDC, if you are irrigating, flushing, or rinsing your sinuses, use distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water to make up the irrigation solution. It’s also important to rinse the irrigation device after each use and leave open to air dry.

Nasal irrigation is a good thing, but as the old saying goes, it is possible to have too much of a good thing. Rinsing out your sinuses washes out the bad, nasty bacteria and other critters that can cause infection. However, one study showed that when people do it too often, nasal irrigation might actually increase the risk of infection because it also washes away some of the protective substances that help prevent you from getting sick. So use your neti pot or other nasal irrigation device when you need it, but take a break from it when you feel better.

What the Color of Your Snot Really Means – Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

The color of mucus can tell you a lot about what’s going on inside your nasal passages. And although doctors rarely use nasal mucus as the primary diagnosis of disease, it can shed light on other conditions.   

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Otolaryngologist Raj Sindwani, MD, shares what the various shades could mean for your health.

• Clear. You’re in the normal range. Straight mucus is mostly water, with proteins, antibodies and dissolved salts. Your nasal tissues produce it 24/7. Most of it flows down the back of your throat to be dissolved in the stomach.
• White. You’re congested. Swollen, inflamed tissues in your nose are slowing the flow of mucus, causing it to lose moisture and become thick and cloudy. This can be a sign of a nasal infection or cold.
• Yellow. Your cold or infection is progressing. Infection-fighting cells might be rushing to the site of the microbial infection. White blood cells are among them as well. Once exhausted, they’re carried off on the mucosal tide, lending it a yellowish tinge. Colds inevitably last 10 to 14 days. Hunker down and wait it out.  
• Green. Your immune system is really fighting back. The mucus is thick with dead white cells and other wreckage from the battle. If you’re still sick after about 12 days, you may want to see a doctor. It could be sinusitis, a bacterial infection. If you’re feverish or nauseated, see a doctor soon.
• Pink or red. This is blood. Your nasal tissue in the nose has somehow become broken — perhaps because it’s dry, irritated or suffered some kind of impact. You didn’t stick anything up there, did you?
• Brown. This shade could be blood, but likely it’s something inhaled, like dirt, snuff or paprika.
• Black. If you’re not a smoker or user of illegal drugs, black mucus may mean a serious fungal infection. These infections usually occur in people with compromised immune systems. If you are one of them, you’re probably already seeing a doctor. If not, go.

More facts about your nasal mucus 

Q: How much nasal mucus is normal?
A: You produce and swallow about 1. 5 quarts of nasal mucus every single day.

Q: Why does a single drop of snot sometimes come out of my nose?
A: Your nostrils usually get runny on a cold day. When this happens you might notice that one drop sometimes hangs from the tip of your nose. That drop is mostly water that has condensed out of the cold air passing over warm nasal tissues. So, it’s actually not snot!

Q: What is Wegener’s granulomatosis?
A: It’s a rare disease, whose symptoms include a nosebleeds and a constantly runny nose with pus-filled discharge. How fun!

Runny Nose: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment

Overview

What’s a runny nose?

A runny nose is mucus dripping or “running” out of your nose. It can be caused by colder outdoor temperatures, a cold, flu or allergies.

“Rhinorrhea,” a term often used alongside the phrase “runny nose,” is the thin, mostly clear discharge you might see. Another term you might often see is “Rhinitis.” Rhinitis is the inflammation of your nasal tissues.

When a cold virus or an allergen such as pollen or dust first enters your body, it irritates the lining of your nose and sinuses (or air-filled pockets around the face) and your nose starts to make a lot of clear mucus. This mucus traps the bacteria, virus or allergens and helps flush them out of your nose and sinuses.

After two or three days, the mucus may change color and become white or yellow. Sometimes the mucus may also turn a greenish color. All of this is normal and does not mean an infection is present.

How does your nose work to protect your body?

Your breathing process starts in your nose. Air gets into your lungs through your nose. It helps filter, humidify, warm or cool the air that comes through it so that the air that gets to your lungs is clean.

A special lining of mucosa, or a moist tissue, covers the area inside your nose and consists of many mucus-producing glands. As bacteria, allergens, dust or other harmful particles come into the nose, the mucus traps them. Mucus contains antibodies, or enzymes, which kill unwanted bacteria and viruses.

The mucosa lining also includes cilia, tiny hair-like structures. The cilia are continually in motion and move the collected harmful particles and the mucus that they are trapped in through your nose into the back of your throat. It’s then swallowed and destroyed by the acid in your stomach. Mucus and particles can also be coughed up or sneezed out.

When outdoor temperatures turn cold, the pace of this process slows down. Many times, the mucus stays in your nose and then drips or dribbles out.

Why is mucus an important part of the airway system?

Mucus is needed to keep your airway moist and working properly. Not only does mucus stop harmful particles from getting into your lungs, but it also contains antibodies to help destroy bacteria. If too much mucus is produced, your body wants to get rid of it, leading to coughing and spitting the extra mucus out and blowing it out of your nose.

Possible Causes

Why does a runny nose happen? What causes a runny nose?

Your runny nose may have one or more of several causes. Possible causes include:

• Allergies.
• Cold temperatures.
• Common cold.
• Flu.
• Gustatory rhinitis, a form of nonallergic rhinitis that causes a runny nose when you eat certain foods.

Is a runny nose a symptom of COVID-19?

Yes: “congestion or runny nose.” Other common symptoms include:

• Cough.
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
• Fever or chills.
• Fatigue.
• Headache.
• New loss of taste or smell.
• Muscle or body aches.
• Sore throat.
• Diarrhea.
• Nausea or vomiting.

What other symptoms may come with a runny nose?

Postnasal drip is a side effect of too much mucus. It occurs when the mucus goes down the back of your throat and is swallowed, which may lead to a cough or sore throat.

Sometimes, a runny nose and a congested, or stuffy, nose are seen together. Congestion occurs when the tissues lining the nose become swollen and make it difficult to breathe. The swelling is due to inflamed blood vessels. Mucus may begin to run out of your nose.

A runny nose due to a cold or flu may be accompanied by fatigue, sore throat, cough, facial pressure and sometimes fever.

A runny nose due to allergies may be accompanied by sneezing and itchy, watery eyes.

Can a runny nose cause a sore throat?

Yes.

Can a runny nose cause an ear infection?

Rhinitis, the inflammation of your nasal tissues, can sometimes have complications including a middle ear infection.

Is a runny nose contagious?

A runny nose itself is not contagious, but it is often a symptom of a condition like the common cold, which can be passed from person to person.

Care and Treatment

How do I stop my runny nose?

Your runny nose will likely stop on its own. Generally, it doesn’t need treatment. But, there are exceptions.

What kind of healthcare provider can treat my runny nose?

If treatment is necessary, your primary healthcare provider can help. If it turns out that your runny nose is a symptom of a more serious condition, your healthcare provider might refer you to an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist.

When should I contact a healthcare provider to treat a runny nose?

A runny nose will typically go away on its own. However, a healthcare provider should be contacted if:

• The symptoms continue for more than 10 days and there is no improvement.
• Symptoms are severe or unusual.
• Drainage from your young child’s nose comes from only one side and is green, bloody or foul-smelling, or if you have other reason to believe there may be a foreign object stuck in their nose.

Your healthcare provider will perform a physical examination to make sure the runny nose is not a symptom of a more serious condition.

How do I get rid of my runny nose? What medicines should I try?

Prescription medicines, such as antibiotics are not needed to treat a runny nose, which usually gets better on its own. Sometimes, an over-the-counter decongestant medicine may help adults, but might not be appropriate if you have certain conditions or take other medications. Check with your healthcare provider to see what over-the-counter medicines are appropriate for you.

Typically, the best treatment for a runny nose includes:

• Rest.
• Drink plenty of fluids, especially water.
• Use a saline nasal spray to help relieve symptoms. Limit the use of decongestant nasal sprays to no longer than a few days, as instructed on package labels.
• A cool-mist humidifier at your bedside can combat congestion worsened by dry winter air.

Unless recommended by your healthcare provider, don’t give over-the-counter cold medicines to a child under age four.

What treatment is recommended for a runny nose due to an allergy?

• Stay indoors when the pollen count is high, usually in the early morning and on windy days.
• Keep windows closed during allergy season, and use air conditioning whenever possible.
• Wear a dust mask if working outdoors. Change clothing and take a shower right away after coming indoors.
• Avoid contact with cats and dogs if you are sensitive to animal dander.

Also, there are many safe and effective over-the-counter medications available to help control allergy symptoms, such as nasal steroid sprays and oral antihistamines. If the symptoms are severe, your healthcare provider may recommend prescription medications, or refer you to an allergist for testing and targeted therapy.

What are some simple home remedies to treat a runny nose?

Over-the-counter saline (saltwater) drops can be gently squirted into your nostrils to loosen the mucus in your nose. The liquid and mucus can then be suctioned out of your nose with a rubber syringe, or bulb.

Other home remedies you can try include:

• Essential oils.
• Drinking hot teas.
• Facial steam.
• Hot shower.
• Neti pot.
• Spicy foods.

Can a runny nose be prevented?

Practicing good hygiene is important and can often help stop germs from spreading. A runny nose is a symptom of some contagious conditions. Here are some simple tips to stop such germs from spreading:

• Wash your hands often.
• Throw away used tissues after blowing or wiping your nose.
• Keep away from those who have colds or infections.
• Eat healthily and exercise regularly to help boost your immune system.
• Cough and sneeze into the inside of your elbow, not into your hand.
• Clean and disinfect common surfaces such as tables and countertops, toys, door handles and bathroom fixtures.

When to Call the Doctor

When does a runny nose need to be treated by a healthcare provider?

Again, your runny nose should go away on its own. However, if the symptoms are severe, they last more than 10 days, or if you’re taking care of a child whose drainage only comes from one side, gets green or blood or foul-smelling, then you should see a healthcare provider.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Who hasn’t had a runny nose? Getting a dripping or “runny” nose in the cold or when you have a cold, the flu or allergies is common. It usually doesn’t mean there’s an infection or something serious. Remember to use good hygiene practices to prevent a runny nose or similar issues. See a healthcare provider if your or your child’s runny nose seems unusual.

Is It Snot Or Not? A Brief Guide To What Can Come Out Of Your Nose

When It’s Snot

When a virus, allergen, or other irritant stimulates the goblet cells of the mucous membranes that line your nasal passages, excessive mucus (snot) is created. The fancy name for this is nasal mucosal inflammation, and the result is a runny nose. Nasal mucus is normally helpful in trapping small particulates and pathogens out of the air that we breathe and preventing them from entering the lungs. The mucus with the trapped debris is then transported by cilia (small hair-like structures) that push the mucus to the back of the throat, where it is swallowed and digested into basic nutrients, which are then put back to use by the body. Nasal mucus also helps to maintain tissue moisture and to humidify incoming air before it reaches the lungs. 

Mucus is a gel-like substance composed mostly of water. However, it also contains other substances, including mucins, inorganic salts, proteins (including pathogen killing enzymes), lipids, and mucopolysaccharides. The proportion of these constituents can vary based on humidity or the presence of a sinus infection or sinus inflammation related to allergies or environmental irritants. These variables can make mucus have differences in appearance. The ear, nose and throat specialists at CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat are experts at identifying various types of mucus, as well as substances that are not actually mucus. This process is critical in determining the course for medical treatment if needed. 

When It’s Not Snot

Blood In The Nose (Epistaxis) – Unless trauma is involved, blood in the nose does not usually require medical attention, but can be a recurrent problem due to the high number of blood vessels in the nose. Recurrent or persistent nosebleeds are usually the result of dry nasal mucosa, nose picking, inflammation, allergies, high blood pressure, and/or anticoagulating medications such as Coumadin, Xarelto, Plavix, and aspirin. Management of these variables can often result in decreased nosebleeds. If you have excessive or persistent nosebleeds, it is important to consult an ear, nose and throat specialist. While most nosebleeds stop on their own, some patients require temporary nasal packing or vessel cauterization to address the problem.

Pus (Purulence) – Pus is sticky, thick, milky, yellow or green, and often smelly. This substance drains from your nose along with mucus and is often evidence of an infection. Pus contains a high concentration of white blood cells that the body has sent to fight infection, as well as dead cells and pathogen metabolites. Viral and fungal infections can both cause purulence, but they do not always respond to the same medical treatments. If you have pus draining from your nose, especially for more than a week, you should see a doctor.

Polyps – Nasal polyps are benign growths in the nose that are associated with chronic inflammation related to allergies, chronic sinusitis, or environmental irritant exposure (such as smoke or pollution). Polyps can contribute to nasal obstruction and reduce your ability to smell. If you look into a person’s nose, polyps may look like snot as they arise from the glistening mucous membrane of your nose. Polyps often require surgical removal for relief. 

Cerebrospinal Fluid – Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the clear and colorless fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord and is typically confined to these regions by a protective covering called the dura. A leak in the dura can lead to CSF draining from the nose. These leaks are rare and usually are associated with a traumatic or surgical event. 

Spontaneous CSF drainage from the nose can occur, but it is very rare. Symptoms include profuse clear watery discharge from the nose, especially when lifting or bearing down, and a salty taste in the throat. If a CSF leak is suspected, the fluid is usually collected and analyzed to make a definite diagnosis. CSF leaks often close with time and proper care, though surgery may be needed to resolve them.

Foreign Body In The Nose – There are many foreign bodies that look like snot, especially if they have been in the nose for a while. The nasal mucosa may be swollen around the foreign body, making it difficult to identify. Common foreign bodies that can look like snot, especially after several days in the nose, include cotton, foam, paper balls, plastic toy pieces, and toilet tissue.

It is important to be aware of any changes in your nose and to understand what is snot and what is not. This knowledge can help you determine whether you have a simple runny nose, a recurring sinus infection, or something more serious that needs immediate medical care. Any time you have ongoing nasal or sinus problems, contact an ear, nose and throat specialist for an evaluation.

About the Author

Physician Assistant at CornerStone Ear, Nose & Throat, PA

As a Physician Assistant, Karen Greene works closely with our physicians to provide the highest level of care for children and adults suffering from ear, nose, or throat disorders. From chronic ear and throat infections to allergies and sinus problems, Karen assists with the diagnosis and treatment of all ENT disorders.

90,000 Purulent nasal discharge: description of the disease, causes, symptoms, cost of treatment in Moscow

Purulent nasal discharge can appear for many reasons and must be treated without fail. Therapy should not be carried out on its own due to the risk of severe complications due to improper treatment. As soon as purulent discharge from the nose is noticed, one should immediately seek medical help from an otolaryngologist, or, in his absence, to a therapist. The fact that pus began to stand out from the nose, and not ordinary snot, can be understood by a special extremely unpleasant smell, which does not happen with a simple cold. The yellow-green color of the discharge also differs from the ordinary one.

The appearance of a discharge of pus from the nose can be associated with a number of diseases. In order to effectively treat the problem, it is necessary to accurately establish the reason for which it occurs. If you seek medical help in a timely manner, then therapy quickly gives positive results and nasal discharge disappears.If, for some reason, the disease turned out to be neglected, then the treatment can drag on for a long time, and sometimes require surgical intervention. The appearance of pus from the nose is equally common in adults and children and requires similar therapy. Often, purulent discharge and nose appear after viral infections as a complication of the disease. In order to prevent such a phenomenon, it is necessary to fully treat the primary disease without transferring it on the legs.

When the pus is liquid white, this is an indicator of the initial stage of the disease.In this case, it is secreted in large quantities, and also not infrequently flows down the back of the pharynx. If the pus particles are viscous and more like lumps, then this is an indicator of a strong neglect of the purulent process. Most often, with prolonged disturbance, there is a green discharge from the nose. The formation of pus is always associated with the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the nasal cavity. If they are absent, then a purulent process cannot arise. Because of this, with the viral form of rhinitis, the appearance of pus always indicates a secondary bacterial infection.

Causes of the problem

Most often, the appearance of pus from the nose is associated with lesions of the paranasal sinuses, which, when they are blocked and mucous secretions accumulate in them, become inflamed. In addition, an unpleasant phenomenon can occur as a consequence of injury or the formation of an abscess in the nasal cavity.

Sinusitis

Sinusitis is the most common cause of nasal pus. The discharge can be not only green, but also brown with an admixture of blood.With this disease, an inflammatory process develops in the maxillary paranasal sinuses. The disease is often provoked by the presence of carious teeth in the upper jaw. The symptoms of such a violation are as follows:

• temperature rise up to 38 degrees and rarely higher;

• headache;

• feeling of heaviness in the head;

• loss of smell;

• a sharp decrease in performance;

• severe weakness;

• sleep disorders.

A problem arises not only due to sick teeth, but also with insufficiently well-treated rhinitis, nose injuries and a decrease in immunity, which can occur even due to significant hypothermia.

Lack of treatment is very dangerous. Sinusitis more often than other diseases with the discharge of pus from the nose gives severe complications. After sinusitis has been transferred once, the risk of its recurrence becomes quite high.

Polyps of the nasal cavity

Polyps are benign growths and often appear in the nasal cavity. By their nature, polyps are growths of tissues of the nasal mucosa. With this phenomenon, chronic nasal congestion, decreased sense of smell, frequent headaches and nasal voice occur. Due to the fact that polyps disrupt the outflow of mucus from the paranasal sinuses, a purulent process begins to develop in the latter. As a result, unpleasant discharge from the nose appears.

Treatment of such a disease is performed surgically. If the polyps are not removed, then the disease will not be able to cope. However, even after the operation, there is no guarantee that polyps in the nasal cavity will not reappear. Sometimes a person can suffer for years from the fact that they develop again.

Rhinopharyngitis

With this inflammatory disease, there is a simultaneous inflammation of the nasal and pharyngeal mucosa. The disease most often occurs against the background of viral infections such as influenza, acute respiratory infections and ARVI.The main symptoms of rhinopharyngitis are:

• itching and burning in the nasopharynx;

• nasal breathing disorder;

• nasal voice;

• Difficult separation of mucus with pus from the nasal cavity, in which blood inclusions may also occur, due to which the discharge is brown;

• enlargement of lymph nodes in the occiput;

• swelling of the nasopharyngeal mucosa;

• temperature rise.

Treatment of inflammation is required to be comprehensive. If it is delayed, the disturbances in the mucosa can become irreversible. There is also a risk that a change will occur in the tissues of the pharyngeal tonsils, and then their removal may be required for treatment.

Ozena

Ozen’s fetid rhinitis refers to severe lesions of the nasal mucosa that require urgent treatment. The disease is also called atrophic rhinitis.Its main manifestations are:

• purulent nasal discharge with a strong and very pungent putrid odor;

• complete loss of smell, even for very strong odors;

• constant presence of dry crusts in the nasal passages.

Ozena develops if a person has chronic rhinitis for a long time, which is not treated.Its presence in the beginning is indicated by a large volume of transparent watery discharge. As a result of this, a gradual atrophy of the mucous membrane occurs, due to which irreversible changes occur in it and a special purulent process develops.

Bacterial lesions

Bacterial lesions of the nasal mucosa are also not uncommon and cause pus from the nose. More often, such bacterial infections appear in children, since their immunity is not strong enough.In adults, the initial bacterial infection occurs rarely and only in the case of a strong drop in immunity. The pus can be cheesy, yellow-orange or dark green.

Complications of injuries and operations

Purulent nasal discharge can also appear if an injury or operation has taken place, and after them, as a complication, a bacterial infection has developed. This phenomenon indicates that after injury or surgery, the wrong treatment was carried out with a rare change of tampons and insufficient intake of antibiotics.Also, pus may appear if the surgeon initially violated sterility during the operation and pathogens were introduced into the nasal cavity. Most often, this complication develops if the operation was extensive, and later the patient himself violated medical recommendations.

Forecast

If the treatment of the disease is started in a timely manner, then the prognosis in most cases is positive: it is possible to cure purulent inflammation without surgery and avoid complications. If you are late with therapy, the risk of complications increases many times, and the prognosis changes to unfavorable, and sometimes poor. The later the patient seeks medical help, the worse the prognosis of the disease and the higher the risk of its unfavorable outcome.

how harmful it is, how to help

Moiseeva Tatiana Nikolaevna

Head of the Department of Pediatrics, allergist-immunologist

Why is a stuffy nose dangerous?

If the child does not breathe through the nose, the risk of bacterial diseases of the lower respiratory tract increases.Healthy nasal mucous membranes warm, moisturize and purify (including bacteria) the air. Only then does it enter the lungs. There is no such filter in the mouth.

Edema of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity, accumulated snot there disrupt the normal passage of air through the auditory tube, which connects the nasopharynx and the middle ear. As a result, the pressure on the eardrum changes (it retracts), which leads to the development of otitis media.

Blood circulation in the brain is impaired, due to the difficulty in the discharge of venous blood.In addition, when breathing through the mouth, the inhalation is always incomplete (compared to inhalation through the nose), that is, the child does not receive oxygen all the time, which primarily affects the brain. Headache, weakness, drowsiness, loss of memory and concentration of attention come.

What is to be done?

Treatment depends on the disease.

Common Causes of Nasal Congestion:

• viral, bacterial and fungal infections;
• enlargement of the adenoids;
• allergic reactions;
• climate change, temperature in the house;
• congenital or acquired deformities, etc.

A doctor should diagnose and plan treatment.

In the meantime, there is no need to worry about it. ”

Let’s talk a little about the mechanical removal of snot.

If your child still does not know how to blow his nose, it is better to use a nasal aspirator, consisting of a tip with a filter, a silicone tube and a mouthpiece.

Before the procedure, it is advisable to drop a few drops of saline solution in order to thin and displace the mucus into the anterior parts of the nose.

The tip is inserted into the baby’s nose, and the adult inhales through the mouth through the mouthpiece. There is a filter inside the handpiece to prevent the spread of mucus. This allows you to control the suction power and guide the handpiece. All components of the kit are easy to clean.

Have questions? Ask them now! Our phone number: +7 (351) 220-00-03.

Aqua Maris® Prevention – JADRAN (JGL)

The main measures for the prevention of influenza and ARVI relate to a healthy lifestyle: proper nutrition, physical activity, strengthening the immune system, giving up bad habits, good sleep and rest, etc.e. The healthier a person leads a life, the stronger the organism, the higher its protective functions. Strong immunity is the key to health and protection from any virus. Also, in the autumn-winter period, it is necessary to monitor personal hygiene more carefully: wash your hands more often, use only your own towel, dishes, cutlery, etc. You should know that the nasal mucosa is the main barrier to viruses and our protector during the epidemic of colds. Therefore, in order to protect yourself from viruses, when everyone is sneezing and coughing around, it is necessary that the nasal mucosa is always moist and protected from foreign particles.Aqua Maris ^® products for
prevention
are optimal for protection against colds.

Aqua Maris

^® classic

Nasal spray Aqua Maris ^® Classic is recommended for the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections and influenza, as well as rhinitis (runny nose) and sinusitis (inflammation of the paranasal sinuses) in children from 1 year of age, and adults, including pregnant and lactating women.

Aqua Maris ^® Classic:

• Moisturizes the nasal mucosa, helps to remove viruses and bacteria, as well as foreign particles
• Due to the presence of microelements of sea water, it helps to restore the protective properties of the mucous membrane, stimulates local immunity.
• Increases resistance to the penetration of viruses and bacteria
• Normalizes the production of nasal mucus

Read more about Aqua Maris ^® Classic at www.aquamaris.ru

Aqua Maris

^® plus with dexpanthenol

Nasal spray Aqua Maris ^® Plus is intended for the prevention of “dry” (atrophic) rhinitis, accompanied by the formation of “crusts” in the nasal cavity. Effective for the restoration of the nasal mucosa after prolonged use of chemical sprays or drops from the common cold (vasoconstrictor, topical steroids, etc.)), as well as after operations on the nasal cavity.

Aqua Maris ^® Plus:

• Removes microorganisms and “crusts” from the nasal cavity.
• Moisturizes and irrigates the mucous membrane.
• Promotes recovery and healing.
• Anti-inflammatory.

Learn more about Aqua Maris ^® Plus on the website www.aquamaris.ru

Aqua Maris

^® for children

Babies are especially helpless and helpless in the event of nasal congestion, since they do not yet know how to blow their nose. In addition, the immunity of infants has not yet strengthened, so they are more at risk of possible complications of the common cold.A stuffy nose can make babies sleep restless or refuse to eat and gain weight poorly. Aqua Maris ^® for Children nasal drops are specially designed for the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections and flu and the common cold in babies from birth. Suitable for daily hygiene of the baby’s nose. Approved by the Research Institute of Pediatrics, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

Aqua Maris ^® for Children:

• Softens dry crusts and helps remove accumulated mucus.
• Increases local immunity.
• Moisturizes and protects the nasal mucosa.

Learn more about Aqua Maris ^® For children, visit www.aquamaris.ru

Aspirator Aqua Maris

^®

Aspirator Aqua Maris ^® is an irreplaceable hygiene item for newborns and babies who still cannot blow their nose.If the baby is healthy, the aspirator helps to cleanse the nose regularly during morning procedures. It helps to remove the remnants of the seawater solution, which is instilled into the nozzle to moisturize the mucous membrane and soften the crusts.

If the baby is sick, a nasal aspirator is needed to quickly and efficiently cleanse the nose, to prevent mucus from flowing into the nasopharynx and the Eustachian tube (the canal that connects the throat, nose and ear). This will help reduce the risk of complications from the common cold.

Aspirator Aqua Maris ^® :

• Has extra soft anatomically shaped tips designed specifically for babies
• Reusable, subject to replacement tips. The set with the aspirator includes 4 replaceable nozzles. Additionally, in the pharmacy, you can purchase replaceable nozzles in a pack of 10 pcs.
• Stored in a convenient compact plastic case to keep it safe, clean and protected from external damage.

A clean baby’s nose means good appetite, sound sleep and excellent mood!

Learn more about Aspirator Aqua Maris ^® on the website www.aquamaris.ru

will protect you and your child from colds and flu

Lіkuvannya chronic tonsilіtu in Klinіtsі Medkrіonіka

“Removal of adenoids is a crime against the immune system of the child’s body, to strive to completely remove the tissue that forms the immune system, studies all viruses and microbes.remembers the ways of dealing with them all his life, unacceptable! ”

This is the opinion of the head of the cryology laboratory of the Nizhny Novgorod Medical Academy, the head of the cryology department of the Bronnitsk hospital (MO), doctor of honey. Sciences Vladimir Kochenov.

Now all children have more or less pronounced vasomotor rhinitis. The reason is environmental – air pollution. This is the expansion of the vessels of the nose, mainly venous. If the nose is blocked only at night – this is vasomotor rhinitis, the adenoids themselves cannot change in size during the day.Mistakenly, it is believed to be the cause of the adenoids, an adenotomy operation (removal of the adenoids) is performed – but nothing changes. The palatine tonsils have already ceased to be removed, and the adenoids (part of the same Pirogov lymphoid ring, immunocompetent tissue) continue! The reason, in my opinion, is largely an organizational plan – if children’s ENTs stop doing this operation, they will not have surgical activity, the stupid indicators of the activity of the departments will worsen, and the number of beds will decrease.

The first to treat adenoids with cold began in Nizhny Novgorod – this is the development of the cryology laboratory of the Nizhny Novgorod Medical Academy.Much depends on the correctness of the chosen cryoinstrument and the method of cryotherapy. Adenoids are treated with a special cryo-spray – this is a technique for adenoids, we called “Little Dragon” – a thick cold vapor of liquid nitrogen and its droplet are sent through a thin tube by impulses directly to the adenoid tissue, the child exhales this vapor and is very similar to the Dragon, we turn the treatment into a game. Not painful or scary. This is essentially a local extreme cryotherapy, which, if necessary (with a sharp increase in adenoids), the doctor turns into cryodestruction of the adenoid tissue – more impulses in number in a row, then the adenoids partially disappear in the postoperative period themselves….

The cold procedure is at the same time a visual functional test of the respiratory usefulness of the lumen of the nasopharynx, the procedure is therefore strictly individual. In addition to reducing the tissue of the adenoids, their activity is stimulated to fight microbes and viruses, they learn the new virus faster and the cold does not have time to develop. On average, the number of colds and flu decreases by 10 times. So the technique is unique. Even in Germany, where only palatine midalins are frozen with a stick, they do not work with children.

I would also like to emphasize that children should not blow their nose – never! Infected mucus under the influence of increased pressure in the nose rushes into the paranasal sinuses and the auditory tube – otitis media and sinusitis are ruined by the parents themselves to all children. The nose is cleared back, mucus must be actively sucked back, sniffed. Everything that the nose catches from the air is normally sent to the stomach, is swallowed, and this is our physiology. After all, neither cats, nor dogs, nor horses blow their nose, none of the mammals blow their nose and wash their nose! The trouble with these wrong recommendations in the city and country outpatient clinics, doctors did not go to lectures on ENT diseases! All otitis media in children are ruined by their parents themselves.

The nose is constantly stuffy – without temperature in a normal general state, one or the other half opens, sometimes there is a tickling in the nose and repeated sneezing, watery contents are released. What to do? This is vasomotor rhinitis, the full name is vasomotor-allergic rhinosinitis. Rather, the functional state of the nose is often not even a disease, but a defensive reaction. This is a consequence of environmental pollution, therefore, to one degree or another, almost everyone suffers. especially children.50 years ago, there was no such disease at all. Now our nose is forced to more actively fulfill its physiological role, trying not to let in, moisturize, purify and warm unwanted air. This dilates the venous vessels …

The best method of treatment is cryotherapy. Cryotherapy consists in the application of an applicator at a temperature close to minus 200 ° C on certain areas of the mucous membrane in the nasal cavity after local anesthesia. These zones are reflexogenic for the normalization of the vascular tone of the respiratory tract, give a bronchodilator effect.Therefore, cold treatment is also indicated for bronchial asthma. At the same time, pathological neuro-reflex arcs are broken, tk. the nerve fiber is the first to die after freezing, and it is gradually restored without pathological changes. The mucous membrane in these frozen places is simply completely renewed. The hair cells of the epidermis of the nose are renewed, which means that the functional state of the atrophied mucous membrane can also be improved. The main thing is that the vessels are destroyed, which are the basis of nasal congestion in this disease.After a short-term deep freezing, the vessels acquire a normal tone, the air passes freely. With the allergic component of rhinitis, the nasal mucosa acts as a complement that connects the allergen and the antibody, this complex irritates the mucous membrane, stimulates vasodilation.

After freezing, the antigen-complement-antibody complex becomes foreign to the body and remains in place – an individualized vaccination against allergies is carried out. Antibodies in the body begin to be produced already against this devitalized pathological complex, which is the basis of the disease.

So cryotherapy is a vaccine against your own allergy . There is no such etiological and at the same time gentle method that triggers the natural mechanisms of self-healing. Cryotherapy can be done very gently (and this is quite enough), it can also be a surgical cold operation, aimed mainly at the destruction of the turbinates – cryoconchotomy. Cryotherapy can be repeated as many times as you like, it does not cause scarring, atrophy.However, the tendency towards pronounced vascular reactions in the nasal cavity cannot be completely eliminated.

In order not to get sick with vasomotor rhinitis, one had to be born 100 years ago. The consequences of chemicalization of our life, the inevitability of constant inhalation of exhaust gases, dry and dusty air in rooms, frequent defects in immunity make it necessary to recommend everyone to constantly help the nose to cleanse, warm and humidify the air – to use a regular spray of sea water (Aqua Maris), to bury soft vegetable oils at night into the nose.

10 Ayurvedic Ways To Get Rid Of A Cold Fast

A persistent runny nose is an unpleasant phenomenon, especially when it does not stop for a long time. A runny nose has two causes.

It can be caused by low temperatures in winter or during rainy seasons. It is often accompanied by a sore throat and sometimes fever. A runny nose also occurs due to an allergic reaction. In such a case, people suffer the most from current nose.Allergic rhinitis and colds can be taken by surprise in the most unexpected cases and places.

Why runny nose and snot appear

A runny nose occurs when excess mucus builds up in your sinuses or nasal passage. Increased mucus production by the body is a way of clearing cold and flu viruses, irritants and allergens.

If you want to know how to get rid of a runny nose and quickly breathe again freely, follow the tips below from Ayurvedic medicine.

1. Do steam inhalation

Inhalation is one of the most popular methods of cold relief. The easiest way is to use a steam inhaler, but don’t worry if you don’t have one. A pot of hot water will be enough to help you make a simple steam inhaler at home.

Just inhale the steam coming out of the pot by leaning over it. Cover your head with a towel on top to prevent steam from escaping.

Just be careful. Do not lean too close to the boiler, as the steam can burn your face and damage your eyes. Always keep your eyes closed during the procedure. Take a break from time to time.

For a more soothing effect, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of salt or apple cider vinegar, mustard oil, or a few drops of eucalyptus oil, lavender or peppermint oil to the water.

These inhalations are also effective for the prevention of stuffy nose.

2. Drink plenty of water

Keeping your body hydrated helps loosen mucus so it doesn’t clog your nasal passage.

Warm water and other warm drinks will help with this. Try herbal teas mixed with honey or hot lemonade; hot soup or clear bone broth to quickly stop a runny nose, clear nasal congestion, and soften nasal passages.

Avoid caffeinated drinks as they dry out.

If the runny nose is accompanied by a sore throat, you can drink half a glass of warm water mixed with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of honey. Add honey to cooled water, but not hot.

Alternatively, you can add a quarter teaspoon of dry ginger powder or a quarter teaspoon of fresh ginger juice for a soothing effect.

Be sure to drink this 2-3 times a day for the fastest relief from the disease.

3.Season your food generously

They act as natural decongestants.

Add spices such as ginger, turmeric, garlic, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and green chili to your food.

Black pepper contains a substance known as capsaicin, which affects the nerve fibers responsible for regulating the thickness of mucus. In the beginning, this will worsen your runny nose and increase the flow of snot, because thin mucus is flushed out of the nose in such cases.You will have to blow your nose a lot, but after a while you will feel relief.

Comprehensive descriptions of these plants can be found in classical Ayurvedic texts. Trikatu consists of black pepper, long pepper and dried ginger (marich, pippali and soot) and is beneficial.

• • Maricha (black pepper) spicy to taste. It softens kapha and is easily absorbed.
  • Pippali (long pepper) is dry, aphrodisiac, spicy in taste.It softens Vata and Kapha and relieves shortness of breath and coughing, but should not be used for an extended period of time.
  • Nagara (dried ginger) improves appetite, is an aphrodisiac, absorbent and good for the heart, stimulates taste, is easy to digest. He, sugary, burning, softens Kapha and Vata. Green ginger is also similar in properties.

4. Use ginger tea or fresh ginger pieces with rock salt

Ginger has long been known as an effective home remedy for colds.It has both antiviral and anti-toxic, antifungal and antioxidant properties that help clear the nasal passages.

You can use ginger in two ways.

1) Drink ginger tea 2-3 times a day.

2) Cut a few pieces of ginger and eat them with a little rock salt.

Generally all plants with a pungent taste increase vata. Except for ginger and long pepper.

One of the many health benefits attributed to ginger is its purported ability to reduce inflammation, swelling and pain.The dried extract of ginger and the extract enriched with gingerol have an analgesic and strong anti-inflammatory effect.

A 2013 study published in the journal Ethnopharmacology demonstrated that fresh ginger is effective against human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) infections. These infections cause a wide range of respiratory conditions, including the common cold.

The authors reported that fresh ginger prevents viral contamination by blocking viral contamination and internalization.

5. Eat Garlic

Garlic has strong antibacterial and antiseptic properties, which also makes it an excellent remedy for the common cold.

You can make soup by boiling 3-4 garlic cloves, minced in a glass of water. Cook for a few minutes, then strain and mix with a little salt or sugar to taste. This will help keep you warm on cold, humid days and relieve a runny nose.

A 2001 study published in the journal Advances in Therapy demonstrated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment that the garlic supplement group had significantly fewer colds than the placebo group.

In addition, for colds, those who took garlic supplements recovered faster than those who were placed on the placebo group. While the underlying characteristics of garlic’s ability to exhibit antiviral properties are not well understood, a 2009 review published by The Cochrane Library argues that sulfur-containing garlic derivatives may play a role in its antiviral effects.

6. Add honey

It is no secret that honey has strong antibacterial and antiviral properties that help reduce various symptoms of the common cold.

You can stir 2 teaspoons of honey in a glass of warm water and drink it twice a day. Add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of fresh ginger juice to it. It boosts your immunity and helps prevent a runny nose.

The antioxidant activity of honey is mainly due to the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids, although the exact mechanism of the antioxidant action is unknown. Among the proposed mechanisms are free radicals, hydrogen donation, chelation of metal ions, or their action as a substrate for radicals such as superoxide and hydroxyl.These biophenols can also interfere with the multiplication reaction or inhibit the enzyme systems involved in the initiation reactions.

7. Try basil

Basil has strong antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, antifungal and strong healing properties. You can chew 3-4 basil leaves every morning before breakfast and in the evening before bed.

Basil and clove tea also works wonders in the fight against runny nose and snot.It warms your body from the inside out. Boil 8-10 basil leaves and five cloves in a glass of water for ten minutes. Allow the mixture to simmer, then add sugar to taste and drink twice a day.

Basil or Tulsi is perhaps one of the best examples of a holistic Ayurvedic approach to health.

Tulsi’s taste is hot and bitter and is said to penetrate deep tissues, dry up tissue secretions and normalize Kapha and Vata. Tulsi is recommended for the treatment of a number of painful conditions, including anxiety, cough, asthma, diarrhea, fever, dysentery, arthritis, eye conditions, otalgia, indigestion, hiccups, vomiting, stomach, heart and urinary disorders, back pain, skin conditions, ringworm lichen, malaria and insect, snake and scorpion bites.

8. Cloves

The biological activity of the clove tree was investigated on several microorganisms and parasites, including pathogenic bacteria, herpes simplex virus and hepatitis C viruses.

In addition to its antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal and antiviral activities, clove essential oil has anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic, repellent and anesthetic properties.

9.Turmeric

Drink warm turmeric milk.

Turmeric acts as an antidote for many health problems, including runny nose and snot. This herb has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral properties that make it very effective in treating the common cold.

• • Take a cup of warm milk and add one teaspoon of turmeric powder. Drink daily before bed at night. It boosts your immunity and helps get rid of a runny nose and sore throat.
  • Soak ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric in a cup of mustard oil or sesame oil. Heat the mixture over a fire until it smokes. Inhale the smoke slowly through one nostril, then through the other. Repeat the procedure twice a day. In Ayurveda, it is known as “dhumpan”, or Ayurvedic herbal smoking.
  • Drink a cup of warm turmeric tea 2-3 times a day. Add ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder to a cup of hot water. Let the drink brew.When it has cooled slightly, add a teaspoon of honey and enjoy. It is very soothing and treats a sore throat.

Curcumin has shown anti-influenza activity against influenza viruses PR8, h2N1 and H6N1. The results showed about 90% reduction in virus yield in cell culture using 30 μM curcumin.

Approximate EC50 value of 0.47 μM curcumin against influenza viruses. In the h2N1 as well as H6N1 subtypes, inhibition of hemagglutinin interaction reflected the direct effect of curcumin on the infectivity of viral particles.

In addition, unlike amantadine, viruses did not develop resistance to curcumin. Methoxyl derivatives of curcumin also showed no significant role in hemagglutination. These results proved the significant potential of curcumin to inhibit influenza.

8. Consume jaggery

It also helps to relieve a runny nose caused by colds or allergic reactions, as it dilutes the accumulated mucus in your sinuses and flushes it out.

You can add it to your herbal tea instead of regular sugar.

9. Bury the nose with mustard oil

Mustard oil has antibiotic, antiviral and antihistamine properties.

Heat some oil in a small vessel. Place 1-2 drops into each nostril. Repeat several times a day.

This technique is mentioned in Ayurvedic texts. It helps to clear the nasal passages and airways, and also releases accumulated mucus in the upper respiratory tract.

10. Try saline nose drops

Mix ½ teaspoon salt with two cups of warm water. Using a dropper, place a few drops into each nostril with your head tilted. Blow the mixture back through your nose along with excess mucus. This will clear the nasal passage and soothe the sinuses.

If none of these home remedies work, and symptoms of a runny nose and nose persist and are accompanied by a sore throat and fever, you should see a doctor to treat the cause of the pain.

Why runny nose, snot and sore throat appear when it gets cold

Freezing by itself does not cause people to develop these symptoms. However, it can contribute to frequent colds and runny nose during the fall and winter seasons.

Rhinoviruses (viruses that cause the common cold) thrive in cold temperatures.

According to a 2013 article in Nature News, researchers have been uncovering this fact for decades.In addition, a 2009 article published in Respiratory Medicine reported that in colder conditions, upper airway temperatures may be more favorable for rhinovirus replication, leading to increased incidence of colds during colder temperatures.

At low temperatures, our bodies can produce fewer antiviral immune signals and make us more vulnerable to infections.

At the 2013 American Society for Microbiology conference, scientists from Yale University presented their research that demonstrated how low temperatures can compromise natural defenses against rhinoviruses.

In their study involving mice and a mouse-specific rhinovirus, they found that under colder conditions, mice produced fewer antiviral immune signals than under warmer conditions. This reduction in antiviral signals allowed infections to persist more easily at lower temperatures.

In addition, scientists have studied human respiratory tract cells grown in a cold or warm laboratory. They infected cells with rhinoviruses, which cause colds in humans.From this study, they demonstrated that infected cells grown in a warmer environment underwent programmed cell death at a faster rate than cells infected in a colder environment. Programmed cell death is a form of cell suicide that results from an immune response to prevent the spread of infection.

Low temperatures and low humidity, characteristic of the “cold” season, are associated with an increase in the incidence of acute respiratory tract infections.

US Department of Health and Human Services: The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) explains that the viruses that cause the common cold survive better in the low humidity conditions that occur during the colder months. In addition, the NIAID also reports that cold weather can cause the nasal mucosa to become drier and more susceptible to viruses that cause the common cold.

Despite the inconclusive nature of research on the relationship between exposure to cold temperatures and the common cold, it is still recommended to keep yourself warm during the cold season.

Source: https://www.theayurvedaexperience.com/blog/runny-nose-sniffles-ayurveda/

Translated by Ekaterina Mishcheryakova

90,000 Rinsing the nose, benefits and harms. Otorhinolaryngologist’s answers 🆕

A lot of patients come to the doctor otolaryngologist, declaring from the doorway: “I (we, the child, mother, etc., need to emphasize the necessary) need to rinse my nose!”

If the nose is “stuffy” – it must be rinsed!

Folk myth of rinsing the nose

Self-rinsing of the nose or at the doctor’s?

There is a fundamental difference between rinsing the nose, which the patient can do independently, at home, and the procedure that is carried out in the ENT offices using a medical electric suction (aspirator).

While washing the nose on his own, the patient can only direct a stream of liquid under some pressure into one of the nasal passages. If the patency of the nasal passage is preserved, the fluid reaches the nasopharynx, where both nasal passages are connected, and leaves it either through the second nasal passage or through the pharynx.

Since the stream of liquid does not necessarily occupy the entire lumen of the nasal passage, in this case it is possible to guarantee only the fact that it enters the nasopharynx, and therefore this variant of rinsing the nose will henceforth be referred to as “nasopharyngeal douche”.

If lavage is carried out by specialists, then first of all they will have to make sure that both nasal passages are patented, or achieve it, and only then, pouring liquid into one of the nasal passages, it is simultaneously actively aspirated through the other nasal passage. In this case, the liquid acts as a hydro-piston, which actively draws out exudate from the paranasal sinuses through their natural fistulas, and then evacuates. This liquid, as a rule, does not enter the paranasal sinuses proper.

👨‍⚕️: From the above, it can be seen that in the absence of exudate in the sinuses, washing the paranasal sinuses has no practical meaning .

But, it carries a powerful psychological message to the patient: “They washed my nose! I can already feel it starting to help! ” True, after two weeks of washes, giving a feeling of free breathing for half a day (until the effect of decongestants * , with the help of which they ensured a guaranteed patency of the nasal passages, so that the patient does not choke), still has a legitimate interest in most patients: “And is it still far before, in fact, complete recovery? ” Washing something, go, paid …

Decongestant is a decongestant, a means to relieve mucosal edema.Most often, these funds are aimed at relieving a runny nose and nasal congestion.

And the patient finally comes to the doctor, who either has less free time to wash everything right and left, or his good name is more dear to him, and the doctor finds out the cause of the nasal congestion, and prescribes etiopathogenetic treatment, and makes it easier for the patient seriously and for a long time without any washes.

It is also worth remembering that the feeling of nasal congestion is caused not by the accumulation of mucus or pus in the lumen of the nasal cavity, but by swelling of the mucous membrane, which appears as a result of an inflammatory reaction caused by an infectious agent or allergen.But unlike any nasal secretion, which can be evacuated by elementary blowing (blowing out), edema cannot be evacuated! It is not blown out, not washed out, but removed after the use of specially designated medicines.

Nasal lavage

And now let’s try to figure it out – are there situations in which rinsing the nose turns out to be not only useless, but also definitely harmful?

Let’s start, perhaps, with the fact that with any rinsing, first of all, what is there without fail is removed from the nose – the nasal secret, that is, mucus, or snot for complete simplicity.

What is snot and what does the body need it for?

The secretion of the mucous membrane contains a number of nonspecific and specific protective factors that contribute to the neutralization and removal of microorganisms. The former include glycoproteins, lysozyme, lactoferrin, complement, protease inhibitors, secretory glucosidases, interferon. Specific factors are represented by immunoglobulins, which play the role of protection against microorganisms.

Due to the activity of those and other factors, there is a neutralization of viruses, toxins, lysis of bacteria.

The production of secretions by the mucous membrane is one of the main protective mechanisms of the respiratory tract. The volume of nasal secretion in healthy people ranges from 100 ml to 1-2 l / day. About 3/4 of the liquid part of the nasal secretion is spent on humidifying the inhaled air, the rest is needed to ensure mucociliary transport.

Under certain conditions, blood cells can be found in nasal secretions. Normally, they do not appear in the nasal secretion. The presence of certain cells indicates a pathological state of the body.

Most often, neutrophils can be found in the composition of the secret. They penetrate the mucus during the active multiplication of bacteria in the nasal cavity. Neutrophils are protective cells. They absorb microbes and die on their own, releasing a green pigment that determines the color of nasal discharge.

In case of allergy and hypersensitivity, eosinophils are released into the mucus. Their presence can be detected by taking a regular nasal swab. Eosinophils confirm the allergic nature of the disease.

So, blood cells (eosinophils, neutrophils and erythrocytes, basophils) are sometimes found in nasal secretions.This indicates a pathological condition of the nasal mucosa. Normally mucus is acellular and sterile – does not contain bacteria and viruses – matrix.

In case of damage to the capillaries, erythrocytes are released into the secret. They paint it red, orange or brown. Normally, these cells are absent.

During illness, the increased formation of snot from a physiological factor becomes pathological.

The first cause of a cold (rhinorrhea)

Rhinorrhea (from the Greek.”Rhoia” – flow, expiration) – a term meaning abundant mucous (watery) discharge from the nasal cavity.

Medical Encyclopedia

Viruses cause death of ciliated epithelial cells, their number is significantly reduced.

Under the influence of pathogens, mucin changes its structure, making the mucus more viscous.

It is difficult for the remains of the ciliated epithelium to move large layers of viscous secretion; it stagnates in the nose and is colonized by microorganisms.

So, starting to rinse the nose at the first signs of a “cold”, as our patients like to call a viral infection, by washing off mucus, they deprive the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity of its natural specific protection and open the way for viruses (and bacteria, too, what a sin to conceal) to their places reproduction – to the cells of the epithelium. And they get lingering rhinosinusitis with complications.

👨‍⚕️: And would give the opportunity for protective factors to work without interference – would be cured in a week.

Second cause of rhinorrhea (rhinorrhea)

Allergic rhinitis is another common cause of rhinorrhea (this is the name for excess mucus from the nose).

Allergens (most often pollen of plants or particles of animal epidermis) during this process are mechanically washed off by the flow of mucus from the surface of the mucous membrane into the gastrointestinal tract.

When rinsing the nose, most of the allergens on the surface of the mucous membrane are washed off, but new ones can come from the environment, and to trigger an allergic reaction, that negligible amount that has already leaked through natural barriers is enough.That is, in this situation, washing either does not give a therapeutic effect at all, or brings only temporary relief, besides, blurring the clinical picture and complicating the diagnosis.

The optimal diagnostic method for rhinorrhea in the ratio of price-duration-informativeness is the study of a rhinocytogram, which makes it possible to determine in the shortest possible time what kind of process led to the symptoms of rhinitis (allergy-infection), and to exclude contraindicated prescriptions.

And how to examine a native smear if the patient rinsed his nose before visiting the doctor? Mucus may already appear by the time the smear is taken, but there will be no cells in it, washed off! Accordingly, the result of such a study cannot be considered reliable.

“Folk remedies”

Another point of note: the choice of rinsing solution. Now, perhaps, nowhere else has the fantasy of homegrown healers had so much scope.

Wash: various salts, soda, mineral water, tap water, breast milk, soapy water.

Add: iodine, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotics, juices, decoctions, extracts, tinctures of herbs, fruits and roots, and this is not a complete list.

Nasal secretion (in common people – snot) has a certain density, pH and chemical composition. And the mucous membrane covered with it is because it is mucous because it is very delicate, and it is hardly worth etching it with various caustic substances, a burn and loss of smell (anosmia) are not yet the most terrible consequences.

The harm of self-rinsing the nose

Now directly about the dangers of self-activity in the field of nasal washing.

When conducting a nasopharyngeal shower, the solution (ideally) passes through one of the nasal passages to the patient’s nasopharynx, washes it and leaves through the second nasal passage.This is provided that the patency of both nasal passages is preserved approximately equally.

And if the nasal passage through which the fluid should exit is partially or completely closed as a result of edema of the mucous membrane (the doctor did not look in, did not assess the patency)?

Then the patient begins to make heroic efforts to extract the nasal contents (try to blow his nose), which leads to an increase in the pressure of the fluid filling the nasopharynx, as a result of which this fluid under pressure enters the wrong place (for example, through the Eustachian tube into the middle ear cavity) …

And to this fluid, to one degree or another, the original contents of the nasal cavity are mixed with viruses, bacteria and other additives, which it would be better not to get into the middle ear cavity, so as not to cause (by the efforts of the patient!), What good, otitis media, purulent the form of which, with a fairly high degree of probability, can lead to intracranial complications, and this is already a risk of death.

When self-rinsing the nose without the supervision of a qualified specialist, a number of complications may occur: sinusitis, eustachitis.This happens, as a rule, due to the ingress of infection with the solution into the sinuses and Eustachian tubes.

Total

❓ It turns out that rinsing the nose is absolutely useless, and besides, it is a dangerous activity?

👨‍⚕️: No, like all medical procedures, nasal lavage has its own indications and contraindications.

Only a doctor who has the appropriate qualifications, tools, skills and resources, that is, an otorhinolaryngologist, but not a pediatrician or therapist, can determine the presence and ratio of both.And only he can appoint rinsing of the nasal cavity in one way or another.

This means that all other specialists and patients should learn one simple rule: rinsing the nose on their own, without a doctor’s prescription, can only be absolutely healthy people with a hygienic purpose and only isotonic pH neutral solutions.

At the first signs of an upper respiratory tract disease, all flushing should be stopped until complete recovery, or proceed as directed by an ENT doctor.

Mullaev IV, article “The main myth of otolaryngology” // medical journal “In vivo veritas” №3 (12) 2018 CENTRAL ASIA.

How to clean the nose of a newborn from snot and boogers with a flagellum or an aspirator

Nasal breathing in a child should always be free. With a stuffy nose, he cannot suck on his mother’s breast or bottle and sleep normally. To avoid these problems, you need to know how to clean your newborn’s nose. This procedure can be done in several ways.

Causes of nasal breathing disorders in infants

The causes of nasal congestion can be physiological and pathological. Physiological – not caused by disease and, as a rule, are not dangerous to the body.

It is important to know how to clean the nose of a newborn so that he can breathe easily during sleep and during feeding

These include the formation of crusts as a result of drying of mucus in the nasal passages, especially with increased dry air.

Pathological causes are respiratory disease or allergy. They usually require immediate treatment.

Physiological causes of shortness of breath

After birth, the baby excretes amniotic fluid from the lungs, which was there for the entire period of gestation. It can enter the nose during sleep or wakefulness. This phenomenon can be observed during the first month of life.

Breathing can be impaired if breast milk enters the nasal cavity.This often occurs as a result of regurgitation. Regurgitation occurs due to problems with the gastrointestinal tract or nervous system. After feeding, the baby should release air from the stomach so that milk does not come out along with the air. For this, the baby is kept upright.

Nasal congestion severely interferes with breathing during breastfeeding and restful sleep.

In a baby, the nasal mucosa secretes a small amount of mucus, which helps to remove dust particles and allergens, this is a protective reaction of the body.

Pathological causes of nasal congestion

The nose can also be blocked due to respiratory illness. Usually, a viral infection triggers a runny nose, causing swelling and mucus formation, which makes it difficult for the baby to breathe.

Also, congestion is sometimes triggered by an allergic reaction. At the same time, abundant transparent discharge and sneezing are observed.

If the baby has nasal congestion, the baby refuses to breastfeed, is naughty and sleeps restlessly.

If the baby does not breathe through the nose, he cannot suckle. During feeding, he periodically releases his chest in order to take in air and catch his breath. Sometimes he refuses to eat at all. The kid squishes, sniffs, “grunts” during the day.

Devices for cleaning the nasal passages of babies

Newborn nose cleaners should be as safe as possible. They must not damage the inner shell of the passages.The devices help to gently remove mucus from the nasal cavity.

Do not use a cotton swab to clean nose from boogers, it can injure the child

Attachment types:

• flagella made of cotton wool;
• aspirators

These devices are quite convenient. Turundas gently remove dirt. The aspirator sucks out the mucous discharge.

Do not use cotton swabs or matches to cleanse the nasal passages.They can damage the mucous membranes, resulting in pain and bleeding.

How to clean a newborn’s nose using flagella

A flagellum or turunda can be used to remove harder formations in the spout. To carry out the cleansing procedure, you need to take sterile cotton wool, sterile oil. The oil can be purchased at the pharmacy or you can boil the vegetable oil yourself. After boiling, the oil must be cooled so that there is no burn of the mucous membranes. The oil helps to get rid of the crusts.

Turundas are prepared in advance. They take a small piece of cotton wool, make a flagellum with twisting movements. One end of it should be pointed, and the other more blunt. The length of the flagellum should be approximately 2-2.5 cm. Prepare 4-6-8 turundas for the procedure, depending on the pollution and the experience of the parents.

It is most convenient to clean the baby’s nose while lying on his back. This makes it easier to fix. The baby should be laid on a bed, changing table or sofa, after which the procedure should be carried out.

To cleanse the nose, the finished flagellum is moistened in boiled vegetable or sterile pharmaceutical oil. Turunda is inserted into the nose with its sharp end with twisting movements. After the introduction, the cotton turundochka is pulled out. If necessary, the cleansing is repeated until the complete removal of mucus and impurities.

Not all mothers can use flagella. Also, cotton tourniquets are not able to remove mucus that is deep in the nasal cavity – in such cases, aspirators are often used.

Using mucus aspirators

There are various aspirators. The simplest is a device with a pear, on the tip of which there is a special rounded cap. It has an opening for sucking in mucus, a chamber for collecting secretions.

There are also plastic attachments with a tube, mucus collection container and tip. In this case, the mother herself must suck in air with her mouth through the nozzle on the tube.The tip is very comfortable and wide.

It is not necessary to use a simple syringe to cleanse the nasal passages from boogers. Since the tip, especially the plastic one, can damage the nasal mucosa of the newborn.

It is most convenient to clean the nose from snot with a special aspirator

For added convenience, electronic aspirators can be purchased. They suck mucus very quickly. Children respond well to these devices, do not have time to cry too much during the procedure.

To start cleansing, it is necessary to sterilize the aspirator, having completely disassembled it before. If an electronic cleaning device is used, only the nozzles and collection containers need to be sterilized.

After sterilization, cool the parts, dry, assemble the aspirator. It is imperative to take a diaper to wipe the tip of the device and the baby’s nose. If the child’s discharge in the spout has already dried up and the crusts are delighted, then it is better to first drip sterile saline into the nasal passage.It is enough to inject only 1 drop of the solution into 1 nasal passage and 1 into the other.

Saline and seawater are used for washing the nasal passages daily for hygienic purposes, as well as during severe rhinitis.

After instilling the drops, attach the rounded tip and suck the mucus out of the nose. If you are using a pear device, you just need to press it. When using an aspirator with a tube, it is necessary to independently suck air through the tip on the tube.

What not to do while cleansing the nasal passages

The procedure for cleansing the nasal passages has its own prohibitions. If you follow them, the manipulation will be quite safe and useful.

Prohibitions and precautions:

• Do not use cotton swabs to cleanse the nasal passages.
• Do not suck mucus by mouth. This can cause the transmission of bacteria and viruses from adult to child.
• Breast milk should not be instilled into the spout.It is not a breeding ground for the development of viruses and bacteria.
• All devices for cleaning the nasal passages must be sterile and dried.
• The aspirator tip must not be inserted deeply, so as not to injure the nasal mucosa.
• Before using the device, be sure to read the instructions.
• Dried discharge should be moistened so that it does not scratch the lining of the nasal passages.

These rules must be followed.They will help prevent damage to the mucous membrane of the nasal passages, since if the cleansing manipulation is performed incorrectly, bleeding may occur.

When to show the child to the doctor

If for 7 days the nose has been well cleaned, and there is no improvement in the baby’s condition, you should urgently come to the pediatrician’s appointment. The doctor will conduct an examination and refer you to an otolaryngologist.

Nasal breathing in a child should be free. Congestion can cause poor sleep and refusal to eat.