Consider This When Buying Medicine For Stuffy Nose
The reason why pharmaceuticals have developed numerous different congestion medicine formulas is because not everyone responds to the same active ingredients in a positive way. Considering these three factors will help you understand your options better, thus allowing you to find the best medicine for stuffy nose thats right fit for your bodys needs.
- Multi-Symptom Relief. A stuffy nose is caused by mucus production, which is a bodily response to a foreign invader such as a virus or bacteria. The purpose of the mucus is to expel the foreign body and relieve your system of invasion. Depending on the virus or bacteria present, its likely that you also develop several other symptoms along with the congestion.
If your congestion comes hand in hand with other symptoms like sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and irritation, it may be necessary to choose stuffy nose medication that targets these symptoms as well.
- Side-Effects. Even the mildest of stuffy nose medications can cause unpleasant side-effects, so be sure to read the labels before you take a dosage. Side-effects can range from drowsiness, to an altered state consciousness, and even toxicity in the long run. Understanding what youre taking before you actually do will help you determine how your body will react to it later on. This will also help to keep you safe. For instance, drowsiness is a very common effect of these pharmaceuticals. So it would be best to avoid taking a dosage if you plan to go outside afterwards.
Oral And Nasal Decongestants
Over-the-counter decongestants work by shrinking blood vessels inside the nose. There are both oral and nasal formulations.
Sudafed is an oral decongestant used to relieve nasal or sinus congestion caused by the common cold, sinusitis, and respiratory allergies. Do not use Sudafed for longer than three days as it can also lead to rebound congestion.
While Sudafed is available without a prescription, it is kept behind the pharmacy counter and requires an ID to obtain. A similar drug called Sudafed PE can be purchased without hindrance but has not proven to be anywhere near as effective as pseudoephedrine.
Nasal decongestant sprays like Afrin also provide short-term relief of a stuffy nose. It should also not be used for longer than three days due to the risk of rebound congestion .
Antihistamines And Decongestants: Which Should You Take For A Stuffy Nose
Most, if not all of us, have had a stuffy nose and received varied forms of advice from people around us. One family member might offer a decongestant, while another might suggest that simply eating an orange can ease it due to the antihistamine effects an orange has. While both arent wrong, its important to understand which will work best and when to take them.
Antihistamines and decongestants are common forms of medication that you can consume for a stuffy nose. With nasal congestion causing the same, tiresome symptoms, its easy sometimes to want to reach for the closest solution. But the big question is, which best suits your needs?
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Is The Best Medication For Stuffy Nose Right For Your Needs
The question that you have to ask yourself before buying any of the best medication for stuffy nose is whether or not they will suit your needs. Besides, you must clearly define what your needs and purposes are. From there, you can choose the best product and serve it according to your requirements.
Simple Ways To Relieve Congestion
As you can see, while they are caused by different things a lot of the symptoms are the same. A stuffy nose can throw your entire day off balance. Your voice becomes distorted and breathing is a struggle. Nasal congestion is one of the most common side effects of allergies and the common cold, so many people experience these symptoms numerous times a year.
Contrary to popular belief, congestion isnt caused by an excessive build-up of mucous in your nasal passage. In fact, it actually occurs when the blood vessels in your nasal tissue become swollen due to excess fluid. If youre experiencing nasal congestion, here are some simple ways to get relief:
To find an allergy clinic in Houston, or to learn more about allergy testing procedures, contact our team to at 713-328-0828.
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How Decongestants And Ibuprofen Work
Treatment Options
To understand how decongestants and ibuprofen work, it helps to understand what causes the symptoms of a cold or flu. Nasal congestion is often a result of swelling in the nasal and sinus tissue caused by inflammation, not necessarily excess mucus. Therefore, its important to treat the whole problem with a decongestant and a pain reliever, like ibuprofen.
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What About Combination Antihistamine/decongestant Preparations
Pharmacy shelves are packed with combination preparations. They are useful for runny, itchy, and stuffy noses and are available OTC or by prescription. The liquid preparations are convenient for children as well as the elderly who may need a lesser dosage than is available in tablet forms. 12- and 24-hour preparations are available to make taking the medications more practical. Interestingly, the stimulant effect of the decongestant may counteract the drowsiness effect of the antihistamine and make the combination well tolerated however, this may not occur in everyone so caution is indicated.
| acrivastine | pseudoephedrine |
Two broad categories of decongestants are available. Rapid release products need to be taken 3 to 4 times a day and provide a lower dose of both the antihistamine and decongestant. These medicines help people who are more troubled by side effects but they are less practical than the sustained release preparations, which need to be taken only once or twice per day.
Some combinations of these drugs may be more effective in some individuals, If an individual wants to try a new OTC antihistamine/decongestant combination, they should carefully read the label. Make sure the ingredients and the dosages are different from the ones they used to take. Otherwise, the person may be buying the same medication they took previously, only with a different name, color, shape, and price.
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Nose Allergy Home Remedies
If youre suffering from nose allergy symptoms that include swelling, running nose, rhinitis, and/or post-nasal drip youre not alone. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, nasal allergies affect about 50 million people in the U.S. including up to 30% of adults and 40% of children .
In this article, well share 11 nose allergy home remedies and more!
While researchers look to improve medicine and pinpoint the causes of allergic disease, the nose allergy problem is becoming worse.
Nasal allergies arent the end of the world for most people, however, they can be annoying, and if left untreated can become debilitating, affecting sleep, social interactions, and overall quality of life.
Nose allergies can cause:
- Redness and swelling
- Sinus pain, also behind eyes and ears
How do I know this? Because I experienced many of these symptoms when my nose allergies were at their worst. I didnt just have nose allergy symptoms, I had other symptoms including itchy skin, coughing, and fatigue because I was allergic to so many things.
I have improved a great deal since my worst days with allergy. Yet I still remember how uncomfortable life with an allergy can be. For 20 years I couldnt breathe through my nose and I just thought it was life.
I didnt understand it wasnt normal, and I didnt understand how to improve. Ive tried everything under the sun, including strong prescription medicine that I wish I never used.
Best For Adult: Allegra Allergy Medicine For Stuffy Nose
The Allegra Allergy Medicine For Stuffy Noses superior materials makes sure that it ages well with use. The allegra allergy medicine for stuffy nose comes in tablets that dissolve on the tongue and berry-flavored liquid. Give them powerful allergy relief for a full 12 hours in a non-drowsy formula. This berry flavored allergymedicine is made with the active ingredient fexofenadine, a non drowsy antihistamine.
Lastly, the allegra allergy medicine for stuffynose is ideal for allergic reactions, is better than zyrtec and it is much cheaper.
Most buyers quickly discovered that the medicine is because both of these medications cross the blood-brain barrier. Further, they also found that the medicine is a perfect solution for kids with allergies and asthma. Also, they say that the medicine is easy to remove from the blister pack, unlike other meds.
Top Customer Quotes:
- This is suitable for kids 2-years-old and up.
- This is major, switched to allegra and it is designed for children under 2 years.
- This tastes fine and it makes for a good flavor.
- This is great for relief of allergy symptoms and it is used to good effect.
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Hay Fever Management And Treatment
Avoid triggers by making changes to your home and to your behavior.
- Keep windows closed during high pollen periods use air conditioning in your home and car.
- Wear glasses or sunglasses when outdoors to keep pollen out of your eyes.
- Use mite-proof bedding covers to limit exposure to dust mites and a dehumidifier to control mold. .
- Wash your hands after petting any animal, and have a nonallergic person help with pet grooming, preferably in a well-ventilated area or outside.
What people dont realize is most of the over-the-counter medicines are designed for milder allergies. For the people who have more moderate to severe allergy problems, its very rare that over the counter medicines are enough.
Allergist James Sublett, MD
Things To Note When Using A Decongestant
If you have health conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, thyroid disease or an enlarged prostate, take note that your condition could be made worse by the use of decongestants.
Its best to seek the advice of a healthcare provider before you begin using it.
Take special care to make sure youre not consuming more than one decongestant. Multiple decongestants may have similar active ingredients that add up to be too much medicine and taking more than the recommended amount can be dangerous.
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Best For Treating For Nasal And Sinus Congestion Or Pressure
Allergy medications that are decongestants can come in pill, liquid or nasal spray form. The most common form of decongestant are pills, which many people use to combat seasonal allergies especially. Nasal sprays and eye drops can both stop being effective or make symptoms worse if overused, so it is important to use them sporadically to treat symptoms.
When Should You See A Doctor For A Stuffy Nose
Home remedies may not always prove useful. Certain scenarios may mean that your stuffy nose indicates health conditions like sinusitis or even severe allergies.
If you start to feel that your symptoms could be caused by another health condition, its time to speak with your doctor.
Here are some clear signs on when to see your doctor:
- When congestion lasts for over 10 days
- When congestion is accompanied by high fever for over three days
- When sinus pain and fever is accompanied with green nasal discharge
- If you have a weakened immune system
- If you have respiratory conditions like asthma or emphysema
- If the patient is an infant
If your infant has a stuffy nose, it is important that you see a doctor as soon as possible. This is because nasal congestion may be indicative of potentially fatal breathing problems.
Nasal congestion might also interfere with infant feeding and can cause choking and aspiration, which is when fluid ends up in a childs lungs.
Getting your infant prompt medical attention by a certified healthcare practitioner can also help make sure that normal speech and hearing development is unaffected.
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The Best Of Both Antihistamines And Decongestants
Certain allergy medications contain both an antihistamine and decongestant to relieve multiple allergy symptoms at once. These combination drugs can be an effective treatment for people who experience nasal congestion or trouble breathing in addition to other allergy symptoms like hives or itchy eyes.
Tips For Proper Use Of Nasal Sprays
Using a good technique in applying nasal sprays will help you achieve the maximum benefits from the medications and avoid certain side effects, such as nasal bleeding. The following are guidelines for proper spray technique:
- Clear your nasal passages with gentle nose blowing or a nasal decongestant for a few days when starting nasal steroids.
- Shake the container
- Place one finger over one nostril to close it off.
- Place the tip of the spray into the open nostril pointing away from the nasal septum and direct the spray straight back, not up into the tip of your nose.
- Activate the spray, sniffing in gently and deeply as you do so.
- Exhale through the mouth.
- Repeat these steps for the other nostril.
- Never “double” spray: always spray one nostril at a time and alternate nostrils each time.
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Otc Allergy Medication Prices
OTC allergy medication can cost anywhere from about $5 to $25, depending on the formula and the number of pills, sprays, or drops in each container. As a general rule, the more symptoms that an allergy medicine treats, the more expensive it is.
When purchasing allergy medicine, its more important to focus on the price per dose or the daily cost of using the medication rather than the cost of the container. If you only need the medicine occasionally, compare the different types based on the cost per dose. If you suffer from seasonal allergies, you will probably want to pay attention to the price per day because you might need to use the medication once or more every day for total relief from symptoms.
Best For Adult: Genexa Allergy Medicine For Stuffy Nose
The Genexa Allergy Medicine For Stuffy Nose has killer features for the price point. The genexa allergymedicine forstuffy nose is made in the USA with globally sourced organic ingredients. The Manufacturer says: Our products are made with globally-sourced ingredients backed by trusted certifications. Also, this is great for runny nose and it works very well.
Lastly, the genexa allergy medicine for stuffynose is good for high quality, is very effective and it is good for animal dander.
Most customers found that the medicine was used for itchy and watery eyes and it worked very well. In addition, a few strongly agree that the medicine has no side effects to add to that it works for spring hay fever. Further, they strongly agree that the pharmacy does decongestants, however it does not claim to. In short, many buyers have used the genexa allergy medicine for stuffy nose for more than a few months without any issues, and it shows no sign of giving up.
Top Customer Quotes:
- This is OK, because on the box it does say 6-8 hours.
- And none of the artificial inactive ones you dont.
- This is complete, is extremely effective and it is very cost effective.
- This can take every 6-8 hours instead of every 4.
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Antihistamines Or Allergy Medication
You may want to take an antihistamine or allergy medication if your nasal congestion results from an allergic reaction. Both types of medications can reduce the swelling in your nasal passages, helping to unclog your sinuses.
Combining drugs containing both an antihistamine and a decongestant can relieve the sinus pressure and swelling caused by allergic reactions.
Follow the instructions for these medications carefully. If you dont, you may make your condition worse. You should also note that antihistamines might make you drowsy. If you arent sure how an antihistamine will affect you, dont take this medication when you need to be active or productive.
Elevate Your Head When Sleeping
Congestion tends to be worse at night because it is difficult for the nose and sinuses to drain. Another simple remedy is to prop your head up on a few pillows when sleeping to help the sinuses drain more easily.
The elevated position will help ensure that your sinus doesnt stagnate and build-up. It will also encourage mucus secretions to flow gently out of your nasal passages.
While propping up your head may not free you of your nasal congestion, it will help make sure that your stuffy nose doesnt rob you of precious sleep time!
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What To Do About Your Stuffy Nose And Congestion
A stuffy nose can be an annoying condition that can linger for days or even weeks. There are many underlying causes for a stuffy nose , but, contrary to popular belief, the nostrils are not clogged by mucus.
This article explores the causes of a stuffy nose and the various drug and non-drug treatments. It also explains when to call a doctor if the symptoms persist or are a sign of something more serious.
Dry Air Drying You Out Just Add Water
Another potential remedy for a stuffy nose is salt water, which eases congestion by moistening and clearing the nasal passages. Dry air can increase mucus production and thicken the mucus so that it accumulates in the sinuses, explains Auth. Other irritants that buildup in nasal passages can also lead to nasal inflammation if they arent flushed out.
The nose loves salt water, says Seidman. A home remedy I tell people about is to mix 1 quart of sterilized water, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon , and then run it up your nose.
Neti pots are nasal rinsing devices that have been around for thousands of years. While theyre generally considered safe, the FDA cautions that they must be used and cleaned properly to avoid the risk of infection. The FDA recommends using purchased distilled or sterile water, boiled and cooled tap water, or water passed through one of its recommended filters in any of these devices to reduce the risk of infection.
Engle says saline nasal sprays are a convenient option to moisten and help drain a stuffy nose because the contents are premixed and sterile, which reduces the potential for infection if used properly. For people squeamish about rinsing out their nose, experts say simply moistening the air around you can help.
A humidifier is a good thing for young children and people who dont want to use drugs, says Engle. Cool mist humidifiers are recommended in childrens bedrooms to reduce the risk of burns from warm mist versions.
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