Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Reduce irritation and friction
• Method 2 of 2: Fix a stuffy nose
• Warnings

Your nose can hurt and become irritated if you blow it regularly because you have an allergy, a cold, or because the weather is cold and dry. The delicate tissues in and around your nose become dry and chapped from the constant "micro-damage" you cause by blowing and wiping your nose. Allergies can be especially problematic because they last longer than a cold or the flu, which usually lasts one to two weeks. Whatever the cause, there are things you can do to get rid of your sore nose.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Reduce irritation and friction

1. Apply a soothing moisturizer to the outer rim of your nostrils. Agents and ointments such as Vaseline work best.Put a small amount of the product on a cotton swab and then apply it to the outer edge of both nostrils. The extra moisture will not only make your skin less dry, but also form a protective layer so that your skin is no longer irritated by a runny nose.
   • If you don't have petroleum jelly or similar supplies at home, you can use your regular facial lotion. Such an agent will retain moisture less effectively on the skin, but should still provide some relief.
2. Buy tissues with lotion. If you're willing to pay a little more, spending more money on good tissues can go a long way in easing the pain. Look for lotion-treated tissues. These tissues do less damage to your skin when you blow your nose and are anti-irritant due to the soothing lotion they contain. If there is less friction when you blow your nose, you will have less irritation in the long run.
3. Soak your nose with a damp washcloth. If your nose is very chapped or even bleeding, quickly treat it with warm moisture to ease the pain. Run a clean washcloth under warm water and then gently press the washcloth into your nostrils. Tilt your head back and leave the washcloth until it cools back to room temperature. Breathe through your mouth during treatment.
   • Apply petroleum jelly or similar immediately after soaking your nose with a washcloth.
   • Discard or wash the washcloth immediately.
4. Blow your nose less often. A runny or stuffy nose can feel awful and you may be tempted to blow your nose constantly. Resist that urge, even if it may be difficult. Only blow your nose when necessary, especially when you are home alone and no one will speak to you. If you have some mucus running out of your nose, gently pat it away instead of blowing your nose in a dry tissue and irritating it.
5. Blow your nose gently. Instead of taking a deep breath and blowing your nose as hard as possible, blow your nose gently to reduce friction. Gently blow one nostril and then the other. Keep alternating between both nostrils until you think your nose is empty enough.
   • Before blowing your nose, always loosen the mucus using a nasal congestion technique.
6. Get medical treatment if you have allergies. Your doctor can prescribe anti-allergy medications that can control allergic reactions. Whether you are getting injections for your allergies or using nasal spray when you get a runny nose, treating the underlying allergy will help soothe your nose.
   • Know that oral decongestants make your snot even drier, making your nose even more irritated.

Method 2 of 2: Fix a stuffy nose

1. Get the snot out of your nose. There are many methods you can use to liquefy and loosen the mucus that is clogging your nose. Allowing for a little time to use these techniques will help you blow your nose more efficiently. Over time, you will have to blow your nose less often so that your nose becomes less chapped. During your day, try these techniques to clear your stuffy nose and always blow your nose immediately afterwards.
2. Sit in an area with a lot of steam. If you are a member of a gym with a sauna, it is the perfect place to release the mucus in your nose and relax after a long day. However, if you can't go to a sauna, you can improvise in your bathroom. Turn on the hot shower tap and close the bathroom door to keep all the steam in. Stay in the bathroom for three to five minutes or until you feel the mucus come loose and damp. Blow your nose gently before exiting the steam-filled area.
   • To save water, you can also just blow your nose after taking a shower.
3. Place a warm compress on the back of your nose. Grab a damp washcloth and put it in the microwave until warm, but not piping hot. How long you have to put the washcloth in the microwave depends on the microwave itself. So start with 30 seconds and keep adding 15 seconds. The washcloth should be warm, but not so warm that it is intolerable. Place the washcloth over your nose and let it sit until it cools down. The heat should loosen the mucus, even when you treat the nasal cavity with heat from the outside.
   • If necessary, repeat the process before blowing your nose.
4. Rinse your nose with a saline solution. This simply means that you rinse your nasal cavity with saline solution in the form of a nasal spray. You can get such a nasal spray at any supermarket, drug store or pharmacy. Spray the bottle twice into both nostrils to moisten and liquefy the mucus. If you don't want to buy a saline spray form, you can also make a simple saline solution at home:
   • Mix 1 cup of warm water with half a teaspoon of salt.
   • Buy a balloon syringe from the supermarket, drug store or pharmacy. Use the syringe to rinse your nostrils with your homemade saline solution.
5. Try a neti pot. A neti pot resembles a small teapot and clears the clogged cavities in your nose by running warm water into one nostril and letting it out through the other nostril. Heat the water to a temperature of at least 50 ° C to kill all potentially harmful things in the water. Let the water cool to a comfortable temperature before using the neti pot. Tilt your head and pour water into your right nostril. If you keep your head like this, the water will run out of your left nostril again.
   • Do not use a neti pot if you are in a place where the water is not properly purified. Drinking water in our country is of excellent quality, but this is not the case everywhere. There have been a few reports of rare amoeba infections caused by parasites in tap water.
6. Drink warm tea during your day. The throat and nose are closely linked, so drinking warm liquids will also warm your nasal cavity. As a result, the mucus will come out and come out more easily, just as it happens when you inhale steam. You can drink any type of tea, but if you have a cold you could choose to drink a healing herbal tea. Look at the supermarket or health food store for teas intended for people with a cold or the flu. Peppermint and clove tea can soothe a sore throat and clear your nose.
7. Exercise, if your health allows it. If you are in bed with a cold or the flu, then you should definitely sleep and rest. However, exercising is a good option if you have to blow your nose very often because you have an allergy to something. When your heart rate is high enough to make you sweat, it has the added benefit of loosening the mucus in your nose. Even exercising for 15 minutes can help, as long as you avoid the allergen in question. For example, don't run outside if you are allergic to pollen.
8. Eat something very spicy. Think back to the last time you ate something that was uncomfortably spicy. Remember how you got a runny nose? That's the ideal condition for blowing your nose, so eat hot salsa, hot peppers, spicy chicken, or anything else to get a runny nose. Blow your nose immediately while the mucus is still moist and runny.
9. Buy a humidifier. You can purchase a humidifier from a drug store to keep the air moist while you sleep. Choose a humidifier that gives off cool vapor, as warm vapor can make your nose even worse. Set the device to the ideal humidity level - between 45 and 50%.
   • A table top humidifier can hold 4 to 15 liters of water. This water must be changed daily. Clean the water tank completely by hand every three days.
   • Replace the filter as often as the manufacturer recommends. Ideally you use a HEPA filter.
10. Massage your sinuses. By massaging the affected sinuses you can clear your nasal cavity and make it easier for you to blow your nose. For a stronger effect, use rosemary oil, peppermint oil, or lavender oil, but be careful not to get it in your eyes. You can rinse your face with a warm compress afterwards. Using your index and middle fingers, apply gentle pressure in circular motions on the following areas:
    • The forehead (sinuses)
    • The back of the nose and temples (wedge bony cavity)
    • Under the eyes (maxillary sinus)

Warnings

• Get medical help if you have a sinus infection or if your cold or flu has lasted a week and no improvement is noticeable. Symptoms include thickening, greenish mucus and localized headaches.
• If you regularly put petroleum jelly under your nose, you can breathe it in and it can get into the lungs, causing lipid pneumonia. However, this rarely happens. So don't put petroleum jelly under your nose too often and alternate between different types of moisturizers.