There's a big difference between occasionally misplacing your keys or forgetting why you've entered a certain room, and the kind of memory loss associated with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Let's start by talking about brain fog specifically, what it is and what it isn't.
Brain fog isn't a health disorder in and of itself; rather, it's a symptom of other health problems, including allergic rhinitis— better known as allergies. In fact, brain fog is a very common allergy symptom.
When you have brain fog, you'll definitely know you do. For the sake of argument though, brain fog symptoms are:
This kind of cognitive impairment can be annoying, but it can also interfere with how well you function at home, work, or school.
There are a lot of factors that can contribute to brain fog. Some of these include:
As we mentioned above, brain fog is often a symptom of other health conditions, including allergies. Some more of these include:
While brain fog can be a symptom of Alzheimer's disease, it doesn't automatically mean that you're developing it or dementia, or will develop it when you get older. Brain fog can also be a sign of cognitive decline, which is a normal part of aging. (As we get older, our brains’ neurons slow down, slowing brain function down with them.) In most circumstances, there's no need to panic over the occasional bout of foggy-headedness.
The truth is, everyone experiences brain fog sometimes— especially if you have seasonal allergies, don't sleep well, or are stressed out.
Brain fog is always a symptom of something more, so if you treat the underlying issue, the fog should clear with it. This can include sleeping more, eating a healthier diet, and reducing stress. We'll talk more about these later.
Brain fog like from your seasonal allergies can cause short-term memory problems, but doesn’t mean that you’ll have memory problems like dementia or Alzheimer’s later in life.
However, that doesn’t mean you should let brain fog or lingering mental confusion be— especially if you regularly experience allergy symptoms. More research is needed, but allergies can potentially cause memory problems and may impact learning and memory long-term.
According to one study using mice, researchers found that mice exposed to grass pollen simultaneously produced more neurons and fewer immune cells in their brains. This supports previous studies where animals exposed to allergens long-term had more memory impairments and learning problems. [2]
One human study also found allergy patients exposed to ragweed pollen (one of the most common allergens) experienced slowed cognitive processing or memory difficulties. [3]
While there are seemingly myriad causes for brain fog, there are just as many solutions for it. Here are five of our favorite natural remedies for brain fog so you can get back to thinking clearly ASAP.
Plenty of our users, like Ariel, have found significant relief with SinuSonic. Ariel shares:
"I don't generally write reviews, but the SinuSonic has been incredible!!!!!!!!!! I had a major nasal reconstructive surgery 5 months ago... My recovery had been nothing short of horrific with unbearable sensations in my nose causing insomnia, brain fog, and much more. After using SinuSonic, for the first time since my surgery, I could sleep without feeling intense sinus pressure. After using it again today, I felt my mucus membranes returning to their normal functional sensation. For me, the SinuSonic is nothing short of a miracle."
For those battling with congestion and allergies leading to brain fog, SinuSonic offers a natural, drug-free solution. This device employs light pressure combined with gentle acoustic vibrations to provide natural sinus relief, helping you breathe more freely. Just committing to a simple routine of two minutes, twice daily, can usher in a reprieve from debilitating allergy symptoms.
By consistently using SinuSonic, you'll not only improve your breathing depth and efficiency but also boost ciliary motility in your nose. This ensures that any allergens or irritants lodged in your nasal passages make a hasty exit.
Don't just take our word for it; Ariel says she'll be recommending it to her ENT for future patients. Discover the difference SinuSonic can make in your life and potentially bypass the hardships Ariel faced.
Getting a good night's sleep is key to preventing brain fog. Unfortunately, it's often all too easy to accidentally sabotage your sleep. If you have nighttime allergies, those can easily complicate getting your 40 winks too.
Allergy fatigue occurs when your immune system works hard to protect your body from allergens and irritants— not unlike the fatigue you feel when your body fights off illness. Unfortunately, even with this fatigue, getting a good night's sleep can be complicated.
However, to eliminate brain fog it's vital to get 7-9 hours of good quality sleep each night. Here are a few of our suggestions to help you get the shut-eye you need every night.
Related: How to Sleep with a Stuffy Nose
Stress is a major contributing factor to brain fog. Keeping stress to a minimum is vital, for the sake of your physical and mental health.
There are endless solutions to reducing stress and clearing your head, you just need to find what works best for you. Here are a few of our favorite ways to de-stress:
Vitamin deficiencies can cause brain fog, but a generally poor diet can also.
To avoid this, make sure to eat a healthy and balanced diet consisting of:
A healthy, well-balanced diet will ensure that all your body's nutritional needs are being met and will eliminate potential vitamin deficiencies.
Games like sudoku, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and chess can help exercise your brain, improve your memory, and sharpen your concentration.
Just make sure to keep challenging yourself along the way. Your brain needs to stay challenged to reap the benefits of its training.
Everyone deals with the occasional brain fog sometimes, but for many allergy sufferers, it's an unavoidable reality of allergy season. Allergies may even be the culprit behind memory problems and learning difficulties.
Don't panic though— brain fog can make day-to-day life more difficult, but it doesn't mean that you're losing your mind. There are plenty of natural steps you can take to turn your brain fog into a distant memory.
Lost in a fog? Clear the way with SinuSonic!
Many people have had them for as long as they can remember. In fact, nearly 19 percent of kids and nearly 26 percent of adults have seasonal allergies. It's not uncommon to develop new allergies as you get older— as shown by the almost 7 percent jump in the statistic— but do allergies worsen with age?
Dealing with allergy symptoms can be easy one day and challenging the next, but that's not a good indicator of overall severity.
Before we dive into that, let's talk about the kinds of allergies that can develop with age.
If you develop allergies later in life, it’s not always allergic rhinitis or what you probably think of when you think of allergies.
Allergies develop when your immune system creates antibodies called immunoglobulin (IgE) in response to certain irritants. If you're exposed to that allergen, your body releases inflammatory chemicals like histamine, causing effects like your blood vessels dilate, your body producing more mucus, and your skin itching.
This leads to allergic reactions, which manifest as familiar allergy symptoms like nasal congestion, a runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes or skin. Essentially, your symptoms are caused by your body's reaction (or overreaction) to allergens.
Common allergies that get more common with age include:
Adult-onset allergies can develop at any time during adulthood, and experts aren't sure why allergies may develop.
Possible triggers for adult-onset allergies can include:
Research has shown that adult-onset allergies are becoming more common in older adults or those who are 65 and older. This may be caused by physiological changes to their tissue structure or from changes to their immune function.
While allergies can become more common with age, they don't necessarily get worse with age.
The severity of your allergies can fluctuate with age. It could be the opposite— as you get older, you can develop a tolerance to some allergens or outgrow them completely. It’s also possible to suddenly find yourself allergic to something that’s never bothered you before.
However, just because allergies don’t necessarily worsen as you age doesn’t mean you should ignore them.
As we mentioned earlier, a number of factors can contribute to adult-onset allergies. This can make diagnosing and treating them difficult because their symptoms can be similar to other diseases or health conditions. Most relevant allergy studies are also typically conducted in childhood and do not account for the normal physiological changes that occur as we age. [2]
More research is needed better to understand adult-onset allergies, particularly among older adults. It's also especially important to pay attention to diagnostic tools; while the same diagnostics are used for all ages, it can be more difficult to arrive at a diagnosis for older adults because their physiologies and health needs are so different from the children or younger adults that are typically diagnosed.
No matter when your allergy symptoms have developed, it's important to find ways to prevent them from making you miserable. Thankfully, there are productive ways to do so at any age for any kind of allergy.
Allergy symptoms are irritating enough if you've been dealing with them all your life, but they can be especially awful if you're dealing with new allergies and symptoms.
If nasal congestion is driving you crazy, SinuSonic can help you decongest naturally.
SinuSonic combines gentle pressure and light acoustic soundwaves to clear your sinuses without drugs or messy irrigation. It's normal to need to blow your nose while using the device— that's a sign that it's working!
Just a few minutes twice daily is all you need to help keep your airways open with SinuSonic. Long-term use can also help you breathe more efficiently by increasing ciliary motility in your nose and increasing the amount of nitric oxide your sinuses produce as you breathe. Nitric oxide is a natural smooth muscle relaxant with anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antiviral properties.
You can use SinuSonic alone or in conjunction with your normal allergy treatment. However, avoiding overusing nasal sprays is important because excessive use can worsen your congestion and cause harmful long-term side effects.
If you have indoor allergies like a dust mite allergy, keeping your home clean goes a long way in preventing your allergy symptoms.
Here are a few ways to do that:
Related: How to Allergy-Proof Your Home
We all love our pets, but having a pet allergy can cause a lot of unpleasant side effects when all you want to do is spend time with your furry, feathery, or even scaly friends.
But don't worry; you and your pets can still peacefully coexist even if you're allergic to them. Or, more specifically, their dander, saliva, or even their feces.
In fact, the best ways to keep pet allergies to a minimum are already things you’re probably doing with your normal pet care.
For those with a pollen allergy, their seasonal allergy symptoms are entirely dependent on each day's pollen count.
Monitoring daily pollen levels is the best way to prevent pollen season from driving you crazy.
Sites like Pollen.com keep track of the daily pollen count in your area and provide an “allergy forecast” for each day. They also list which allergens are in the air that day, such as grass, weed, or tree pollen.
You can also prevent pesky pollen from causing problems by keeping your doors and windows closed on high pollen days and using fans or air conditioning to keep your home cool.
Related: When Does Allergy Season Start? A Month-by-Month Guide to What Makes You Sneeze
Nonallergic rhinitis isn't the same as your seasonal allergies or indoor allergies. However, they share multiple symptoms, including nasal congestion, a runny nose, and sneezing.
To prevent these symptoms, avoiding any environmental irritants that could trigger your symptoms is important. These can include:
If you're an allergy sufferer, you've probably experienced your symptoms for most of your life. It's not uncommon to develop new allergies as you age, but it doesn't mean that they're getting worse. In fact, it's also possible to develop a tolerance to allergens that used to bother you previously.
However, if you're experiencing new allergy symptoms that you've never dealt with before, especially if you're 65 or older, talk to an allergy specialist. They can conduct a full battery of allergy testing so that you know exactly what's causing your symptoms. Finding the right treatment for what ails you is infinitely easier if you know what the problem is.
Allergy symptoms getting old? Give SinuSonic a try!
Could it be conspiring to cause congestion, leaving you grappling with unexpected nasal woes? Join us as we unravel the surprising connections between dry air and stubborn congestion, delving deeper into a phenomenon that might be right under your nose.
The short answer is yes, it can. There's a reason for this.
As you breathe through your nose, it warms the air you inhale. Your nose also humidifies that air with the moisture in the air that evaporates from the lining of your nasal passages.
Dry air and cold air can cause nasal congestion because they irritate and inflame those delicate passages, increasing mucus production.
If the irritated nasal passages haven't caused congestion, the extra mucus will. Dry air irritates your throat too, and can cause a sore throat. It can also cause irritants like bacteria, dust mites, and mold spores to dry out and become airborne. Breathing those in irritates your sinuses and contributes to congestion. [1]
Nosebleeds are a common side effect of dry sinuses also.
Needless to say, this can be a major problem in summer as well as in the winter months, where dry and cold air can be a double whammy.
So what can you do to fight nasal congestion caused by dry air?
If you've been reading our blog for a while, then you know that we recommend using a humidifier to combat nasal congestion caused by dry air.
So if that's the case, then just grab a humidifier and go, right? Wrong!
It's not the humidity itself that helps your allergies, it's the right balance of humidity.
The humidity level in the air will affect your allergies in different ways.
When you think about humidity, you probably think about air outside that is oppressively wet. The kind that makes it feel like you've just gotten out of a swimming pool while in reality, you're drenched in sweat from both the heat and the wet air.
We've already gone over how too-dry air affects your sinuses above. While humid air can relieve congestion caused by irritated sinuses, excessive humidity can cause its share of problems too.
Air that's too humid can contribute to allergy symptoms by:
To avoid irritation caused by too much (or not enough) humidity, your want to follow the Goldilocks Principle. Not too little, not too much; just right. For best results, the humidity in your home should be above 30 percent, but shouldn't exceed 50 percent. So if it's too dry, invest in a humidifier. If it's too humid, invest in a dehumidifier.
While it can be tricky if you live in particularly arid (or muggy) regions, finding the right balance of indoor humidity can make a huge difference when it comes to your nasal congestion. Of course, there are other ways to treat dry sinuses and nasal congestions that don't involve buying expensive new machines for your home.
Even if you live in the middle of the desert, there are plenty of ways to prevent dry air from wreaking havoc on your sinuses. Here are 5 of our recommendations.
When used in combination with (de)humidifiers and our other recommendations, SinuSonic can help tame your allergies— even on the driest (or muggiest) of days.
Using SinuSonic twice daily can help relieve nasal congestion by increasing motility in your nose, hurrying any pesky irritants out as well as reducing inflammation caused by dry air. Regular use can also help you breathe more deeply and more efficiently.
Staying hydrated is an easy way to help your mucus membranes stay moisturized and prevent your nose from running amok.
Herbal tea (like peppermint tea) can also keep you hydrated and soothe allergy symptoms like coughing and a sore throat.
Foods like water-rich produce, chicken broth, or chicken soup can also help keep you hydrated and your symptoms at bay.
Indulging in a warm shower not only rejuvenates your body but can also be a powerful remedy for alleviating an irritated or blocked nose caused by dry air.
As you shower, inhale the steam— those water droplets suspended in the air provide a simple yet effective way to introduce moisture to both the environment and your sinuses.
There are a lot of ways to moisturize your nasal passages— we've already covered humidifiers, hydration, and hot showers. While these are great options, they may only be addressing part of the problems if allergens like dust and pollen are making you miserable too.
Moisturizing your sinuses with a saline solution or a neti pot also helps flush out any irritants or allergens causing problems in your nose. These options are inexpensive and available at any pharmacy or grocery store. Be warned though, these can be messy options.
Try to avoid nasal sprays if at all possible. Overusing nasal spray does more harm than good and can make your nasal congestion worse and worse the longer you use it.
Even if you keep a clean home at a comfortable humidity, there may still be allergens lurking right under your nose! As the adage goes, "a stitch in time saves nine—" or, a little pre-planning saves a lot of misery down the line. Allergy-proofing your home helps keeps pesky allergens to a minimum and helps protect you from future problems.
Here are just a few ways you can allergy-proof your home:
Whether it's the middle of summer or the dead of winter, dry air can make you feel stuffed up, sniffly, and uncomfortable. Using a humidifier is one option to fight nasal congestion caused by dry air, but it's not the “be all end all” option. Extra humidity can help, but too much can cause its own set of problems.
But don't worry, there's plenty you can do to keep dry air from giving you a stuffy nose, even if you live in arid places like Death Valley, the Sahara Desert, or Tatooine.
Nasal congestion leaving you high and dry? Give SinuSonic a try!
However, that's typically not the case for kids. Younger children may have difficulty expressing that something is wrong or can't express their symptoms properly. Not only that, but they're also more likely to experience symptoms that you may not have when you're congested.
Allergies or breathing difficulties are not uncommon in children. In fact, about 1 in 5 people develop allergies in their lifetimes, and about 1 in 10 will develop asthma. Plus, it's not a matter of "if" but "when" your child will bring the typical cold home from school, daycare, or a friend's house.
So what can you do to help your child while they're congested and give them some relief? What telltale signs of congestion should you be looking for? Do some allergies run in the family?
Let's start from the beginning with one of the leading causes of congestion in children: allergies.
It's important to note that allergies present differently in children than they do in adulthood. That can make it harder to tell when your child is experiencing an allergic reaction. Also, their allergies can be more severe than adult ones. This is because they are more sensitive to allergens than adults, especially if they develop allergies early.
Children are also more likely to experience symptoms like ear infections and respiratory infections with their allergies as well.
Environmental irritants cause you and your child's allergy symptoms because of how your immune system reacts. Your immune system overreacts to the irritant, causing those familiar symptoms in its effort to expel the irritants from your body.
Your immune system's overreaction to allergens causes familiar symptoms including:
While children experience many of the same allergy symptoms as adults do, they do experience a few different symptoms, like allergic shiners and the "allergic salute."
Allergic shiners are dark under-eye circles caused by sinus or nasal congestion. Like the name suggests, these dark circles look like black eyes or bruises. Typical allergy symptoms like a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, and sinus pressure generally accompany allergic shiners. They're typically caused when the congestion in your nose congests the veins under your eyes. This causes them to dilate and darken, causing their distinctive appearance.
Also known as a nasal crease, the allergic salute is a line across the bridge of the nose caused by frequently rubbing the nose upwards. An itchy, runny nose is a common side effect of allergies, and you may reflexively rub your nose in response to the itching or your runny nose.
Rubbing your nose too much can quite literally leave a mark. However, that crease disappears once your symptoms subside and you stop rubbing your nose.
Children are more likely to develop allergies if their parents have them. However, they're not guaranteed to inherit allergies if their parents have them.
On top of that, children with allergies may not even develop the same allergies as their parents. That means that if you're allergic to pollen and dust, there's a chance that your kids won't be allergic to the same irritants. [1]
The most effective way to treat nasal congestion in children, whether it's from the common cold or allergies, is to determine the root cause and find a solution from there. There are many natural solutions and home remedies you can use to help treat your child's congestion, whether it's caused by the common cold or allergies.
Here are 5 of our favorite solutions.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends against using cold medicines, antihistamines, decongestants, et cetera in children younger than six. For kids older than six, these medications may provide no benefit to their symptoms. [2]
Instead, it's important to help them clear their sinuses naturally. SinuSonic uses gentle pressure and light acoustic vibration to help move all that thick mucus out of the nose so your child can breathe freely again. Just 2 minutes twice daily can help make that nasal congestion a thing of the past.
It's normal for SinuSonic users to blow their nose while using the device. However, it's also important to blow your nose correctly to clear your sinuses. Remember not to blow too hard or to squeeze your nose too tightly as you blow. This is counterproductive and can cause headaches, ear pain, or send air and mucus into your sinuses and ears.
The cool mist from a humidifier can soothe inflamed sinuses and help decongest a stuffy nose. This can help thin the thick mucus inside your child's nose and make it easier to blow out.
A saline solution or saline nose drops can also soothe your child's sinuses and thin out that pesky mucus.
Staying hydrated during a cold helps your body fight the infection. Staying hydrated for a stuffy nose caused by colds or allergies helps thin the mucus in your child's nasal passages. This also makes it much easier to blow all that mucus away and breathe more freely.
Keeping your kids hydrated is easy; drinking plenty of water is always an option, but water-rich produce like cucumbers, bell peppers, and watermelon can help too. Beverages with electrolytes like Pedialyte are helpful too.
Another good option is chicken soup. Hot food like broth or soup helps relieve a stuffy nose, which can feel like much-needed relief if your child has been congested for days. This is called gustatory rhinitis.
One study has also found that chicken soup is rich in compounds that soothe upper respiratory symptoms, such as the common cold or a sinus infection. [3]
If allergies are causing your child's congestion, the best step toward relief is to avoid the offending irritants.
Allergy season can hit people differently at various times of year; your child's allergies may make them miserable while their friend isn't experiencing any symptoms. This is because different allergens are most numerous at different times of year. For example, during months that weed pollen is running amok, tree, and grass pollen are at a minimum.
Or, if the allergen is something inside the home like dust or pet dander, there are steps you can take to allergy-proof your home and keep those irritants under control.
Knowing what exactly is causing your child's symptoms can go a long way in giving them (and you) some much-needed relief!
Sleeping with a stuffy nose is tricky at any age. Getting plenty of rest is vital for overcoming the common cold or bouncing back after bad allergies, but it's not easy if your child can't breathe through their nose.
Keeping their head elevated while they sleep decreases blood flow to their nose and lets gravity do all the work in decongesting their sinuses.
You can just stack a few pillows to get the proper elevation, but be careful not to overdo it. For best results, your child's head should be above their heart, but not to the extent that it causes neck pain.
Nasal congestion is frustrating enough as an adult, but it's an entirely different beast for kids. Nasal congestion in children is often accompanied by more persistent symptoms and symptoms you may not experience in adulthood.
Thankfully, just like with your congestion, there are plenty of ways to treat your child's congestion and help them get back to being a kid again.
Feeling congested? SinuSonic makes treating it as easy as child’s play!
There are a lot of touted "natural" solutions to those pesky allergy symptoms, but not all of them work as advertised. So where do natural antihistamines fall into this equation?
Before we talk about sources of natural antihistamines, we need to talk about histamines themselves first.
Antihistamines are drugs designed to treat allergy symptoms. As the name implies, antihistamines block histamines, chemicals created by your immune system in response to allergic reactions. These reduce allergic symptoms caused by those chemicals. [1]
Histamines cause familiar allergy symptoms including:
Histamines cause these symptoms by essentially causing your immune response to overreact to allergens that enter your body. Your allergy symptoms are your body's attempts to expel those irritants, with uncomfortable results.
Antihistamines aren't without their own side effects either. Some of these may include:
Conventional antihistamines are mass-produced medications available over-the-counter (OTC) at grocery stores, pharmacies, et cetera. One antihistamine subtype, H-1 blockers, are used to treat allergy symptoms while H-2 blockers treat gastrointestinal issues.
In addition to that, there are 1st and 2nd generation antihistamines that work differently. 1st generation antihistamines work on your histamine receptors located in your brain and spinal cord. 2nd generation antihistamines, however, do not cross the blood-brain barrier like the latter do; because of this, they're considered to be a safer alternative to the first generation. (Both are safe to take though.)
Natural antihistamines are thankfully, a little simpler. These allergy-fighting chemicals are naturally occurring, and can be found in many plants, as well as many foods you likely already eat!
If you're hoping to use any natural antihistamines for your allergies, you may want to hold off. While natural antihistamines can have a positive effect in relieving your symptoms, more research is needed to determine their efficacy in treating your allergies overall. [2]
More research is also needed to determine whether or not natural antihistamines are as effective compared to their OTC counterparts. However, as of this writing, natural antihistamines aren't as effective as traditional medications, despite anecdotal claims to the contrary.
This is especially true if you have allergies to any of the foods or herbs that contain these allergy-fighting compounds. If that's the case, then it's safe to say that natural antihistamines would be rather counter-productive for those allergies.
However, as long as it's safe for you to consume their sources, there's no harm in putting natural antihistamines into your body. They’re also safe to have alongside more proven treatments for allergy symptoms and nasal congestion.
However, it’s important to consider that natural antihistamines aren’t regulated like their OTC counterparts, and this has its own potential for problems.
Products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have been comprehensively tested for safety and efficacy. This ranges from determining safe dosage levels for adults and children on medications, as well as indicating that when used correctly, that these products generally work as advertised.
Natural antihistamines are not regulated by the FDA, so their safety and efficacy have not been tested like prescription or OTC medications have been. By extension, this means that the efficacy of these natural remedies has not been confirmed. It also means that safe dosage levels have not been established. As with any prescription, supplement, or medical device, knowing how to safely use them helps protect you from the dangers of overusing and even underusing products as instructed.
If you’re looking for natural remedies for what ails you, it’s important to keep in mind that many natural products are not FDA-regulated. This does not mean that they are unsafe or ineffective by default, but it does mean that you should be mindful that they haven’t been as thoroughly tested as other options, and to take extra care if you choose to use them.
If you're looking for natural ways to fight your allergy symptoms, here are 5 solutions you can try that actually work.
When it comes to naturally relieving nasal congestion, SinuSonic is a great option. In just two minutes, SinuSonic can help you breathe more easily, all without drugs or messy treatments.
SinuSonic uses a combination of gentle pressure and acoustic vibration to work with your nasal passages to clear them out.
The positive expiratory pressure (PEP) created by the device can help increase your lung volume and motility in your nose, meaning it helps you breathe more deeply and more efficiently. It also naturally increase nitric oxide levels— Nitric oxide is a natural muscle relaxant that has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties.
Using a saline solution or a neti pot to rinse your sinuses can help relieve your allergy symptoms naturally. Rinsing your sinuses moisturizes your nasal passages, washes irritants out, thins down mucus, and clears away debris.
Saline solution and neti pots can be found in most pharmacies and grocery stores. Be warned though, these can be potentially messy options with a learning curve (unlike SinuSonic).
Gustatory rhinitis is essentially the runny nose you get after you eat hot or spicy food. This can be helpful in clearing your sinuses if you're feeling sniffly or stuffed up, but there is a downside. Spicy foods can potentially cause your body to make more mucus, which means more congestion.
For years, essential oils have been a popular natural solution to everything from household cleaners to home remedies. Some essential oils may even be effective in treating your allergy symptoms. These include:
Want to learn more? Check out our article about essential oils for congestion!
One of the best ways to prevent your allergies are to remove as many irritants from your home as possible. One way to do this is filtering allergens out of the air inside your home.
You'll want to look for a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter, because those are most effective for filtering allergens like dust and pet dander out of the air. You can find these filters for your HVAC system, in tabletop or room-sized purifiers, or even in your vacuum cleaner bags!
Other ways to keep allergens out of your home include:
Your allergy symptoms are caused by chemicals called histamines, which kick your immune system into overdrive to get you feeling back to normal. Antihistamines are a popular and effective way to address these symptoms, but those wanting a natural solution are likely looking for a holistic alternative to the OTC options.
While the jury's still out on natural antihistamines, there are still plenty of natural solutions for your allergy symptoms. Solutions like SinuSonic are easy, mess-free, and drug-free ways to relieve those pesky allergy symptoms. In SinuSonic’s case, it helps you breathe even better the longer you use the device.
Give it a try next time you're feeling sniffly or stuffed up— you may be surprised at how much better you feel!
Are allergies making you miserable? Banish nasal congestion with SinuSonic!
Wildfire smoke isn't the same as the smoke you may see billowing out of your small campfire, or even a bonfire. Wildfire smoke is not only the result of burning wood and plants, but also potentially from buildings and other manmade structures. This smoke is a mix of gases and particles that can easily aggravate your breathing if you were to inhale it.
Needless to say, fire season is a dangerous time of year that can lead to respiratory issues and even congestion. We're going to dive into how fire season impacts your nasal congestion and allergies, and how to keep your symptoms under control— even in the heat of fire season.
Wildfires burn over 7 million acres each year across the United States. The number of wildfires and the acres burned can vary from year to year, but their impact on the environment and the human toll they take are all the same.
The scorched earth and thick smoke are unsettling enough but if you're prone to allergies, fire season can add an additional layer of anxiety to this time of year.
The smoke, gasses, and particles stirred up as a result of fire season are all triggers for nonallergic rhinitis, or allergy symptoms without an apparent cause. These irritants trigger your body's response to allergens because they irritate your nose, lungs, and your airways. When your body detects these irritants, it essentially overreacts and pulls out all the stops to expel them from your body.
While this does work, it comes at the cost of making you miserable. Some familiar symptoms of nonallergic rhinitis include:
These may be even more familiar to you if you experience seasonal allergies, also known as hay fever. Nonallergic rhinitis shares some, but not all of hay fever's familiar symptoms.
Remember, wildfire smoke isn't just a result of wood and plants burning. Wildfire smoke is essentially smoke and polluted air, containing both liquid and solid particles of irritants. These particles are so small that they can deeply penetrate some of your most sensitive tissue, like in your lungs and nose.
When these particles enter your airways, it can cause inflammation, allergies, and even infections. People with breathing conditions like asthma or COPD, or heart disease are especially vulnerable to wildfire smoke, as well as children, pregnant women, and responders fighting the fires. [1]
Inhaling pollutants from wildfire smoke not only weakens your immune function and harms your lungs, but it can also make you more susceptible to respiratory infections, including COVID-19. However, it's important to distinguish between allergies triggered by smoky air and smoke irritation itself.
Allergy symptoms like a runny nose and congestion are your body's natural defenses against the irritants in smoke. If you live further away from a fire's source, all you may experience are allergy symptoms from breathing in the smoky air. However, if you live closer to the fire's source you may experience something more severe: smoke irritation. [2]
Smoke irritation can strike whether you've been outside for a few hours, or even a few seconds. Like your allergies, smoke irritation can make your nose run and your eyes itch, but it has its own distinctive symptoms you need to be aware of to keep yourself safe during fire season.
They include:
The poor air quality caused by fires in your area can make day-to-day life an uphill battle, especially if you're in the middle of allergy season. Don't worry though, there are steps you can take to prevent the fire season from setting your sinuses ablaze.
Enjoying the warm summer weather can be tricky if you live in areas that are prone to wildfires. Here are 5 of our tips to protect your sinuses are breathe easily, even in the middle of fire season.
If you're already feeling stuffed up and congested, SinuSonic can help. If you’re especially vulnerable to wildfire smoke, it may even be a necessity.
Our unique device relieves nasal congestion with a combination of light acoustic vibration and gentle pressure, increasing motility in your sinuses and clearing out your system.
In fact, it's normal to need to blow your nose while you use the device. That shows that it's working!
If you're in the thick of fire season, being aware of each day's air quality goes a long way towards protecting yourself from the smoky air.
You can check your area's air quality day by day on sites like AirNow, which rate your area's air quality on a scale of 0 to 400 and account for any pollutants in the air.
One of the easiest ways to protect yourself when smoke is in the air is to stay inside. Staying indoors minimizes your exposure to the irritants in smoky air and helps prevent allergy symptoms.
Other ways to protect yourself inside include:
Related: Indoor Allergies? How to Allergy-Proof Your Home
Drinking plenty of water can help relieve any symptoms you may already be experiencing.
Staying hydrated keep your delicate mucus membranes moisturized, and helps thin out your mucus. Thinner mucus makes any coughing, sneezing, or nose blowing more productive, so more allergens leave your body at once.
Men need about 15.5 cups of water daily, while women need 11.5 cups daily. However, you can stay hydrated with more than just water; water-rich produce like watermelon and cucumbers, as well as drinks like milk, juice, and herbal tea can help you stay hydrated too.
A humidifier adds some much-needed moisture into dry air. It also soothes irritated airways and helps soothe your allergy symptoms.
It can be hard to enjoy your summer plans if the air is thick with smoke. However, there are steps you can take to protect airways from the irritants and pollutants in the air during fire season. All it takes is a little prevention.
Is summer lighting a fire in your sinuses? Try SinuSonic!
Fortunately, there's a delightful solution that allows you to fully immerse yourself in the joys of summer without any concerns about sinus problems— especially if you're a water enthusiast.
But if you're not familiar with how the water can affect your sinus health, let's go into that first. If not, you can skip right to our tips and tricks here!
35 percent of swimmers have reported experiencing nasal congestion or a runny nose after they swam. This could be for a few reasons.
The first of which is that you got water in your nose— this is extremely common. Water in your nasal cavities causes irritation, which can cause that familiar sinus congestion or runny nose. Bacteria in the water can also cause nasal irritation.
Even though you're in the water, your seasonal allergy symptoms can also cause problems. For example, if you have a pollen allergy, any pollen on the water's surface can trigger your allergy symptoms.
It's also possible to develop a sensitivity to the chlorine in pool water, which can cause congestion after you swim. Chlorine can cause irritation of your sinuses as well as inflammation of your nasal lining, leading to sinusitis.
We've written an article all about sinusitis, also known as sinus infections, on our blog. If you want to learn more about sinusitis, check it out once you're done here!
Sinus infections are caused by inflammation in your nasal passages from bacteria, viruses, allergens, or even fungi. When you swim underwater, the pressure under the water affects your sinuses and can potentially block them. This change in pressure can force water into your sinuses, even if you don't accidentally get water in your nose. This can cause your mucus to thicken up and your sinuses to become congested and irritated by chlorine or any bacteria not killed by the chlorine in the water.
All this can create a perfect storm of factors that can cause a sinus infection. If you're swimming and you already have sinusitis or the common cold, pool chemicals can further irritate your sinuses and worsen your symptoms.
During the summer, the various types of water you swim in can have distinct impacts on your nasal health. Let's explore the three primary types of water commonly encountered and their effects on your sinuses.
Chlorinated water, like what you'll find in public pools, hot tubs, or private swimming pools, is a popular way to stay cool during the summer for kids and adults alike. We already talked about chlorinated water's effects on your sinuses a little earlier, so we'll recap it for you here.
Most of the water on the planet is salt water, thanks to our oceans. Swimming in salt water is also a little different than swimming in your community pool or local lake. Salt water's characteristic saltiness makes it much easier for you to stay afloat so you can devote more energy to swimming.
However, the soft tissue in your mouth or nose may swell after prolonged exposure to salt water. Swollen sinus passages, of course, can cause nasal congestion.
So if you've ever wondered if swimming in salt water could offer you the same cleansing benefits as a quick rinse with a saline solution, we don't recommend trying that.
Fresh water, like what's found in lakes, ponds, rivers, or creeks, of course, lacks the salinity of salt water. As such, you won't experience the extra buoyancy that you would in salt water.
Fresh water also lacks the main irritants that exist in the latter two examples (salt and chlorine) that can inflame your sinuses.
Any allergens in or on the water, particularly pollen, can give you grief especially if you're swimming during the thick of allergy season.
While you can still get it from chlorinated water, swimming in fresh water may also make you more likely to develop swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear is a type of ear infection that, as the name suggests, is most often caused when water gets trapped in your ear canal. This can cause bacteria to multiply, causing the infection as well as symptoms like ear pain, blocked ears, and reduction or loss in hearing. [2]
As we often say here, prevention is the best cure. The best way to prevent all kinds of sinus irritation and discomfort is to prevent water from entering your nose. Here are a few methods you can try to prevent sinus problems from ruining your summer fun in the water.
While nose clips may not be the trendiest swim accessory, they can certainly be helpful in preventing water-related nasal issues. Nose clips are small padded clips designed to keep water out of your nose while you swim. Used correctly, it works exactly as advertised in keeping water, allergens, and bacteria out of your nasal passages.
However, it is possible that a nose clip can trap any water already in your nose, creating unpleasant nasal discharge (snot) as well as causing congestion. It's essential to use nose clips with caution and ensure proper nasal hygiene to avoid any discomfort or adverse effects.
It may go without saying, but if the water looks unsanitary or polluted, don't swim in it. It could be harder to tell if water is safe to swim in outside of your public pool, but here are a few red flags to watch out for if you're swimming in fresh water.
Allergy season can vary from person to person, and what kind of allergens trigger your symptoms. Pollen can collect on water's surface, as well as under it. The best way to avoid triggering your pollen allergy while you swim is to avoid swimming on days with high pollen counts.
If your summer allergies include dirt or dust, avoid swimming on dusty days or windy days with lots of blowing dust. If you live in regions where wildfires are common and smoke triggers your symptoms, avoid going outside on smoky days.
Summer heat is a fast track for dry nasal passages and dehydration, especially if you live in dry or arid regions. Dehydration and dry nasal passages are surefire ways to cause nasal irritation, inflammation, and nasal congestion.
To fight this, make sure you stay adequately hydrated, especially on those hot and dry days. You can do this by drinking at least 8 cups of water daily, and consuming plenty of water-rich produce, like watermelon or cucumbers.
Sometimes nasal congestion strikes before you hit the pool— or after, of course. To prevent it from driving you crazy, try SinuSonic!
SinuSonic uses gentle pressure and light acoustic vibrations to decongest your sinuses naturally. SinuSonic helps increase lung function and ciliary motility in your nose, helping with the transportation of fluid out of your nose.
If swimming is not just a leisure activity but also a form of exercise for you, incorporating SinuSonic into your routine before your workouts can help enhance your breathing efficiency during physical activity.
After you take a dip in the pool, why not dive into the refreshing experience of SinuSonic to keep your sinuses clear and make post-swim congestion a thing of the past?
With summer just around the corner, it's no surprise that many people will be drawn to the water like ducks, seeking a refreshing way to beat the heat and stay cool. Nasal congestion is a common experience after hitting the pool, but it doesn't have to drive you crazy. There are plenty of ways to enjoy swimming without irritation (even if you're swimming with a sinus infection). All it takes is a little pre-planning and prevention.
Are you swimming in sinus problems? Give SinuSonic a try!
While summer colds and winter colds share many similarities, there are some key differences between the two. However, they thankfully can be treated or prevented with the same methods.
Similar to a winter cold, a summer cold is also caused by a viral infection. The summer cold virus spreads through familiar means, such as contacting surfaces or individuals carrying the infection, or inhaling virus-laden droplets suspended in the air.
Summer cold symptoms are similar to winter cold symptoms, but there are a few key differences.
Summer colds and winter colds share symptoms like:
Summer colds also include some unique symptoms that you won't get with a winter cold, such as a fever, conjunctivitis (better known as pink eye), and gastrointestinal symptoms like an upset stomach. Symptoms may also be more severe with a summer cold.
What causes a summer cold vs. a winter cold is a key difference too.
Common cold viruses aren't all the same. While the symptoms of a summer cold and a winter cold are similar, they're caused by different viruses. Winter colds are typically caused by rhinoviruses, while summer colds are caused by an enterovirus infection.
Rhinoviruses are generally known to be “the common cold virus.” However, they are also associated with other upper respiratory tract infections as well as sinusitis, also known as sinus infections. [1]
However, enteroviruses can not only cause the common cold, but the most well-known enterovirus actually causes polio. While polio has been essentially wiped off the face of the earth thanks to vaccination and herd immunity, the same can't be said for the enterovirus that causes a summer cold. These enterovirus infections are most common during the warmer months of the year— during summer and fall. Like rhinoviruses, non-polio enteroviruses cause mild respiratory illness like the common cold. [2]
It can be difficult to tell if you're experiencing a summer cold or seasonal allergy symptoms, especially if your hay fever strikes during the summer months.
Here's how to tell the difference between a summer cold and allergies:
Related: Allergies or Cold? How to Tell the Difference
We've all heard the adage “prevention is the best cure,” and it's something we've said multiple times on our blog! However, despite our best efforts, sometimes it's hard to avoid catching the seasonal bug that's going around, no matter what season it is.
Here are our 5 favorite natural remedies to treat a cold, whether it's a summer cold or a winter one.
One of the worst parts of having a cold is the nasal congestion— you're stuffed up, you can't breathe normally, and it can even make you talk funny. Before you reach for the tissue box though, give SinuSonic a try!
The device produces gentle acoustic vibrations and light pressure to decongest your sinuses naturally, without drugs, medication, or any mess you may get with nasal irrigation. Need to blow your nose while you use SinuSonic? That means it's working!
Even when you're not feeling stuffy, using SinuSonic regularly can help you breathe freely and more efficiently. All you need is 2 minutes twice daily to relieve congestion and breathe better.
With the endless number of outdoor activities calling your name in the summer, it can be tempting to power through your cold and go play during the warm weather. Try to resist that temptation though— not only do you risk passing the cold virus onto someone else, but your cold can last longer if you don't rest.
Getting plenty of rest and sleep allows your immune system to work to the fullest extent in making you healthy again. Excessive activity and stress can make it more difficult for your immune system to do its work, which can make you feel sicker longer! Be patient and give yourself all the rest you'll need; your body and immune system will thank you!
Nasal spray is a popular and effective treatment for nasal congestion when used as directed. However, you need to be careful if you use nasal spray while you're sick. Using it for longer than directed (typically longer than 3 days in a row) can actually make your symptoms worse because overuse can further irritate your sinuses.
It can also cause a condition known as rebound congestion or rhinitis medicamentosa. This means that the longer you use nasal spray, the more you'll need it to treat your congestion, which is getting worse because your sinuses are constantly irritated. This can also develop into a dependence that continues this cycle.
To learn more about how overuse of nasal spray can make your nasal congestion worse, check out our article on the topic!
It can be hard to function throughout the day with a sore throat. However, there are plenty of natural remedies out there that can soothe your sore throat and put your health on the up and up. Give these a try next time you need to salve a sore throat:
Getting plenty of fluids throughout the day prevents dehydration, keeps your mucus thin, and it can help you soothe a sore throat. In the mesmerizing realm of summer, where the sun's fiery reign prevails, staying hydrated has never been more important!
Getting plenty of fluids throughout the day prevents dehydration, keeps your mucus thin, and it can help you soothe a sore throat. Staying hydrated all summer combats the effects of heat, keeps your body functioning as it should, and supports a resilient immune system that keeps summer colds at bay.
It can be hard to enjoy that beautiful summer weather if you're stuck inside with a summer cold. Summer colds share similarities with their winter counterparts as well as seasonal allergy symptoms, but it's essential to be aware of a few key distinctions that set them apart. Understanding these differences can help you navigate and address summer colds more effectively.
Don't worry though, with the right treatment you can kick that summer cold to the curb and get back to all that fun in the sun.
Want to send nasal congestion packing? Try SinuSonic!
Seasonal allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever or seasonal allergies, plagues millions of people around the globe each year.
This isn't always the case, though. While spring is a well-known time for seasonal allergies, it's not the de facto start to allergy season. So when does allergy season start?
The truth is, there really is no one start or end to allergy season.
Allergy season varies from person to person based on what's causing their seasonal allergies. For people who experience allergies to irritants like pollen, their allergy season may start in the Spring. However, their allergies may be worse in the summer months because of the different pollen levels throughout those months.
For example, if you're allergic to grass pollen or ragweed pollen, you may feel absolutely miserable during months when someone with a different pollen allergy, like tree pollen, is unbothered. The opposite can be true— their allergies may have them in misery during times when you're feeling great.
If you're one of the millions of Americans who experience allergies to other irritants like pet dander, mold spores, or dust mites, your allergy season may even last the whole year! (This is known as perennial rhinitis.)
Allergy season depends on what kind of allergens are most numerous at the time, and different allergens are more common at different times of the year.
Knowing your allergy triggers and what time of year they typically flare up goes a long way toward keeping your seasonal allergy symptoms under control. So let's go through the year month-by-month and look at what kind of irritants are most common throughout the year.
Pollen levels are generally at their lowest in January because it is, of course, the dead of winter. However, those who are allergic to tree pollen may find themselves feeling sniffly in January. This is especially true if you live in areas with a lot of cedar trees, like the Southern United States. Cedar pollen levels are actually high in January if you live in those areas.
This is when tree pollen season starts gearing up. If you have allergies to tree pollen like maple or alder, you may experience your regular allergy symptoms in February.
March marks the beginning of spring allergy season for many people. Tree pollen is even more common in March, but weed pollen and grass pollen could start creeping up if warm spring weather arrives earlier that year.
Grass pollen and weed pollen are more common in April, but April is actually the apex of tree pollen season. Pollen spores from trees like willow, mulberry, and pine are especially numerous.
April showers bring May flowers, but May also brings higher levels of tree pollen and grass pollen everywhere. Because of this, May is the start of allergy season for many people.
Just as tree pollen season begins to die down, grass pollen season rises to the occasion to make our eyes water and our noses run. Pollen from ryegrass, bermudagrass, and cat grass are especially common in June as the summertime begins.
In July, just as tree pollen season continues its decline, weed pollen season kicks into high gear. Meanwhile, grass pollen levels are still extremely high.
Unfortunately, July is also right in the middle of wildfire season if you live in places like California or the Pacific Northwest. [1] Even if you're a safe distance away from the fires themselves, drifting smoke can also wreak havoc on your seasonal allergies.
Weed pollen season is still in full force in August, particularly if you're allergic to types like ragweed (one of the most common allergens), nettle, or pigweed.
However, grass pollen and tree pollen levels continue to drop as fall weather approaches.
September marks the beginning of the fall allergy season. Tree pollen and grass pollen levels are lower as Fall begins, which is great news for allergy sufferers of those pollen types. Unfortunately for those allergic to weed pollen, though, September marks the peak of weed pollen season.
To make matters worse, many of these prolific pollen spores are easily spread around by the wind, making it harder to avoid them while you're out and about.
As the leaves begin to change colors and the air becomes crisper, pollen levels in the air are also dropping. Weed pollen levels may still be high in regions like the American South or out west, but October generally marks the much-needed decline in these pesky seasonal allergies.
Outdoor allergy sufferers, rejoice! Grass pollen and tree pollen levels are low, and weed pollen levels are dropping. Those with a ragweed allergy may still feel sniffly on occasion, but that, too is on its way out as winter approaches.
However, this can feel bittersweet to those who love the warm weather, since this is when the cold season truely starts each year.
Thanks to the colder weather, most pollen levels are significantly lower than in previous months. However, much like January, you may still experience seasonal allergy symptoms if you have a cedar allergy.
No matter what time of year it is, there's always a way to combat (or even prevent) what's causing your seasonal allergies. Here are a few of our suggestions to help keep you feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, even in the thick of allergy season.
Thanks to all the new flowers blooming and the plant life springing back to life, Spring is typically associated with allergy season. Spring allergies are very common, but they're not universal. (Anyone with a ragweed allergy during the fall will agree.) For an unlucky few, they may even be seeking allergy relief year-round!
But if stopping to smell the roses triggers your seasonal allergy symptoms, knowing how to treat them (or even prevent them) can go a long way in preventing the misery that comes with symptoms like nasal congestion, watery eyes, and sneezing.
Want to call open season on your allergy symptoms? Give SinuSonic a try!
If you’ve ever had an asthma attack, then you know the desperate feeling of gulping for air to no avail, as if an elephant is sitting on your chest. You’ll also be familiar with the compounding feeling of nasal congestion that feels like you’re trying to breathe through a straw!
Having asthma is difficult enough on its own, but it can be even worse if you experience nasal conditions like allergies or sinus infections that can make it harder to breathe well.
Before we dive into the connection between asthma and nasal congestion, let's start by reviewing some fundamental information about asthma. After that, we can explore the link between these two conditions and how they can exacerbate each other's effects.
Asthma is a condition where the narrowing of your airways makes breathing difficult. If you have asthma, your body may produce extra mucus, which can worsen your breathing by obstructing your airways. It’s not uncommon for those with asthma to have nasal polyps as well, potentially making it even harder to breathe.
For some people, their asthma symptoms may only flare up at certain times, such as:
For many people with asthma, however, their symptoms are severe enough to interfere with their day-to-day life and put them at risk of an asthma attack.
Common signs and symptoms of asthma can include:
When these symptoms suddenly become more severe, you may suffer an asthma attack.
An asthma attack— also known as asthma exacerbation— occurs when your airways become inflamed and swollen. The muscles in your airways produce more mucus, which causes your airways to narrow. This can cause coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. [1]
These attacks have been described as feeling like a fish out of the water.
Even for minor asthma attacks, prompt treatment is key. Minor attacks can often be treated easily with a rescue inhaler, but severe asthma attacks can become life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Signs of an asthma attack include:
With all this in mind, you may be wondering— what does all this have to do with nasal congestion? Let's take a look at that now.
Everyone experiences nasal congestion every now and again. And while it's simply a nuisance at the best of times, nasal congestion can be especially stressful if you have asthma.
Many people with asthma also suffer from chronic sinus problems, such as:
These issues can be caused by viruses or bacteria, allergens like dust mites or pollen, or even fungi. They also share many of the same nasal symptoms, including:
As well as being annoying, these symptoms can actually make your asthma worse. Of these three conditions, sinusitis can be especially problematic if you have asthma.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, as many as half of all people with moderate to severe asthma also have chronic sinusitis. [2]
This is because having asthma increases your risk of getting sinusitis. Having sinusitis also makes it harder to control your asthma symptoms. In fact, both conditions can worsen the other if you have both at the same time. This can get even more stressful if you add seasonal allergic rhinitis to the mix. And the more severe your asthma is, the worse sinusitis tends to be.
When compared to people who only have asthma, those who have both asthma and sinusitis:
Other health conditions— including acid reflux or GERD or tobacco use— can also increase your risk of sinusitis if you have asthma also. [3]
Allergies and asthma often go hand-in-hand. In fact, approximately 80 percent of people with asthma have allergies. This is called allergic asthma, or atopic asthma. Sometimes, asthma symptoms flare up only at certain times of the year, like allergy season or during cold weather. This can be known as “seasonal” asthma.
The same irritants that trigger your allergies can also trigger your asthma. Sometimes food allergies or skin allergies can even trigger asthma symptoms.
This occurs when your body overreacts to the allergen, causing an allergic reaction. Allergies can trigger asthma symptoms when these allergic reactions affect your airways and your lungs. High amounts of a compound called immunoglobulin (IgE), released during an allergic reaction to protect your body, can actually cause your airways to narrow instead.
Of course, allergy symptoms like nasal congestion can trigger your asthma also.
So what can be done to prevent nasal congestion from potentially worsening your asthma symptoms? It's actually easier than you may think.
Whether you experience occasional or chronic nasal congestion, treating it goes a long way in improving your asthma symptoms. Here are 5 easy ways to address nasal congestion and prevent your asthma symptoms from getting out of control.
If you are currently on any medications for your allergies or asthma, or if you use an inhaler, stay on them. However, if you don't feel like they're working as well as they should be, talk to your doctor. They can help you identify alternatives to your current prescription and update your treatment.
Never stop following your current prescription or alter your dosage schedule without talking to your doctor first.
Whether you experience seasonal allergies or experience indoor allergy symptoms year-round, allergy-proofing your home is one of the best ways to keep that discomfort to a minimum.
Reducing the number of allergens in your home not only improves the air quality in your home, but it also improves your quality of life if you experience allergies or asthma.
Knowing what triggers your nasal symptoms makes it much easier to avoid them. For example, if you have a pollen allergy, avoiding the outdoors on high pollen days can be the difference between breathing easily, or being in misery.
However, if you're not sure what may be triggering your nasal symptoms, talk to a doctor or an allergist. They can conduct an allergy test to see which allergens may be causing your symptoms.
These tests can also determine if your triggers are nonallergic. If you don't experience a reaction to any of the allergens administered during the test, that's a sign that nonallergic irritants like chemical fumes or smoke cause your symptoms.
SinuSonic's unique device helps relieve nasal congestion naturally and opens your nasal passages, making it easier to breathe. Through gentle acoustic vibration and positive expiratory pressure (PEP), SinuSonic delivers gentle relief from nasal congestion while also helping you breathe more efficiently. When you breathe into the device's flutter valve, it provides gentle resistance that helps strengthen your upper airway and increases your mucus movement.
These vibrations, which have a similar effect to humming, also increase your nitric oxide intake, which has anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties, which can help protect you against bad bugs that can make you sick.
Dry nasal passages can make you more vulnerable to airborne irritants and allergens. It can also aggravate your airways and cause your asthma symptoms to flare up. Thankfully, there are ways to prevent this.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans with asthma, it can be stressful to keep your symptoms under control— especially with the added stress of nasal congestion. It can be a lot to handle, especially during allergy season or cold and flu season.
But the prospect of a stuffy nose shouldn't fill you with dread. Even if you deal with asthma, there are steps you can take to breathe more freely, naturally.
Want to relieve nasal congestion and breathe more efficiently? Try SinuSonic!
Even though they share some symptoms, allergic rhinitis, better known as seasonal allergies, isn’t the same as being sick with a bug like the common cold or the flu.
We’ve already written an article about how to tell if you’ve got allergies or a cold, so we recommend checking that one out once you’re done here!
So let’s answer the question you’re here for: can allergies cause fever?
No, your allergy symptoms cannot cause a fever. [1]
A fever is typically caused by a virus like the flu or the common cold, while your allergy symptoms are caused by exposure (and allergic reactions to) offending irritants like pollen, dust mites, and pet dander.
A virus can only be cured by allowing nature to take its course and letting your immune system do its job to fight the infection. Bacterial infections are similar, but they also require specific treatments like antibiotics to stop the infection and help you recover.
On the other hand, your allergy symptoms can be treated (or even prevented) by avoiding the allergens that cause your symptoms to flare up.
Common symptoms shared by viral infections and seasonal allergies include:
Your hay fever symptoms will be pretty similar whether you have pollen allergies (typically tree, weed, or grass pollen) or other allergens like dust, mold, or pet dander.
If you develop a fever after experiencing what feels like your normal allergy symptoms, it may actually be sinusitis (also known as a sinus infection).
Fevers are a common symptom of a sinus infection, and a sinus infection can be caused by both viral infections like the common cold, as well as by your allergies. Sinus infections don’t develop on their own.
Sinus infections aren’t contagious, but if they were caused by a viral or bacterial infection, then the earlier infection that caused the sinusitis can be passed on to others.
However, if you think you have sinusitis, it’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible. Swift intervention can aid in your speedy recovery, restoring your well-being and averting any exacerbation of your sinusitis.
However, it's far more convenient to prevent allergies from escalating into sinusitis, rather than dealing with the complications and discomfort of a full-blown infection!
As the adage goes, prevention is the best cure. So the best way to prevent a sinus infection that can cause a fever is to prevent or treat the common allergy symptoms that drive you crazy.
This may seem like a given, but understanding what triggers your allergy symptoms is the first major step to keeping your symptoms under control, or even preventing them.
SinuSonic combines gentle acoustic vibrations and positive expiratory pressure (PEP) to gently decongest your sinuses without drugs or messy irrigation. Continued use of SinuSonic can also help you breathe more efficiently over time! All you need is two minutes twice daily to breathe better and congestion-free.
The most common allergen that‘s probably driving you crazy is pollen. During pollen season, keeping an eye on the pollen count is the best way to make sure that your symptoms don’t make you miserable.
We recommend checking Pollen.com to see the pollen levels in your area each day. You can also see which kinds of pollen are most numerous that day, so if you’re allergic to grass pollen but not weed pollen, you can better prepare for the day.
Overuse of nasal spray can actually make your symptoms worse, and even cause a condition called rhinitis medicamentosa. Rhinitis medicamentosa occurs when your nasal mucosa become inflamed after you overuse nasal spray. When this happens, the nasal spray makes your nasal symptoms worse instead of making them better.
It’s also possible to develop a dependency on nasal sprays if you overuse them. This can create a vicious cycle of using more and more nasal spray to treat frustrating symptoms that won’t go away.
To prevent this, only use nasal spray as directed or avoid it entirely. There are a lot of natural remedies available (like SinuSonic!) that can decongest your sinuses without the risk of dependency or reduced effectiveness.
Whether you experience indoor allergies or seasonal allergies, you’d be amazed at the number of allergens lurking in your home. Cleaning your house from top to bottom and taking extra care during allergy season can go a long way toward preventing your symptoms.
Here are a few steps you can take towards an allergy-free home:
Keep pets off the furniture and give them a dedicated place to sleep. For more tips on how to keep pet allergies under control, check out our article on the topic!
Getting a fever is a common symptom of bacterial or viral infections, but your allergies can’t cause a fever. However, if you get a fever after experiencing your allergy symptoms, it’s probably caused by a sinus infection.
It’s possible to treat a sinus infection or a fever when you get them, but preventing them ensures that you never have to deal with those symptoms in the first place.
Seasonal allergies driving you crazy? Try SinuSonic!
That's a textbook example of a sinus headache, an unfortunately common part of any and all forms of nasal congestion. You can't relieve a sinus headache the same way that you would a regular headache though. So what's the difference between sinus headaches and other kinds of headaches? More importantly, how do you find sinus headache relief when they've got you in misery?
Sinus headaches are headaches caused by the inflammation of your sinuses and a build-up of pressure, fluid, or both due to a sinus infection (also known as sinusitis). Your sinuses are a series of hollow spaces behind your nose, forehead, and cheekbones that produce mucus. Typically, your sinus cavity is filled with air, but if you have a sinus infection, your mucus can trap bacteria and irritants that can cause an infection and sinus pain.
Some common causes of a sinus headache may include:
Sinus infections are very common symptoms of a sinus infection, but they're not the same as other headaches.
To put it briefly, a sinus headache only occurs if you have nasal congestion. If you have a headache without nasal congestion, it's not a sinus headache. Without nasal congestion, your headache is likely either a migraine or a tension headache.
If you've ever been confused about what kind of headache you have, don't worry. It's easy to confuse them since they share a lot of symptoms, particularly the trademark facial pain we associate with your average headache.
There are 7 common types of headaches, each with their own causes. [1] These are:
It's important to note that migraine headaches can also cause nasal congestion or a runny nose, but the difference between a migraine and a sinus headache is clear. Your sinus drainage will be thick and discolored if you have a sinus headache. However, if you have a migraine, your nasal discharge will be thin and clear. In other words, healthy mucus.
One of the most common symptoms associated with a sinus headache is a feeling of facial discomfort. Additionally, a persistent, throbbing pain can be felt in the sinuses located behind the nose and cheekbones, along with accompanying sensations of tenderness and discomfort in the forehead region.
Other common sinus headache symptoms include:
Adding that facial pain to a fever and a stuffy nose may feel like adding insult to injury, and all you want is a little relief.
Your treatment options for sinus headaches aren't the same for a tension headache, a dehydration headache, or even a migraine. While drinking plenty of water or electrolyte-rich beverages and taking two Tylenol are enough to take the edge off other types of headaches, that’s not the case with a sinus headache.
One major hurdle with sinus headache treatment is that treating the headache pain itself is only half the battle. To get rid of a sinus headache, you must address the root of what's causing your headache. In this case, that would be nasal congestion and sinus inflammation.
To finally relieve your sinus headache, you first need to focus on sinus relief. That means treating the congestion, inflammation, and discomfort causing your symptoms at the source.
Here are 5 of our top tips to do just that.
Gentle, natural relief to your nasal congestion and sinus symptoms can help knock out your sinus headache before you know it.
SinuSonic uses positive expiratory pressure (PEP) and gentle acoustic vibration to gently relieve sinus discomfort without drugs or chemicals. All it takes is 2 minutes a day to relieve nasal congestion and breathe better.
Need to blow your nose while using the device? Don't worry, that's normal! That's because your excess mucus and any blockages in your sinuses make their way out of your nose and as the SinuSonic clears your nasal passages.
A compress can not only help soothe the headache itself, but it can help soothe the internal factors causing it.
A hot compress— or just a hot washcloth— placed over your sinus areas can help dull sinus pain and loosen any mucus contributing to a blocked sinus cavity. Similarly, a cold compress can help soothe inflammation and treat sinus pain.
One effective treatment alternates the two— start with a warm compress across your sinuses. After three minutes, replace the hot compress with the cold compress, and let it rest across your sinuses for 30 seconds. Alternate twice more. You can also repeat this treatment an additional three times daily until your symptoms go away.
Dehydration can not only cause a dehydration headache, but it can also dry out your sinuses and cause increased pressure behind your face. Staying hydrated can help reduce any blockages causing pain or discomfort in your sinuses.
Drinking more water is an excellent way to stay hydrated, but there are other ways to stay hydrated too. A few of these include:
Soup or broth. We've all heard that chicken soup is the best way to treat a cold, and studies have found that there is truth to this old remedy! One study has found that chicken soup is rich in compounds that can help soothe upper respiratory symptoms and inflammation, such as those from the common cold and sinus infections. [2]
Getting enough rest is vital for recovering from any illness, but how you rest can also make a big difference.
Lying flat can increase the pressure in your sinuses and increase mucus build-up. However, elevating your head while you sleep will help prevent that build-up in your sinuses and help you breathe more easily. Ideally, your head should be above your heart for the best results.
Nasal irrigation can help wash away excess mucus, soothe inflamed nasal cavities, and relieve sinus pressure and congestion.
You can do this with a saline solution or a neti pot, both of which are widely available at pharmacies and grocery stores. Both solutions (pun intended) are sterile and can also moisturize your sinuses and help remove any blockages causing problems.
It's important to avoid nasal spray if at all possible because extended use reduces the effectiveness of the medication over time. Not only that, but extended use can cause a serious condition called rhinitis medicamentosa that can actually worsen your nasal symptoms.
Sinus headaches are an unfortunately common part of sinus problems like the common cold or sinus infections, but they're not like most other headaches you can get. They can be especially tricky to treat unless you treat the root of the problem.
Treating the source of your nasal congestion can help make your sinus headache a thing of the past, and get you back to breathing as clearly as you used to. And with the right solutions, you'll be feeling like yourself again in no time.
Want a natural solution to your sinus symptoms? Give SinuSonic a try!
Chest congestion can feel like adding insult to injury if you've already been dealing with a frustrating illness, but if you've ever wondered how to get rid of chest congestion, don't worry— you can treat both with many of the same remedies.
Before we discuss these remedies, there are a few important basics to know first.
Chest congestion, also known as a chest cold, occurs when mucus accumulates in your lungs and your bronchi— the breathing tubes in your lower airways. This excess mucus causes you to have a wet cough that produces discolored, thick mucus. All this mucus in your lungs may also make your breathing sound crackly or wheezy as you struggle to breathe as deeply as you used to.
Common chest congestion symptoms include:
Chest congestion has a lot of potential causes, but the main cause of a congested chest is always excess mucus in your lungs.
Not all mucus is bad. In fact, your respiratory system naturally produces about a liter of mucus, also known as phlegm, each day! Mucus protects your body from infection and helps keep the membranes in your nose, mouth, lungs, and throat healthy. However, mucus buildup and excess phlegm can be a sign that something is amiss in your body.
Chest congestion can be caused by many different conditions, including:
No matter what's causing your mucus production to go into overdrive, there are plenty of ways to treat your chest congestion and get you back to feeling like yourself again.
A lot of people may reach right for over-the-counter (OTC) medications to treat their chest congestion, but natural remedies are just as effective, without the side effects. Here are five of our favorite natural chest congestion remedies.
You can help relieve the symptoms in your chest by relieving those in your stuffy nose. One of the best ways to do this is with SinuSonic.
SinuSonic uses positive expiratory pressure (PEP) and gentle acoustic waves to decongest your sinuses naturally and drug-free. Continuous use of the device, even after your symptoms subside, can also help you breathe better and more efficiently over time. All it takes is 2 minutes twice a day to decongest and breathe more freely.
Adding humidity to the air can help relieve the lung irritation brought on by persistent coughing. It can also keep your airways moisturized— dry airways can add more discomfort to already uncomfortable symptoms. A humidifier is an easy and accessible way to achieve this.
Steam inhalation is another easy way to help ease lung irritation and relieve congestion. Steam can also help loosen thick mucus in your lungs and make it easier to cough up and out. If you don’t have a humidifier, a hot shower can produce the steam needed to breathe easy and clear your chest congestion.
Keeping your body hydrated helps limit the mucus production in your lungs and chest. You can, of course, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, but there are other options if you are looking for a little variety:
Propping your head and your body up with pillows can prevent that excess mucus from accumulating in your chest while you sleep. It can also make it easier to breathe so you can rest more easily during the night.
Just make sure that your head is above your heart for the best results and the best rest.
Speaking of which…
Allowing yourself to rest (and getting enough sleep each night) will help your body recover faster so you can get back to your life sooner.
A good night's sleep is vital to your immunity because your body repairs itself while you sleep. Studies have found that sleep deprivation can increase your risk of health problems and worsen the symptoms of any conditions you currently have. However, the restorative effects of a good night's sleep not only help you feel bright-eyed and bushy-tailed each day, but it can also help keep you feeling healthier in the long run. [2]
The above remedies can give you some much-needed chest congestion relief, and your symptoms should go away within a few days if your chest cold isn't caused by underlying disorders like asthma or COPD. Your cough may last for up to two weeks as your bronchial tubes recover from all that coughing. However, you should go see a doctor if your cough lasts for more than two weeks.
A long, persistent cough can be a sign of pneumonia, a potentially life-threatening illness. Similarly, you should go see your doctor if you're experiencing shortness of breath.
Related: Just A Prolonged Cold? Learn The Differences Between Bronchitis, Pneumonia, And The Common Cold
Chest congestion is often caused by a respiratory infection like the common cold or the flu, but it can also be caused by underlying health problems that make it harder for you to breathe. No matter what is causing your symptoms though, there are plenty of ways to relieve chest congestion and get back to feeling 100 percent again.
OTC treatments are often the first line of defense against a chest cold, but their effects often have a diminishing return. Natural remedies can be just as powerful against that strong, phlegmy cough that's been driving you crazy.
Want to kick your sinus symptoms to the curb? Try SinuSonic!
Whether you get them with a prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), nasal decongestant sprays are a popular treatment for many annoying nasal symptoms and conditions like allergic rhinitis, nasal polyps, vasomotor rhinitis, or upper respiratory tract infections. However, as the adage goes, it is possible to have too much of a good thing.
Overuse of nasal spray can cause some unexpected and potentially serious side effects. But how much is too much, and what else can you do to treat congestion?
Overusing nasal spray can reduce its effectiveness and even worsen your symptoms between doses. This is because these sprays are only meant to be used for short-term relief. This is why each bottle advises patients not to use the spray for more than 3 to 5 days.
Nasal spray works by shrinking congested blood vessels to open up your nasal passages. This helps to clear up your nasal congestion and stop your runny nose. However, if you use an intranasal decongestant longer than recommended, you’ll need more medication to get the same level of relief.
After even just a few days, your blood vessels can stop responding to the medication entirely. This can make you more vulnerable to additional health problems, such as:
This last one is especially important, so let's take a closer look at that.
Also known as rebound congestion, rhinitis medicamentosa is inflammation of your nasal mucosa caused by the overuse of nasal spray. This condition is a direct cause of overusing nasal decongestants. Instead of treating your congestion, the medicine irritates your nasal passages and worsens your congestion.
Can you imagine having to spray your nose each and every day, only for your congestion to get worse? Regarding rebound congestion, the longer you use your nasal sprays, the longer your congestion will last, leaving your nasal lining more inflamed.
If you can’t identify any pollutants or allergens triggering your chronic congestion, your solution may actually be the problem!
Symptoms of rhinitis medicamentosa include:
The easiest and most effective way to treat rhinitis medicamentosa and put an end to those symptoms is to stop using nasal decongestant sprays. If your symptoms are especially bad though, this can be much easier said than done.
If you find yourself habitually using a decongestant spray such as Oxymetazoline, your built-up resistance can actually develop into an unhealthy dependency. You will be left in a hopeless cycle of using your nasal spray in between bouts of aggravating congestion.
The side effects of decongestant sprays can leave you feeling worse than when you started. In fact, the list of side effects for the most popular ingredient in nasal sprays, Fluticasone, comes with a litany of unwanted issues. [1]
To name a few common side effects:
Chances are, if you are fighting congestion, you don’t want to use a medication that lists a stuffy or runny nose as a potential side effect!
Thankfully, some natural, mess-free methods of prevention and solution can help you stay away from nasal sprays and keep your nose snot-free!
The best way to avoid the consequences of nasal spray overuse is simply to not use nasal sprays. Thankfully, there are plenty of natural, chemical-free alternatives to solve your congestion woes.
Sometimes prevention is the best solution! Taking precautions to avoid your congestion triggers can go a long way in assuring your nose remains congestion free.
Allergies are a common annoyance for millions of Americans. Whether you suffer from seasonal allergies— also known as hay fever— or year-round allergies to irritants like dust and animal dander, you can take steps to ensure your allergies don't drive you crazy.
The first place to start is inside your home. Easy steps you can take to allergy-proof your home include:
Related: Indoor Allergies? How to Allergy-Proof Your Home
Have you ever felt your sinuses drain in a spectacular fashion after you've had a spicy or hot meal? This is thanks to what's called gustatory rhinitis. [2]
Potent foods like ginger, cayenne pepper, and garlic can also get your nose running after you eat. Keep a tissue handy to blow all that excess mucus and those irritants out of your nose for some much-needed relief.
However, it's important to note that spicy foods can make your body create more mucus, which could potentially cause additional congestion.
Related: Can Spicy Food Light a Fire Under Your Nasal Congestion?
Whether you're suffering from the sniffles, sinusitis, or seasonal allergies, SinuSonic can provide drug-free relief to even your worst symptoms.
The SinuSonic isn’t just used to treat congestion but to prevent it entirely. Daily use of the SinuSonic can leave your runny nose high and dry. With just one two-minute session per day, you can keep your sinuses clear without the intervention of nasal sprays or the risks of worsening congestion.
The device uses positive expiratory pressure (PEP) and gentle vibrations to naturally move mucus out of your airways. It can also help improve upper airway functionality, helping you breathe better as you decongest.
With its fast results and ease of use, it can be tempting to rely on nasal spray to treat your nasal symptoms. But it's incredibly easy to overuse this medication. And while you can't become addicted to it, overuse of nasal spray can potentially cause serious problems.
Thankfully, natural congestion treatments work just as well— if not better than— nasal spray. Give them a try— you may be surprised at what works for you!
Feeling over OTC treatments for nasal congestion? Try SinuSonic!
In fact, they may even feel worse.
Your nose and your head still feel stuffed up and congested, and you may even feel pressure or pain in these areas. That's a sure sign that you no longer just have a cold or allergies— that's a sure sign of sinusitis.
1 in 7 adults in the US get sinusitis each year— that's more than 30 million people! But as common as sinusitis is, there's still some confusion about what it is and how you get it. So let's take a look at what sinusitis is, what it isn't, and how to treat it.
Sinusitis— also known as a sinus infection or rhinosinusitis— occurs when the tissue lining your sinuses become inflamed or swollen.
Your sinuses are connected by small channels that help drain mucus out of your nose. This helps keep it clean, and free of bacteria that can irritate your sinuses or make you sick.
Sinus infections are typically caused by the common cold or allergic rhinitis— also known as allergies. They can also be caused by:
Smoking can also increase your risk of getting sinusitis. Infants and young children can also be at increased risk of sinusitis if they use pacifiers, drink bottles while laying down, or spend a lot of time in daycare centers where they're more likely to catch a bug from other kids.
There are different kinds of sinusitis depending on the source of the inflammation. They include:
Because sinusitis isn't caused by a virus, the condition itself is not contagious. However, the viruses that can later lead to sinusitis— like the common cold— can be passed from person to person.
Nasal congestion is a common symptom of health problems like allergies and the common cold, and is typically harmless. However, it's possible to get an infection from this nasal obstruction or blockage, even if it's never happened before.
Common signs and symptoms of sinus infections include:
Because the symptoms are so similar, it may not always be easy to tell whether you have a cold, allergies, or a sinus infection.
Remember, you normally won't get sinusitis unless you've been dealing with a cold or allergies. The severity of your allergies can vary from day to day, and depend on how many allergens you're exposed to.
A cold normally builds, peaks, and then disappears over the span of a few days. If your cold does not go away— or if it comes back— that's a sign that it's become a sinus infection.
If you think that you have sinusitis, it's important to contact your doctor, an ENT specialist, or primary care provider as soon as possible. They'll examine your symptoms and perform a small physical exam to check your ears, nose, and throat for any issues. They may even perform a nasal endoscopy to look inside your nose. [1]
With a diagnosis, your doctor can then help you find the right treatment option.
When it comes to sinus infections, prevention is the best cure. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting one. Here are our five easy tips to help you prevent sinusitis and breathe better.
The best way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases or allergens that can cause sinusitis is to wash your hands.
Your hands come in contact with millions of microbes every day. Of course, this makes it easy to pick up germs, viruses, or irritants like pollen or pet dander. If these irritants get into your nasal passages, they can leave you a sneezy, snuffly mess.
The best way to avoid this is to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and warm water. Here's when you should always wash your hands:
You may not think a lot about how you blow your nose. There is a right way and a wrong way to do it. Blowing your nose the right way helps prevent the sinus inflammation that can cause a sinus infection. Blowing your nose too hard can actually make your nasal symptoms worse, cause nosebleeds, and even hurt your ears by forcing air from your nose to your middle ear. This can force bacteria and mucus backward into the sinuses and increase your risk of infection.
Here's how to properly blow your nose:
Want to learn more about how to properly blow your nose? Check out our article on the topic when you’re finished here!
Remember, colds aren't the only cause of sinusitis. Your allergies can be a major factor as well. To prevent your allergies from causing a sinus infection, you should "allergy-proof" your home. This will keep all potential irritants to a minimum and help you breathe more freely.
Here are a few easy ways to get started:
Dry air can irritate and inflame your sinuses and contribute to a sinus infection. You can prevent this by using a cool vapor humidifier.
These handy machines add humidity to the air through soothing vapor, which can help keep your sinuses moisturized and comfortable. They're also great for helping you decongest if you're feeling stuffy.
Just remember to use distilled water when you fill them up.
It can be tempting to decongest in an explosive way if you're feeling stuffed up from a cold, allergies, or sinusitis. Try to avoid this urge! Remember— decongesting too forcefully can make your symptoms worse!
But if you're looking for a gentle way to decongest and breathe better, try SinuSonic.
SinuSonic is used by rhinologists as an alternative to nasal sprays and decongestants, and messy irrigation. It's a non-addictive, non-drug solution for opening your blocked airway so you can decongest your sinuses and relieve sinus pressure.
The device uses gentle acoustic vibrations and light pressure to clear your sinuses naturally. SinuSonic's unique flutter valve also provides light resistance as you breathe to help you breathe stronger and more freely. With daily use, SinuSonic can be both a solution and a preventative measure for your nasal congestion woes.
Need to blow your nose during or after using the device? That's a sign that it's working!
The common cold and allergy symptoms are unpleasant enough, even when they're short-lived. However, if they evolve into sinusitis, then your symptoms may start impacting your overall quality of life.
Thankfully though, sinusitis can be easily treated and prevented. Give these tips a try if you're worried about getting a sinus infection the next cold or allergy season. You may be surprised by how well these changes work!
Want to learn more about SinuSonic, or have some questions for the team? Let's get in touch!
Eating spicy food isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it definitely has an immediate effect on your congestion. There's more to spicy food and sinuses than you might think, so let's go over a few things before you reach for that cayenne pepper.
Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their kick, helps thin out thick mucus and stimulates your sinuses. This stimulation helps your sinuses drain better and promotes better air circulation. If you regularly experience aches and pains, this compound may sound familiar to you. That's because capsaicin is also used in creams and ointments as a pain reliever. Capsaicin's warming properties help block pain receptors in your skin, reducing the pain you feel. Fighting fire with fire, so to speak. [1]
Hot peppers aren't the only foods that can kickstart your sinuses.
If you've ever cried while chopping an onion, you're in good company. But dry those tears— that compound that burns your eyes, called quercetin, can also help relieve a stuffy nose and reduce sinus inflammation.
Garlic also contains compounds that can help with sinus problems. This pungent culinary favorite contains ajoene, allicin, and S-ally cysteine, which all thin nasal mucus and provide relief from inflammation. However, garlic and garlic supplements can interfere with medications like blood thinners and drugs that lower blood pressure, so if you're on any of these prescriptions, talk to your doctor before adding more garlic to your diet.
Other spices like ginger and turmeric also possess anti-inflammatory properties that can help keep your sinuses healthy and free of excess mucus.
All this can help relieve sinus congestion caused by multiple different factors, from the common cold and allergies, to the dreaded sinusitis (also known as a sinus infection).
The runny nose you get after you eat hot or spicy foods may feel like a welcome relief if you’ve been feeling stuffed up and miserable for a few days. There's actually a term for it too— it's called gustatory rhinitis.
Gustatory rhinitis is a form of nonallergic rhinitis, or when you have a runny stuffy nose that isn't caused by allergies. Inversely, allergic rhinitis is all those familiar nasal symptoms that are triggered by allergens like dust, pollen, or animal dander.
Some common symptoms of gustatory rhinitis include:
That last bullet point is especially important. You may be thinking now, "Wait! I thought spicy food cleared my sinuses. How can it cause a stuffy nose?"
Unfortunately, spicy food isn't a cure-all for your clogged sinus passages, and a chili pepper a day may not actually keep nasal congestion away.
In fact, spicy food has some notable drawbacks that can make it a less-than-ideal treatment for your nasal congestion.
Eating spicy food isn't a pleasant experience for some people. For them, that's reason enough not to use it for their sinus problems.
However, there's another rub when it comes to spicy food and sinuses. While all that heat is very good at clearing your sinuses, it can actually stuff them up too.
Eating spicy food can actually increase mucus production, which can cause a stuffy nose. That's bad news if you're already unable to breathe through your nose.
Not only that, but eating spicy food can aggravate a sore throat by worsening that inflammation. When you eat spicy foods, this gets your salivary glands going and triggers high amounts of mucus to be created in your throat. All that mucus hanging out in your throat is uncomfortable, so your main instinct is probably to clear your throat of all that excess mucus— except this can cause further irritation in your already aggravated throat.
Spicy foods are also one of the main triggers for acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This is because capsaicin, while helpful for clearing your sinuses, can also irritate your esophagus and cause abdominal pain. One Korean study observing GERD patients found that hot and spicy stews caused symptoms in more than half of the study's observed cases. [2]
Spicy food can also aggravate and trigger nonallergic rhinitis symptoms. Spicy food can trigger nonallergic sinusitis attacks, including symptoms like sneezing, congestion, coughing, and a reduced sense of smell.
So while spicy food can help with your nasal symptoms, it’s important to consider that it can also trigger them, so tread gently if you’re a fan of spicy food or are looking for ways to decongest naturally. [3]
Thankfully, there are other ways to naturally decongest, and it doesn’t involve starting a fire inside of your mouth.
Looking for a way to clear your sinuses without drugs, nasal irrigation, or a burning sensation? SinuSonic has you covered.
Our unique devices use gentle vibrations and light pressure to help you decongest naturally. Just breathe normally into the nosepiece— the device's unique "flutter valve" will provide gentle resistance as you breathe, which will help you breathe more efficiently as you decongest.
Need to blow your nose while using the device? That's normal!
Whether you're experiencing congestion from the common cold, allergies, or even a sinus infection, SinuSonic can be that breath of fresh air you need after being stuffed up for so long.
Eating spicy food can be an effective way to help relieve sinus congestion— but it's not a perfect solution.
Not only can it be unpleasant if you don't enjoy the burn of spicy food, but it can actually cause nasal congestion too! Thankfully though, there are easy and natural ways to relieve nasal congestion without lighting a fire in your belly.
Do your nasal symptoms have you feeling heated? Try SinuSonic!
Have you ever seen any of the thousands of "life hack" videos on YouTube or social media? These videos show you how you may be doing simple tasks wrong, and the "correct" way to do them. Some of these hacks may seem pretty inspired— or completely useless if you wasted precious time learning about something you already knew how to do.
Typically, these life hacks are just common sense. Sometimes though, there really are better ways to do some things, no matter how simple they seem at first glance.
Case in point: blowing your nose. Everyone knows how to blow their nose. You just hold a tissue or a handkerchief up to your nose and blow, right?
Not exactly.
Believe it or not, there is a right way and a wrong way to blow your nose. In fact, blowing your nose the wrong way can leave you with a headache and make your congestion even worse! So here's how to properly blow your nose and avoid the most common mistakes you can make when trying to clear your sinuses.
Blowing your nose seems self-explanatory enough— even toddlers know how to do it— but there are still ways to get it wrong and not even realize it. It may not feel like you're doing anything wrong if nothing bad happens, but it is possible to hurt yourself if you blow your nose wrong.
Here are 3 common mistakes people make when they blow their nose— and how to do things the right way.
When you have a stuffy nose or a runny nose, it can be tempting to blow as hard as you can and clear your sinuses in an explosive fashion. This is a bad idea.
Blowing your nose too hard can cause all sorts of pain and discomfort, including:
Blow your nose gently, and blow one nostril at a time.
Blowing one nostril at a time reduces the amount of force you'd need to clear your nose, and keeps the pressure in each nasal passage consistent. With this, you're at a significantly lower risk of bleeding, headaches, ear pain, or other unpleasant side effects of blowing too hard.
Do you squeeze your nose or nostrils tightly, or even closed as you blow your nose? Don't do it!
If you squeeze your nose too tightly, you're closing your airways and not giving all that mucus a way out. When you try to blow through these pinched openings, this can send air into your sinuses or into your ears. This causes pain and uncomfortable pressure in your head, ears, and sinuses.
When it comes to squeezing your nose before you blow, you want to follow the "Goldilocks principle." Not too much force, and not too little— just the right amount. Holding your nose with this moderate pressure before you blow helps make sure all that snot and air makes it to the nearest exit.
To do that, simply hold your tissue or handkerchief up to your nose and gently rest your thumb and your index finger on both nostrils.
This provides you with just enough force to keep everything contained as you blow your nose. This also makes it easier to blow your nose one nostril at a time if desired.
Nasal spray is a common and effective way to relieve nasal congestion and help relieve symptoms from conditions like hay fever and the common cold. Just a single spray in each nostril can send all that mucus packing and right into your tissue.
Nasal sprays work by shrinking the blood vessels in your nasal mucosa. When these blood vessels become inflamed, they cause that familiar stuffiness that makes you reach for the tissues.
However, overusing nasal sprays can actually make your symptoms worse.
Overusing nasal spray can reduce the medication's effectiveness in a matter of days, forcing you to use it more just to get the same relief it gave you originally. It can also cause what's called rhinitis medicamentosa, or rebound congestion. This is essentially worsened congestion caused by overusing decongestant nasal spray. [2]
Use nasal spray only as directed, even if you're still feeling stuffy and snuffly a few days after you start using it.
Alternatively, you can still get relief from your nasal symptoms even if you avoid nasal sprays altogether. Clear your sinuses without medication or nasal irrigation with these excellent holistic options:
Related: SinuSonic as a Natural Decongestant + 7 Other Natural Remedies That Actually Work
Nobody likes having a stuffy nose or runny nose. It's unpleasant, uncomfortable, and it can make the following days a real slog. Blowing your nose can help take some of the edge off, but it's important to do it right.
That's because blowing your nose wrong can not only be counterproductive, but it could potentially make your symptoms last longer or even do some damage!
But don't worry— with a few easy changes, you can eliminate those risks and go back to breathing deeply and clearly like you should be.
Ready to make stuffiness and sniffling a thing of the past? Try SinuSonic!
There's more to this than you may expect. Before we go into the details, let's cover some basics about sinus infections.
Sinus infections, also known as sinusitis or rhinosinusitis, is inflammation of the tissue lining your sinuses. Your sinuses produce mucus to help keep your nasal membranes moist and protect you against allergens, irritants, or pollutants.
Each sinus cavity is filled with air, but when you have a sinus infection, they fill with fluid and germs. The proliferation of these germs and irritants is what causes your illness to become a sinus infection.
Sinus infections are commonly caused by:
Not all sinus infections are the same though. There are different kinds of sinusitis depending on the duration and source of your symptoms.
Sinus infection symptoms can vary depending on what kind of sinus infection you have, but a common thread between all of them is nasal congestion, runny nose or nasal discharge, sore throat, and facial pain or sinus headache.
Now we can get to the question you're asking: are sinus infections contagious?
In short, no. Sinus infections themselves are not contagious, but what causes them can be contagious.
If your sinus infection was caused by a virus like the common cold, then it's possible to spread this to another person. They can then get sick from this virus, which can develop into a sinus infection. However, even if someone catches your cold, it's not guaranteed that they'll develop a sinus infection after.
If your sinus infection was caused by bacteria, irritants, or a fungus, you are not contagious and cannot spread your infection to others.
But if bacteria and viruses both cause infections, what's the difference between a bacterial infection and a viral infection?
Viral infections are caused by viruses like the cold virus or the coronavirus. These are the main causes of sinus infections. You can spread viruses to other people through contact, the air, or by droplets spread by coughing, sneezing, and even breathing or talking. The best treatment for viral sinus infections is plenty of rest and fluids, as well as to get your vaccines for COVID-19. Your immune system will be hard at work fighting the infection, so most often, your body just needs to rest and allow things to run their course.
Bacterial infections are caused by bacteria, such as streptococcus, E. coli, or staphylococcus. These bacteria give off toxins that make you sick and cause infections. [1]
Antibiotics are the most common treatment for bacterial infections because they specifically target and kill bacteria in your body. However, antibiotics kill both bad and good bacteria alike. In time, these bacteria can develop a resistance to the antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. That's why it's important to be careful when you take antibiotics for a bacterial sinus infection.
Nowadays thanks to the pandemic, being sick may hit a little differently than it used to.
Has this ever happened to you? In our post-quarantine world, you go out to do some shopping when you get that familiar tickle in your nose or your throat. Then that's when it happens— you cough or sneeze, and the tickle is thankfully gone. Even though it only lasted for a moment, you now see that everyone around you has reacted in some way. Maybe they shuffle away in an effort to social distance, or maybe they just uncomfortably stare at you, hoping you won't get them sick.
Even if your body is reacting to something as relatively innocuous as a dust allergy, it's hard to ignore how the pandemic has impacted how we collectively see symptoms we used to brush off or ignore.
Thanks to the pandemic, every sniffle, sneeze, and snuffle often comes with a sense of caution (or perhaps even paranoia) that maybe this time, your symptoms could be a sign of something much more severe.
While COVID-19 can share common symptoms with allergies or a cold, its most distinctive symptoms are not something you'll get with a cold or allergies. However, COVID-19 can share some of its more distinctive symptoms with the flu, such as shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell, or diarrhea. This is why it’s so important to get tested if you’re experiencing those symptoms.
Want to learn more about the difference between cold, allergy, and COVID-19 symptoms? Check out our article on the subject!
You may think that the surefire way to know if you're contagious is whether or not you're symptomatic. While you're certainly contagious if you're symptomatic, it's not that simple.
Unfortunately, if you've caught the bug that's going around, you're contagious whether or not you're showing any symptoms.
When a virus like the common cold enters your system, it begins an incubation period. This is when the virus multiplies and spreads throughout your body. You are contagious during this period, even though you are not showing signs of illness.
You're even contagious after your symptoms have subsided. You may be feeling better, but it's still possible to spread your illness to others if you're not careful.
How long you're contagious depends on the infection. Here are a few examples:
If you suspect you have COVID-19 or have tested positive, always follow the Center for Disease Control's guidelines for isolation.
And whether you're at risk of COVID-19 or just want to avoid spreading the sniffles, there are plenty of ways to curb the spread.
Thanks to the efforts of the CDC, you probably know exactly where we're going here. Don't worry, we'll keep it short.
Whether you're contagious or not, here are easy ways to help limit the spread of infections and disease:
While sinus infections themselves are not contagious, dealing with congestion can really drive you crazy. Don't worry, though— treating and preventing sinus infections is easier than you may think.
One of the best ways to do this is with SinuSonic. Our unique device combines gentle acoustic vibrations and light pressure to decongest your sinuses naturally. Need to blow your nose after you use the device? That's a sign that it's working!
And unlike treatment options like nasal spray, which can lose effectiveness over time, SinuSonic works better the more you use it. Consistent use can not only reduce nasal congestion naturally, but it can also help you breathe more efficiently over time
Is nasal congestion driving you crazy? Kick it to the curb with SinuSonic!
Like your mind and body, your lungs need exercise to improve your lung capacity and efficiency. Breathing is one of those things you probably don't think about much until it becomes harder or impossible to do (as anyone who's ever had a stuffy nose can attest).
However, breathing exercises are a great way to strengthen your lungs, increase your lung capacity, and help you breathe better overall.
There are many different breathing exercises to strengthen the lungs and help you breathe better. But before we get into those, let's talk about your lung capacity and its limiting factors.
Your lung function is to transport oxygen throughout your body when you inhale and remove carbon dioxide when you exhale. Your lung capacity is the total amount of air that your lungs can hold. Your lung capacity slowly decreases as you age, starting in your mid-twenties.
So if you've ever wondered why babies and kids have such robust lung capacities when they get noisy, this is why!
Aging will always reduce your lung capacity, but lung disease can further reduce your natural lung capacity. Some of these include:
Regardless of your ailments or setbacks, you can still take effective measures to breathe more effectively. All it takes is a little exercise.
While regular exercise and physical activity help keep your body active and healthy, practicing lung exercises regularly can increase your lung capacity and improve pulmonary function and lung health.
Here are six breathing exercises you can try for healthy lungs:
Also known as diaphragmatic breathing, this lung exercise engages your diaphragm— located around your belly— to help strengthen your lungs. Your diaphragm is a thin muscle that separates your belly from your chest. When you inhale, it creates a vacuum-like effect that pulls air into your lungs. And when you exhale, this muscle pushes air out of your lungs.
This deep breathing exercise helps strengthen your diaphragm and can be especially helpful for people with COPD because it can help strengthen their weakened diaphragms.
Here's how to practice belly breathing:
This breathing technique helps slow breathing down and keeps your airways open. This improves lung function and makes the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide when you breathe more efficient.
Pursed lip breathing is a straightforward technique you can practice anywhere. Here's how to get started:
Alternate nostril breathing is a technique used in yoga or meditation to help calm your mind and relax. This yogic breathing also has a positive effect on your lung function. One study found that swimmers who practiced yogic breathing improved their respiratory endurance. [2]
Respiratory endurance is the ability of your body to perform higher-intensity physical activity for longer periods. While more research is needed on the topic, this is an excellent breathing technique for your body and mind.
Before practicing alternate nostril breathing, you want to find a comfortable place to sit with your legs crossed. Then you can get started.
Ukrainian doctor Konstantin Butekyo created the Butekyo Breathing Technique (BBT) during the 1950s. This breathing technique helps you breathe more slowly, deeply, and gently through breath-holding exercises that help improve your breathing rhythms.
There are two ways to practice this technique— the control pause, and the maximum pause.
Before you begin, find a comfortable place to sit with an upright posture. Relax your diaphragm, chest, and belly, and breathe normally for a few minutes.
Note: Always breathe through your nose with this breathing technique. If you experience any discomfort, anxiety, or shortness of breath, stop what you are doing and breathe normally.
This breathing exercise was created by Dutch athlete Wim Hof, who is often called "The Iceman" because of his commitment to using cold therapy for health and wellness. As the name implies, cold therapy exposes your body to temperatures for several minutes to promote healing.
This breathing technique is often taught in conjunction with cold therapy. However, if you're not “chill” with the idea of cold therapy, you can practice this breathing technique without it.
This technique is intended to help increase oxygen levels and help you develop greater control over your body for better overall health.
Sound complicated? It's actually more straightforward than you may expect.
With this breathing technique, your diaphragm should be engaged and you should feel your breaths in your lower lungs. And while mouth breathing is typically not something you should do, it's okay to mouth breathe for this technique if you're unable to breathe through your nose.
The SinuSonic device helps you breathe better and clear nasal congestion, all without drugs, nasal irrigation, or complicated breathing techniques. All it takes is two minutes a day, breathing normally.
SinuSonic combines gentle acoustic vibration and light pressure to open your airways naturally. The device's flutter valve provides gentle resistance as you breathe, which can help strengthen your lungs and allow you to breathe more efficiently.
Research has found that SinuSonic helps improve airflow and can help increase lung volume. And if you're a singer or an athlete, using SinuSonic before practice or performances can help you open your airways for better nasal breathing when you need it!
It's important to exercise your body and mind to keep them working at their best. Your lungs are no different— if you don't think that you're breathing as well as you should be, then these techniques may be a breath of fresh air!
When it comes to breathing exercises to strengthen lungs, you can try plenty of options. Sometimes the simplest technique may be the most effective option. SinuSonic packs a strong punch when it comes to helping you breathe better— no difficult techniques or guided lessons are needed.
Want to breathe better? Try SinuSonic and breathe a sigh of relief!
This is the stuffy reality for the millions of Americans that suffer from the discomfort of allergies year-round.
Here we will discuss the symptoms and diagnosis of perennial rhinitis and your treatment options. Thankfully, perennial rhinitis can be treated just like other kinds of allergies. But there are a few important things you should know before you do.
Perennial rhinitis— also known as perennial allergic rhinitis or chronic rhinitis— is an allergic condition where your allergy symptoms occur for an hour or more on most days throughout the entire year. To many, it feels like a cold that never goes away.
Some symptoms of perennial rhinitis may include:
These are common symptoms if you're experiencing seasonal allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever.
Perennial rhinitis can be both allergic and non-allergic. Allergic rhinitis, or allergy symptoms caused by specific allergens, is typically caused by perennial allergens such as pollen, dust mites, or pet dander. In fact, dust mites are the most common cause of perennial allergic rhinitis.
On the other hand, nonallergic rhinitis (as the name suggests) isn't caused by any specific allergen. Rather, it's caused by other irritants like smoke, artificial fragrances, and chemical fumes.
Apart from annoying your day-to-day life, untreated perennial rhinitis can lead to further complications, including nasal polyps and chronic sinusitis— otherwise known as sinus infections.
If your perennial rhinitis has become sinusitis or has caused the growth of abnormal nasal tissue, you may experience symptoms such as:
Perennial rhinitis is often associated with other conditions that can occur alongside those symptoms. Some of these include:
Your doctor or an allergist can diagnose perennial rhinitis. To do so, they'll ask questions about any nonallergic or allergic rhinitis symptoms you're experiencing. They'll also ask you about any specific triggers for your symptoms.
They'll then give you a physical examination where they take a look at your ears, nose, and throat. This is to check for any conditions that may be causing your symptoms, such as a deviated septum or fluid in your ears.
They may also administer an allergy test to check for any unknown allergens causing your symptoms.
Once you understand your symptoms and your diagnosis, it's much easier to treat perennial rhinitis— whether it's caused by allergies or not.
Treating perennial rhinitis is no different than treating your seasonal allergy symptoms. Once you know the culprit, it's much easier to address your symptoms and find some much-needed relief.
Many people may use over-the-counter treatments like nasal spray or an antihistamine medication to treat their rhinitis symptoms; eventually leading to rhinitis medicamentosa, worsening the issue over time. However, there are many natural remedies out there that can help treat your perennial allergy symptoms. Here are five of these options that you can try today:
Daily congestion often requires consistent treatment that can make traditional solutions more inconvenient or less effective over time. If your nasal symptoms are driving you crazy, SinuSonic can help.
Our unique device utilizes positive expiratory pressure (PEP) and acoustic vibrations to gently clear your sinuses and even begin to provide lasting relief beyond your first use.
When you use SinuSonic for just two minutes each day, you're not only relieving your nasal congestion; you're helping yourself breathe more efficiently in the long run.
The resistance offered by SinuSonic's flutter valve helps strengthen your airways, increase lung volume, and increase airflow throughout your body.
While this device can make a lasting impact on your breathing troubles, when you pair the SinuSonic with methods of prevention, you can eliminate your rhinitis symptoms entirely!
Whether you have a dust mite allergy or are sensitive to environmental irritants like smoke or smog, avoiding what triggers your allergy symptoms can help prevent those symptoms from making you miserable.
If you experience allergic symptoms at your workplace, you may be working around an irritant causing these symptoms— such as chemical fumes or paint fumes. This is called occupational rhinitis.
If you're unsure what may trigger your symptoms, talk to your doctor or an allergist about allergy testing. These simple tests can help determine any allergies that may be giving you grief.
Your home is your castle, and your castle should be free of any invaders that may be triggering your allergy symptoms. Here are a few easy ways to allergy-proof your home:
Dry air can exacerbate your allergy symptoms by inflaming and irritating your nasal passages. To remedy this, try using a humidifier. These handy machines add moisture to the air and are very helpful for keeping your sinuses nice and moist.
For a bigger one-two punch against allergens, consider using an air purifier alongside your humidifier. Air purifiers pull allergens and irritants out of the air, trap them in a powerful filter, and circulate the clean, fresh air back out into the room.
These can be especially effective options if you're sensitive to airborne allergens.
Rinsing your sinuses with a saline solution or a neti pot can wash away irritants, moisturize those sensitive membranes, and thin down thick mucus that may be causing nasal congestion.
Saline solutions and neti pots are widely available at grocery stores and pharmacies, but in a pinch, you can even make your own saline solution. [2]
You can add eight teaspoons of table salt to 1 gallon of distilled water, or mix salt with boiled tap water to remove any impurities and ensure a sterile solution.
Note: Do not rinse your sinuses with tap water. While it is generally safe to drink, rinsing your sinuses with tap water can introduce a lot of potentially dangerous irritants to your sensitive nasal membranes. This is because your nose doesn't share the same protection that your stomach does, thanks to your stomach acid.
When you have perennial rhinitis, it can feel like you have a cold all year round. Of course, you never want to experience these symptoms for a week, let alone the entire year!
Perennial allergies can really be a drain on your day-to-day life, but they don't have to be. They can be treated like any other allergy symptoms or even prevented!
Once you know how to treat or prevent your allergy symptoms, you may be amazed at how much better you feel.
Want a natural solution to your sinus symptoms? Give SinuSonic a try!
So why is only one nostril clogged?
This is actually 100 percent normal and happens by design. You are sometimes only able to breathe through one nostril because of a process called the nasal cycle.
However, the nasal cycle is one of many reasons one of your nostrils is clogged. Let's take a look at these.
The nasal cycle is an automatic process that takes place multiple times a day to keep each nostril working as efficiently as possible. While you may not notice it, you always breathe more deeply in one nostril than the other.
Your body alternates which nostril is most open every couple of hours and balances the duties of each nostril so they both work as they should at any given time. [1]
There may be a few reasons why your body carries out the nasal cycle. The first is that it helps maintain your sense of smell.
Some scents are more easily picked up when air moves through your nose quickly, while others are detected more easily with slower airflow. [2]
So if one nostril is more open, the faster airflow is more effective for picking up some smells, while the more closed nostril picks up smells that are detectable with slower airflow. This gives you a more complete sense of smell.
The following reason is that it may protect the delicate inside of your nose from contaminants and dirty air. A robust and uninterrupted stream of air can dry out your sinuses and damage the tiny hairs lining each nasal cavity, making you more vulnerable to contaminants like pollen, fumes, and dust mites.
To protect your nasal cavity from irritants, one of your nostrils narrows so that you're better protected from anything in the air that could cause irritation.
Despite your nasal cycle being in constant motion throughout the day, you'll probably only notice this cycle taking place when one of your nostrils is blocked due to a cold, a sinus infection, or allergy symptoms.
During the nasal cycle, your body increases the blood flow in one nasal cavity at a time, which normally goes unnoticed.
When you are sick or congested, the blood flow increases even more as your nasal cavity tries to fight off infection. This causes additional swelling to the nasal cavity making it more challenging to take in air through the affected nostril. Even though congestion is wreaking havoc on both sides of your nose, the nostril in the active part of the nasal cycle will feel more clogged.
While your nasal cycle is the main reason one of your nostrils is clogged, it's not the only cause. Here are seven other factors that can cause one nostril to become clogged.
Also known as deviated nasal septum, a deviated septum is a condition where your septum— the cartilage and bone in the center of your nose— is crooked or off-center.
This can cause one nasal passage to be smaller than the other, causing reduced airflow and breathing difficulty. A deviated septum can also create a continuous blockage in one nostril.
While sleeping on your side is one of the best ways to help you get enough airflow while you sleep, you can also accidentally cause stuffiness while side-sleeping.
If you sleep primarily on one side, sleeping on a single nostril over the other can cause that nasal passage to become congested.
Related: Why Do I Wake Up With A Stuffy Nose? (And How to Fix It)
Also known as a sinus infection, sinusitis occurs when the tissue lining your sinuses becomes inflamed or swollen. Sinusitis is typically caused by the common cold or bacterial infections.
Nasal congestion is a common sign of sinusitis, and this congestion can become concentrated in one nostril more than the other.
Nasal polyps are benign growths in your nasal cavities. They're generally harmless but can cause annoying nasal symptoms, including congestion.
That's because these small, teardrop-shaped growths can obstruct your airways and make breathing more difficult.
Not including nasal polyps or other foreign objects in your nose can obstruct your airways and make breathing more difficult.
These can happen at any age but are most common in children because they are more likely to insert foreign objects into their noses.
Millions of Americans suffer from allergic rhinitis— more commonly known as allergies. A stuffy nose is one of the most common nasal allergy symptoms, and they can clog one or both nostrils.
Rhinitis medicamentosa is a unique form of nasal congestion that comes from the overuse of nasal decongestant spray. Nasal sprays constrict the blood vessels in your nose to help you breathe better, but excessive use can actually worsen your congestion.
First, you'll require more medication to get the same therapeutic effect you originally received. This can cause your congestion to worsen, even if you're still using the medication!
If you've ever been frustrated with a clogged nostril and wondered why it happens, don't worry! It's a normal occurrence, and it happens more often than you may notice. However, a single blocked nostril can be caused by other nasal problems, which tend to be the most noticeable.
Thankfully, congestion in any form can be treated quickly and effectively using our SinuSonic device.
SinuSonic combines gentle vibrations and light pressure to open your airways and help clear excess mucus naturally and drug-free.
Whether one or both nostrils are clogged, SinuSonic can provide powerful but gentle relief in just two minutes a day!
Want to relieve nasal congestion and breathe more efficiently? Breathe freely with SinuSonic!
When heavy winds brought about rough waters on the open sea, 19th-century sailors would seek refuge from the storm in their cabins below deck to avoid becoming seasick. This caution introduced a new term as sailors would find asylum “under the weather.”
Over time, “under the weather” has been used to describe illnesses of all ilks, whether it’s pneumonia, bronchitis, or just the common cold.
Despite the general terminology, it can be challenging to determine the exact cause of your sickness. Of course, identifying the nature of your ailment in today’s world is both possible and essential to your treatment, especially if you aren’t a 19th-century mariner.
While the common cold may disguise itself as a more serious issue, such as bronchitis or pneumonia, there are some key differences between the three. Simply put, the common cold affects your nose and sinuses. Bronchitis and pneumonia affect your chest and lungs.
It’s important to know the symptoms to look out for when you are feeling “under the weather.” Let's take a look.
Everyone has experienced the common cold multiple times in their lives. You probably know these symptoms well— but let's briefly go into them for the sake of comparison.
Symptoms of the common cold typically appear one to three days after you're exposed to the cold virus. Some of these symptoms may include the following:
The best way to treat a cold is with plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids. You can also treat your symptoms with over-the-counter (OTC) medicine. You can also reduce nasal congestion with nasal spray, saline solution, neti pot, or SinuSonic.
Related: How to Sleep With a Stuffy Nose
Bronchitis occurs when the bronchial tubes in your lungs become inflamed and produce mucus. This often happens after you've already had an upper respiratory infection— like the common cold or a sinus infection. There are two types of bronchitis— acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis.
Like the common cold, acute bronchitis, also known as a chest cold, is typically caused by a virus. One major difference from the common cold is that nasal congestion is not typically a symptom of bronchitis. Some symptoms of acute bronchitis include:
Acute bronchitis typically goes away on its own and can be treated with plenty of rest and fluids. If your cough is particularly bothersome, an OTC cough suppressant can help you find relief. If a bacterial infection causes your bronchitis, your doctor might prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection. However, antibiotics aren't effective against viral causes of bronchitis.
Remember— if you have a cold, you'll feel it most in your sinuses. If you have bronchitis, you'll feel it in your chest and lungs.
On the other hand, chronic bronchitis isn't caused by a virus or an earlier infection. This long-term inflammation in your lungs is most often caused by exposure to lung irritants, including cigarette smoke, air pollution, and even dust. People with chronic bronchitis may also have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)— both of which can cause breathing problems.
Some symptoms of chronic bronchitis include:
Chronic bronchitis isn't something you can just catch. For your bronchitis to become chronic, you must rule out other causes of lung disease— like tuberculosis, asthma, or upper respiratory tract infections— as the cause of your symptoms. Your symptoms must also persist for at least three months over the span of 2 years.
Like bronchitis, pneumonia causes inflammation in your lungs. When you have pneumonia, the inflammation occurs in your lungs' air sacs— or alveoli— causing them to fill with fluid. Symptoms of pneumonia include:
Like bronchitis, nasal congestion is not a symptom of pneumonia. Pneumonia is another infection you will feel in your chest rather than your sinuses. Pneumonia symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening, depending on three factors:
The cause of your pneumonia can be a determining factor between a mild case and a more severe case. Let's take a look.
Pneumonia can be caused either by a viral infection or a bacterial infection. Bacterial pneumonia is the most common form of the disease. Its symptoms typically require medical care to cure the infection (typically with antibiotics) and prevent further complications. Bacterial pneumonia symptoms can occur suddenly or gradually and often includes a high fever, rapid breathing, and an accelerated heart rate.
Viral pneumonia is less severe and tends to develop more gradually. Its early symptoms resemble the flu, including a fever, cough, fatigue, and muscle pain. Those symptoms typically get worse as the disease progresses. Less severe cases of pneumonia can be treated with OTC medications such as cough medicine, pain relievers, and fever reducers— and plenty of rest.
For most people, symptoms are pretty straightforward. However, symptoms in the elderly and the very young can be especially severe.
Babies with pneumonia may show traditional symptoms, such as coughing, fever, fatigue, and vomiting, or may not show any symptoms at all. This is why it’s so important to know what to look for.
Older adults may show fewer symptoms, but these symptoms are often more severe because of a weakened immune system. Pneumonia symptoms in older adults may often come with changes in awareness, such as confusion.
Pneumonia can become life-threatening in a matter of days. Do not wait for the disease to get worse before seeking treatment. Call your healthcare provider if you have any of the above symptoms so they can help you get the proper treatment.
If you're experiencing any of the following symptoms— especially if you're in a high-risk age group— contact your doctor immediately:
The common cold, bronchitis, and pneumonia may seem similar at first glance. However, the three have notable differences, despite what sailors may tell you. Remember— the key difference between having a cold and infections like bronchitis and pneumonia is their location.
The common cold affects your nose and sinuses. Bronchitis and pneumonia affect your chest and lungs.
Knowing the difference between these infections can not only make getting proper treatment easier, but it may even save a life!
Feeling under the weather? Want to breathe better? Try SinuSonic!
Whether it's caused by the common cold or allergies, nothing interrupts your day-to-day life quite like a runny nose, also known as rhinorrhea, does. Chronic rhinorrhea occurs when your runny nose symptoms persist for months or even years.
But what causes chronic rhinorrhea, and how do you treat it? It's easier to treat than you may expect.
Rhinorrhea is the technical term for a runny nose or when excess mucus drains out of your nasal passage. Chronic rhinorrhea occurs when you have a constant runny nose, and there are many possible culprits.
Both a runny nose and a stuffy nose are common symptoms of many health problems and can often accompany each other. This can make it easy to confuse the two. But make no mistake— they're quite different from each other. Here's how.
But thankfully, both are easy to treat— and you can even treat both at the same time.
Related: Why Do I Wake Up With a Stuffy Nose?
Do you typically go for over-the-counter (OTC) medicines at the first sign of the sniffles? Here are five natural and drug-free alternatives to those OTC medicines that will make that constant runny nose a thing of the past.
Using SinuSonic helps decongest your sinuses in just 2 minutes a day— without drugs and messy nasal irrigation.
SinuSonic uses gentle acoustic vibrations and light pressure to gently relieve nasal congestion and increase mucus motility so that you can breathe easily. These vibrations and positive expiratory pressure (PEP) also help relieve airway conditions and can even help treat chronic lung conditions.
Need to blow your nose while using SinuSonic? That's normal and a sign that the device is working! Check out some of our user testimonials to learn more about relieving effects and varying treatments the SinuSonic has to offer.
Rinsing your sinuses with a saline solution or a neti pot can moisturize your sinuses, thin out thick mucus, and help remove any foreign matter from your nose. You can buy neti pots or over-the-counter saline solutions at any pharmacy or grocery store.
However, neti pots are only a temporary solution that fail to rinse your sinuses if they are entirely clogged. Not to mention, they can be messy! Suppose you find do neti pots to be a fitting solution for your congestion. In that case, we recommend pairing it with the SinuSonic to ensure longer-lasting relief and clear up congestion in your sinuses that the neti pot can’t reach.
Over-the-counter or prescription nasal sprays are a common and popular treatment for many nasal symptoms, including a runny nose. However, you may want to avoid using a nasal spray to treat chronic rhinorrhea.
Overuse or prolonged nasal spray use can reduce the effectiveness of this treatment over time, requiring more to get the full effect. It can also cause unpleasant side effects, such as headaches and coughing. Worst of all, it can make your nasal symptoms worse!
It can even cause conditions like chronic sinusitis or rhinitis medicamentosa— also known as rebound congestion. [2]
This is because nasal sprays open up your clogged sinuses by shrinking the blood vessels in your nose. After you've been using it for a few days, your body stops responding to the medication.
To avoid this, only use nasal spray once every 12 hours, for no longer than three days if you must.
Drinking plenty of water can keep your nasal mucus thin and easier to clear from your nose.
Men should drink 3.7 liters— or 15.5 cups— of water daily. Women should drink 2.7 liters— 11.5 cups— of water each day.
Knowing what causes your nasal allergy symptoms or irritation can go a long way in preventing a runny nose— and all that frustration.
Here are a few ways to avoid common triggers that can get your nose running like Usain Bolt:
A humidifier can add moisture to the air, which is helpful for soothing dry nasal passages. It can also help keep mucus thin and easy to remove when you blow your nose.
We've all had to deal with a runny nose at some point— but if you're one of the millions of Americans dealing with chronic rhinorrhea, it can be absolutely maddening to deal with a seemingly everlasting runny nose.
But relief is possible! Taking the necessary steps to treat chronic rhinorrhea is easier than you might expect. Once you find relief, you might be amazed at how much better you feel.
Want to relieve your runny nose and breathe better than before? Try SinuSonic!
There are many health benefits to breathing through your nose, but it's no easy feat if you can't get a full deep breath and have no idea why. You're not congested, it's not allergy season, you don't have a cold— everything seems normal. So what's the deal?
The issue's cause may actually be right under your nose— or inside of it.
Nasal polyps are a common medical condition that can cause many different nasal symptoms. They're generally harmless. However, they can be annoying and make it harder for you to breathe easily.
But what exactly are nasal polyps, and why do people get them?
Nasal polyps, sometimes called nasal polyposis, are benign growths in your nasal cavities. They're often shaped like teardrops, and often hang down in your nasal passages. They develop most commonly during adulthood, typically during your 30s and 40s.
They're typically found in both sides of your nasal passages. In fact, polyps occurring only in one nasal passage may actually be cancerous nasal tumors. Remember, normal nasal polyps are benign and noncancerous. [1]
Nasal polyps are often a symptom of a common condition called chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). CRS is characterized by inflammation of your nose and sinus cavities. It's an extremely common condition— almost 12 percent of all adults have it. About 20 percent of chronic rhinosinusitis cases will also have nasal polyps. This is known as chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, or CRSwNP.
That's quite a mouthful to describe a condition inside your nose.
But remember— nasal polyps are generally harmless and may not even need to be treated directly if they’re not causing you any issues. Many common treatments for nasal congestion can also help with symptoms caused by nasal polyps. We’ll get into some of these later.
There's no single specific cause for nasal polyps. In fact, experts aren't quite sure what the main culprit is.
However, biopsies performed on nasal polyp tissue found elevated levels of cells called eosinophils. Eosinophils are a kind of white blood cell that help fight infections in your body. Because of this, experts think that elevated levels of these cells can create polyps in your nasal passages. [2]
Nasal polyps are also associated with medical conditions like:
Nasal polyps can also develop after prolonged or chronic inflammation of your sinuses, such as a sinus infection. This makes sense because this would create elevated levels of eosinophils— which can also be common triggers for the development of nasal polyps.
As you can see, nasal polyps can be caused by a number of medical conditions, some more serious than others. Now, we ask, how can you tell if you have nasal polyps?
Can you tell on your own if you will need your nasal passages to be examined by a doctor?
Honestly, it depends on the size of the polyps. Most nasal polyps are small to the point of being undetectable. They also lack sensation, so you likely won't even feel them in your nose— especially if they're small. In fact, small nasal polyps often go undetected because they're not causing any notable symptoms. If this is the case, then you can just ignore them if they’re not bothering you.
However, large nasal polyps are a different story.
A large nasal polyp can easily become a nasal obstruction if it overdevelops, especially if there's more than one in each nasal passage.
Some common symptoms associated with nasal polyps include:
If polyps get large enough, they can cause more health problems including:
No— at least not without help.
Because of their location in your nasal passage, it's difficult to just look into your nose and check for polyps. This can make self-examinations frustrating and unproductive.
This is why it’s recommended that you seek assistance when checking for nasal polyps, preferably from your doctor. They will be able to determine the existence, severity, and causes of your nasal polyps.
If you're worried that your annoying or severe nasal symptoms are caused by nasal polyps, talk to your doctor. They'll ask you about your symptoms and how long you had them, as well as your health history. This includes any history of allergies, asthma, infections, or other ailments that might be contributing to your congestion.
If needed, they'll give you a CT scan to examine the inside of your sinuses, or simply look into each nasal cavity with a small camera called a nasal endoscope.
Once they know whether or not you have nasal polyps— and how severe they are— your doctor can get you started on the appropriate treatment.
The right treatment will reduce the severity of your symptoms and help reduce the size of your polyps. But you may be wondering— do nasal polyps go away on their own after a while?
Put simply, no, they won't. Treatment can make your symptoms less severe, but it won't remove the polyps themselves. Typically, surgery is the only option to completely remove nasal polyps, and this should only be done in severe cases.
One such surgery— polypectomy— will remove the masses from each sinus cavity. Alternatively, they can be removed via nasal endoscopy surgery.
However, it's important to note that surgery may not be a permanent solution for nasal polyps. They may grow back— which can be very frustrating if you're back to square one even after an invasive sinus surgery.
So if it's possible that they'll come back after surgery, is it possible to eliminate the possibility of nasal polyps completely? Actually yes— and as the adage goes, prevention may be the best cure.
Yes and no. Even with the proper prevention, it won't completely eliminate the possibility that you can get them. There are a few ways to help prevent nasal polyps from developing or worsening. Here are some simple options you can try at home:
SinuSonic's unique device clears your sinuses naturally— without drugs, irrigation, or nasal sprays. The device decongests your nasal passages by using gentle pressure and light acoustic vibrations. SinuSonic's oscillating "flutter valve" provides gentle resistance as you use the device, which can help you breathe better if used consistently. All it takes is 2 minutes of use daily to breathe deeper and more freely.
All this talk of prevention may not feel especially reassuring if you already have annoying nasal polyps. But don’t worry, they are treatable without surgery. If your symptoms are severe and becoming an active hindrance in your day-to-day life, there are some common treatments available:
It's not always easy to tell if you have nasal polyps— especially if they're small enough to be virtually undetectable. But just because they're out of sight doesn't mean they're out of mind (or nose). Large nasal polyps can lead to an obstructed airway, making it more difficult to breathe and worsening congestion. Because they don’t disappear naturally, nasal polyps will not get any better without treatment.
So if you're not breathing as well as you used to, trust your nose and contact your doctor. They'll help you get the treatment you need to shrink those nasal polyps and breathe easier.
And if you don't have nasal polyps, but are worried you may develop them, there are easy steps you can take to help prevent them!
Want to decongest your sinuses and breathe better naturally? Check out SinuSonic!
Whether you suffer from hay fever, or something like a dust allergy or a pet dander allergy, you likely take heart in knowing the exact cause of your allergies because that makes it much easier to avoid them.
But is it possible to experience allergy symptoms, even without a specific cause?
Unfortunately, it is, thanks to a condition known as non-allergic rhinitis.
19 million Americans suffer from non-allergic rhinitis each year— but what is it? What makes it different from your regular allergy symptoms?
It has more in common with your seasonal allergies than you may think, but those differences are very important when it comes to diagnosing and treating non-allergic rhinitis.
Non-allergic rhinitis, also known as vasomotor rhinitis or nonallergic rhinitis, is essentially allergy symptoms without an apparent cause. Inversely, allergic rhinitis— also known as hay fever— occurs from a specific cause such as pollen or dust. Both occur when the tissue in your nasal passages becomes inflamed or irritated.
With allergic rhinitis, the familiar allergy symptoms are your immune system overreacting to an irritant or trigger, and pulling out all the stops to get rid of what's causing the irritation.
Non-allergic rhinitis symptoms typically include:
While these symptoms also accompany allergic rhinitis, there are a few familiar allergy symptoms that you won't experience with nonallergic rhinitis. In particular, you won't get an itchy nose or itchy eyes if you're experiencing non-allergic rhinitis.
Inflammation from allergic rhinitis is typically caused by a certain airborne irritant, like pollen or dust. However, inflammation for non-allergic rhinitis is caused by various non-allergy related triggers, such as medications, hormones, or even the foods you eat. These can cause your body to produce a sort of allergic reaction, even if you aren’t allergic to the trigger itself.
Some triggers of non-allergic rhinitis can include:
Non-allergic rhinitis may also be connected to conditions like nasal polyps or sinusitis— otherwise known as a sinus infection.
Some people are more at risk of non-allergic rhinitis than others. Some of these risk factors can include:
If your symptoms last for months or even years, this is known as chronic rhinitis. [2] Both allergic and non-allergic rhinitis can develop into a chronic issue. Additionally, perennial rhinitis occurs when you experience your allergy symptoms for an hour or more for most days during the year.
If you think you may be experiencing non-allergic rhinitis, consult your doctor. They can make a formal diagnosis after allergy testing rules out any allergic causes to your symptoms.
Allergy testing can either involve skin prick tests or blood tests to identify which allergens give you an allergic reaction. This can include typical irritants like dust and animal dander, but also sensitivities to foods like soy or peanuts.
If you don't have a reaction or show sensitivities to any of those potential irritants, then your symptoms are most likely caused by non-allergic rhinitis.
Your doctor may also perform a nasal endoscopy to look inside each nasal cavity for any other potential causes of your symptoms, such as nasal polyps.
Because there's an overlap in symptoms between allergic and non-allergic rhinitis, it can be difficult to determine an exact diagnosis of your symptoms.
When this is the case, you may be diagnosed with what's known as idiopathic rhinitis— or nasal disease of unknown origin. [3]
Idiopathic rhinitis may potentially be caused by internal factors, such as:
While there have been significant strides in allergy testing, making it easier to determine the cause of your rhinitis symptoms, more research is still needed to confirm and diagnose non-allergic conditions.
Even if you do experience these symptoms and don’t know the exact cause, don't worry— it's possible to treat them and get some much-needed relief.
Whether you experience occasional or chronic nonallergic rhinitis, getting relief is easy. Here are our 4 easy tips for treating non-allergic rhinitis and helping yourself breathe easy.
One of the most effective and easiest ways to prevent your allergy symptoms is to avoid your triggers— like limiting time outside if you have a pollen allergy. If you are attentive to your daily habits and external factors, you may be able to determine the triggers that are causing you so much discomfort.
Just like with hay fever, avoiding the triggers that cause your non-allergic rhinitis can help prevent those symptoms from driving you crazy. A few ways that you can avoid potential triggers include:
Important note: NEVER stop taking any prescribed medications or alter your dosage schedule without consulting your doctor first.
Prolonged use of nasal decongestants or sprays can create a tolerance for those medicines, making them less effective over time.
Remember— overusing nasal decongestants can also cause a form of non-allergic rhinitis called rhinitis medicamentosa. This can even potentially lead to an even bigger problem, a condition called atrophic rhinitis.
Atrophic rhinitis is when your nasal mucosa— the moist, inner lining of your nose— begins to thin or shrink. When this occurs, the tissue hardens and your nasal passages become too dry. This can create a foul-smelling crust on the inside of your nose, as well as bad breath. [4]
Atrophic rhinitis symptoms include:
If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, contact your doctor or seek a less invasive solution such as SinuSonic. Your doctor can help you find the right treatment for your symptoms and help determine what may be causing them.
Dry nasal passages are not only unpleasant, but they can make your rhinitis symptoms worse. Keeping them nice and moist ensures that your mucus grabs any bacteria, viruses, or irritants you inhale, so you can prevent them from wreaking havoc in your body. Here are some easy ways to keep your nasal membranes moist:
Just remember to blow your nose gently— blowing your nose too hard can cause nosebleeds or even rupture your eardrum by sending too much pressure from your nose through your eustachian tubes, which connect your nose and ears.
SinuSonic is a scientifically proven, all-natural alternative to messy nasal irrigation or drugs that lose effectiveness over time or even worsen your non-allergic rhinitis. SinuSonic's unique device combines acoustic vibrations and positive expiratory pressure (PEP) to encourage nasal drainage and help you breathe more efficiently.
All it takes is two minutes a day to relieve nasal congestion, improve airway functionality, and provide lasting relief from your nasal symptoms. If you're looking for a way to relieve your rhinitis symptoms, why not give yourself some good vibrations?
Non-allergic rhinitis is an annoying, but thankfully temporary condition that typically won't do more than put a damper on your day. While the symptoms may be similar to allergic rhinitis, the causes of it can vary based on your individual circumstances.
Regardless, it's easy to treat non-allergic rhinitis— especially if you know your triggers. Knowing how to avoid your triggers and treat your symptoms can go a long way in helping you breathe freely.
Looking for a holistic treatment for your non-allergic rhinitis? Give SinuSonic a try!
Not only do pregnant women contend with the physical changes that accompany a growing baby, but they also have to deal with significant emotional and hormonal changes.
One of the most commonly experienced pregnancy conditions is what’s known as pregnancy rhinitis. It may not seem severe like other potential pregnancy complications, but that doesn’t mean that you should ignore those symptoms if you have them. Congestion during pregnancy can be maddening and may even be a sign pointing to underlying issues.
If you have seasonal allergies or hay fever, then you may be familiar with the phrase "allergic rhinitis." Allergic rhinitis refers to a stuffy nose that’s caused by allergens irritating your nasal passages. Pregnancy rhinitis is actually a form of nonallergic rhinitis— or allergy symptoms that are not caused by allergies or infections.
Instead, pregnancy-induced stuffiness is an inflammation of your nose's mucus membranes due to increased blood flow to the nasal passages.
Pregnancy rhinitis can affect anywhere between 18 and 42 percent of pregnant women, most often occurring early in the first trimester and in late pregnancy.
The symptoms of pregnancy rhinitis are just like any other hay fever or allergy symptoms you can experience outside of pregnancy. These symptoms include:
Experts aren't 100 percent sure what causes these allergy symptoms, but many believe it's because of the normal hormonal changes all pregnant women experience. It may also be caused by your body creating extra fluid as your baby grows.
However, having a history of seasonal allergies or asthma will not increase your risk of pregnancy rhinitis. So if you even if you regularly experience hay fever or if you have asthma, you may not even develop pregnancy rhinitis at all.
During pregnancy, women experience dramatic, sudden increases in estrogen and progesterone. These hormones help support the growth and development of the fetus, improve the formation of blood vessels, and transfer nutrients to the fetus.
Progesterone levels are also high during pregnancy. These changes cause your body’s ligaments and joints to loosen, also helping your uterus grow to accommodate a growing baby.
Pregnancy rhinitis is an extremely common pregnancy symptom. It can even occur even before many women know that they're pregnant. So ladies, if you're feeling stuffed up and your symptoms aren't letting up, then it's possible that you may be pregnant. In fact, it's so common during early pregnancy that it may be able to indicate pregnancy even before a missed period. [1]
Even though pregnancy-induced stuffiness may seem run-of-the-mill at the start, it’s very important to take these symptoms seriously.
Left untreated, pregnancy rhinitis can have adverse effects on a developing fetus. More research is needed to fully understand the connection, but untreated congestion in pregnant women can cause habitual snoring during pregnancy. This can increase their risk of developing health conditions that can potentially harm their baby, including:
Pregnancy rhinitis can also lead to sinusitis, ear infections, and worsened asthma symptoms if an expectant mother already has asthma. Rhinitis during pregnancy can cause headaches, anxiety, and insomnia to worsen or become more frequent.
It’s more important than ever for an expectant mother to get a good night’s sleep during pregnancy. Unfortunately, this may be easier said than done. Factors like fetal movements, frequent bathroom breaks, as well as the myriad physical and hormonal changes taking place in the body can make getting a good night’s sleep difficult.
If you’re regularly experiencing poor sleep during pregnancy, keep an eye out for these symptoms.
While these symptoms can be common during pregnancy, they are also potential signs of sleep apnea— a serious sleep disorder that causes pauses or stops in breathing during the night. If you’re experiencing one or more of these symptoms to a concerning extent, it’s important to talk to your doctor as soon as possible.
Sleep apnea during pregnancy can also increase the risk of complications including low birth weight and pre-term birth. Sleep apnea during pregnancy can also cause insulin resistance and increase your risk of gestational diabetes. [2]
Related: How to Sleep with a Stuffy Nose
Being congested is uncomfortable at the best of times, and it can be especially annoying when you're pregnant and experiencing all sorts of other bodily changes. But there are easy ways for you to treat pregnancy rhinitis and give you some much-needed relief.
Tip #1: Ease decongestion gently and naturally with SinuSonic. Our patented device uses gentle acoustic waves and light pressure to decongest your nasal passages naturally and without drugs or the mess that irrigation can bring.
Tip #2: Drink plenty of fluids— especially water. This prevents dehydration, which can make nasal symptoms worse. Staying hydrated also helps keep your mucus membranes nice and moist.
Tip #3: Use a humidifier to increase the humidity in your home. This keeps your nasal passages from getting dry and irritated.
Tip #4: Use an extra pillow or a wedge to elevate your head while you sleep. This will help reduce congestion and help you sleep better. Using a nasal strip can help open your airways further.
Tip #5: Avoid over-the-counter (OTC) decongestants and nasal sprays.
For some, reaching for the OTC decongestants may be your first instinct with nasal stuffiness. However, you may want to reconsider that if you're pregnant.
Some of these medications— such as those that contain an antihistamine— aren't effective for pregnancy rhinitis because your body isn't reacting to any allergens or irritants. However, if you're experiencing normal allergy symptoms during pregnancy, allergy medications with antihistamines are still safe to take. [3]
Decongestants, however, are not as safe to take during pregnancy because they narrow the blood vessels in your nose. This is especially true during the first trimester when pregnancy rhinitis is most likely to occur.
But you may be thinking— "what about nasal spray? That stays in my nose, right?" Not always.
Nasal sprays tend to work quickly because they're applied directly to the inflamed nasal passage and don't get into your blood. Most importantly, these won't reach your developing baby. However, this is not the case for all nasal sprays. Some of them can be absorbed into your bloodstream— which increases the chance that they can affect your baby.
Nasal spray can also cause rhinitis medicamentosa, a disorder that, ironically, causes even worse congestion and nasal symptoms if you’ve used nasal spray excessively or for extended periods of time.
Always talk to your doctor before you begin taking any over-the-counter medications. They can help you figure out which of them are safe to take during all stages of your pregnancy.
Treating congestion can be tricky if you’re experiencing cold or allergy symptoms and nonallergic symptoms like pregnancy rhinitis together. It can be even more difficult if you’re not sure what’s causing your symptoms. That’s why it’s important to seek treatment that can address all forms of congestion, and without drugs or chemicals.
SinuSonic has been clinically researched on its effectiveness for both allergic and nonallergic rhinitis, and rhinologists recommend it as a universal solution for nasal congestion.
SinuSonic’s gentle acoustic vibrations and positive expiratory pressure (PEP) delivers safe, drug-free relief for all causes of congestion— including pregnancy rhinitis.
In laboratory studies, SinuSonic significantly improved nasal congestion symptoms and peak nasal inspiratory airflow (PNIF). More than 80 percent of study patients reported improvements in their congestion symptoms and better airflow. And when you breathe better, your quality of life grows.
Pregnancy rhinitis is a common occurrence for many expectant mothers. Left untreated, it can potentially cause some serious complications— but it shouldn't ruin what can be a very beautiful time in your life.
Knowing what causes pregnancy rhinitis makes it infinitely easier to treat, and you can do both without relying on drugs, chemicals, and messy irrigation.
SinuSonic is safe enough for daily use, and works even better the longer you use it. Breathe freely and help your nose work the way nature intended!
It’s tempting to breathe through your mouth while you exercise, but you’ll get better performance if you don’t.
Competitive athletes will actually train while holding water in their mouths to prevent mouth breathing during training sessions.
You don’t have to go to that extreme, or be a competitive athlete for that matter, to benefit from nasal breathing. And while nose breathing improves your performance, mouth breathing actually hurts your performance!
All exercise, from running sprints to marathons, or taking a walk to doing yoga will benefit from proper oxygenation through your nose.
First, let’s talk about the basics of breathing to better understand the why.
Breathing is an obvious vital life process, but it does a lot more than just keep you alive.
When you inhale, air enters your lungs. The oxygen in that air moves to your bloodstream. At the same time, carbon dioxide moves from your blood to your lungs, and is exhaled as waste.
This complex process is referred to as “gas exchange”.
Your respiratory system handles the breathing, but your brain controls your ability to breathe.
Your brain controls your breathing habits including your breath rate. Breath rate refers to how fast or slow you breathe. It also senses when your body needs to get oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide.
We've written about the overall benefits of nasal breathing and recommend you check it out if you’d like to go deeper, but we'll provide a brief recap here too.
Nasal breathing is the most efficient way for you to breathe.
Breathing through your nose filters the air you breathe. Your nose hair helps keep irritants from entering your lungs and inflaming your airways. Nasal breathing also warms the air when you inhale through your nose, which makes the air easier for your lungs to use.
Other benefits of nasal breathing include:
You may be thinking "breathing is breathing," whether you do it through your nose or your mouth. But that's not true, and there are many reasons you shouldn’t be mouth breathing (exercising or not).
More than half the American population, 61 percent to be exact, identify as a mouth breather. Admittedly, we've all done it at some point. If it’s a daily habit, it’s time to break it.
Mouth breathing just isn't as efficient or healthy as nasal breathing.
Here are several unpleasant side effects of breathing through your mouth:
This list of mouth breathing side effects is on top of the negative impact it has on your fitness levels and athletic performance.
Whether you're on a long jog, in the middle of a particularly intense high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout, or are just getting into the swing of things, you've felt that familiar breathlessness while you exercise.
It’s tempting to breathe through your mouth to get some deeper breaths, especially when exerting a lot of energy or if you start getting stuffy during the workout.
During your next workout or physical activity, pay attention to your own breathing habits. Do you start breathing through your mouth? If you do, it’s better if you stop and force yourself to breathe through your nose.
If you get stuffy during exercise and think it’s too hard to breathe through your nose, we’re sharing solutions for that later.
An important reason to force yourself to switch back to nasal breathing is because mouth breathing during aerobic exercise makes you work harder for the same amount of oxygen you’ll get by breathing through your nose.
There are two main things that happen when you exercise:
First, your body uses more oxygen to keep you moving. In turn, this causes your blood oxygen concentration to drop.
Second, increased muscle activity and a jump in your metabolic rate (which determines how many calories your body burns) during exercise causes you to produce more carbon dioxide (CO2) as you breathe.
Your ability to sustain physical activity like exercise is directly related to your blood sensitivity to carbon dioxide.
Your breathing rate will increase to match your body's CO2 production to keep your blood CO2 levels consistent. If these levels are too high, the speed and volume of your breathing increases.
In short, you'll need to breathe faster and deeper to keep up with your body's oxygen needs.
So what does this have to do with breathing through your nose?
One study published by the International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science found that, while running on a treadmill, runners who breathed through their noses had fewer breaths per minute than those who breathed through their mouths.
Even though these runners experienced more airflow resistance than those who breathed through their mouths, they didn't have to work as hard to bring in the same amount of oxygen. [1]
An article published by EC Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine states that nasal breathing is the "secret to improved health and athletic performance and recovery."
For optimal athletic performance, your body needs to utilize oxygen as efficiently as possible. To do this, you need to be able to consume more oxygen while keeping carbon dioxide levels low.
The article continues that mouth breathing can alter the balance of facial muscles and cause changes in your face's skeletal structure, which can contribute to additional breathing problems. It can also reduce oxygen absorption, which can have negative impacts on your stamina and your energy levels.
On the other hand, nasal breathing performs the same amount of work as mouth breathing, but requires less energy and effort. Remember, breathing through your nose also produces nitric oxide, which is also important during physical exercise.
Nitric oxide helps control blood flow to your muscle cells, increases your lung capacity, and helps reduce exercise-induced bronchoconstriction— the narrowing of your airways after strenuous exercise.
Air hunger— or dyspnea— is the strong urge to breathe, or the feeling of being severely out of breath. Basically, it's your body's way of alerting you that you're not getting enough oxygen.
Air hunger is common while you are exercising— especially if you are out of shape or overexert yourself. It can also occur if you're traveling at a high altitude, or going through significant temperature changes.
Dyspnea can also be related to other issues, such as asthma, anxiety, and heart disease. If you experience air hunger often in your day-to-day life, it's recommended you talk to your doctor.
Air hunger during exercise, however, is typically not a cause for alarm. It can also be prevented.
The best way to prevent air hunger during exercise is to breathe through your nose.
If that’s a challenge for you, there are ways you can teach yourself how to do that. Just like other areas of your body, there are specialized exercises that can strengthen your respiratory system too.
If you feel you’re hitting a wall with your athletic performance it’s time to consider how you're breathing, or perhaps you’re simply wanting to prevent mouth breathing during any form of physical activity.
Either way, for more efficient nasal breathing during exercise, give these nasal breathing techniques a try. You may be surprised how much they help!
Alternate nostril breathing is a yogic breath control practice that can help reduce stress, improve cardiovascular function, and yes, help you breathe better. It's exactly what it sounds like— you alternate breathing through each nostril, focusing on your breathing.
Here's how to do it:
Diaphragmatic breathing, or belly breathing, involves consciously engaging your diaphragm to take deeper breaths. The goal is to fully engage your stomach, abs, and diaphragm while you breathe to help you breathe more efficiently.
Like alternate nostril breathing, belly breathing can help promote relaxation while also strengthening your diaphragm, slowing your breathing rate, and help you use the oxygen you breathe more efficiently.
There are a lot of ways to practice diaphragmatic breathing, but here's the most simple way:
What runs more, you or your nose?
Nasal congestion is common during times of physical exercise. But using SinuSonic right before your next workout can open your airways and help you breathe better, even during an intense workout.
In fact, athletes who use SinuSonic can expect a reduction in nasal congestion after the first use, and improved nasal airflow. The more you use the device, the more your breathing improves.
Nothing ruins a workout quite like exercise-induced rhinitis (EIR)— that familiar runny nose and often stuffy nose you get when you exercise.
It’s hard to breathe through your nose and get the benefit of nasal breathing if you’re too stuffed up.
There’s allergic and nonallergic rhinitis, and although exercise-induced rhinitis symptoms contribute to both types of rhinitis, people with allergies often experience strong symptoms during high-allergen seasons.
The increased symptoms occur partly because when you exercise you’re exposed to more allergens and irritants because you’re taking in more air.
The irritants and allergens enter your body more easily and create inflammation and a strong histamine response.
It’s most common in people who exercise outside, especially if they experience allergies to irritants like pollen. However, you can experience it if you work out at the gym too, as a form of nonallergic rhinitis.
Nonallergic rhinitis occurs when your allergy symptoms occur in the absence of allergens like pollen and dust. Rather, it’s caused by irritants like odors, chemical fumes, or fragrances.
So if there are certain strong smells at the gym— like cleaning solutions, air fresheners, or even other gym-goers— those can trigger EIR too.
No matter what causes your EIR though, SinuSonic can help clear that up. The device provides relief to inflamed and irritated nasal passages, and increases mucus motility so you can blow all that annoying mucus away.
The device itself is also portable and will fit comfortably into your gym bag— even if it’s packed to the brim with water bottles, protein bars, or sweaty socks.
Nasal breathing is more efficient for your oxygen needs and is an elite athlete’s secret to better athletic performance!
We know everyone breathes through their mouth at some point. It’s especially tempting to start breathing through your mouth during exercise when you're already feeling stuffed up, or experience exercise-induced rhinitis.
It can be a hard habit to break, but it’s important to practice nasal breathing instead.
Keeping your sinuses clear is key. Training yourself to breathe through your nose during exercise most of the time by adopting a breathing practice can help.
Want to improve your athletic performance? Give SinuSonic a try!
Nasal congestion is associated with difficulty sleeping, reduced daytime performance, and reduced quality of life. SinuSonic's patented design uses gentle pressure and light acoustic vibrations to open your airways naturally and drug-free.
The device's unique flutter valve offers gentle resistance to help strengthen your breathing and decongest your nasal passages, allowing you to breathe more freely and efficiently before, during, and after your workout.
1. Dallam, G., et al. "Effect of Nasal versus Oral Breathing on vo2max and Physiological Economy in Recreational Runners Following an Extended Period Spent Using Nasally Restricted Breathing: Semantic Scholar." Semantic Scholar, International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science, 1 Jan. 1970, www.semanticscholar.org/paper/effect-of-nasal-versus-oral-breathing-on-vo2max-and-dallam-mcclaran/d5c63c9c6816b7ae95b5626d66b49b8514cbcc8d.
2. Flanell, Michael. "The Athlete's Secret Ingredient: The Power of Nasal Breathing." ECronicon Open Access, EX Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, 21 May 2019, www.ecronicon.com/ecprm/pdf/ECPRM-08-00367.pdf.
]]>Spring is that amazing time of year when the snow melts, the weather warms up, and all the plants begin to bloom again. It can be absolutely beautiful, watching life return to all the plants and trees that were dormant during the winter. However, you may be singing a different tune if you experience hay fever.
Millions of Americans suffer from hay fever every year— and the symptoms can range from mildly annoying to debilitating. But there are ways to enjoy the beauty of nature— even during spring— without aggravating your hay fever and by keeping your seasonal allergy symptoms under control naturally. And all without prescription or OTC drugs.
You can skip ahead to the list of natural allergy remedies, but if you’re curious about hay fever — what it is and why your body experiences so many uncomfortable symptoms — keep reading.
Hay fever— also known as allergic rhinitis— is an allergic reaction to environmental irritants. The name is a little misleading though— it's not just hay that causes your allergy symptoms. Hay fever can be caused by a lot of different allergens.
There are two different types of hay fever depending on what's causing your symptoms.
It's even possible to experience both kinds of hay fever at the same time! When this happens, your perennial symptoms may get worse during seasons when pollen is high.
Your hay fever symptoms can even be triggered by other irritants like smoke, diesel exhaust, cleaning solutions, and even perfume.
Typical hay fever symptoms include:
Your allergy symptoms aren't caused by the irritants themselves— they're caused by your body's reaction to them. Each symptom is actually an allergic reaction. When the offending irritant enters your body, your immune system essentially overreacts in an attempt to get the irritant out of your system.
So if you're experiencing any of the above symptoms, keep in mind that it's your body at work trying to protect you! That may not sound especially reassuring if you're in misery though.
It can be hard to function if your allergies are flaring up. Aside from being uncomfortable, hay fever has also been associated with:
If you have medical conditions like a deviated septum, nasal polyps, or asthma, these can make your nasal allergy symptoms even more intense. All three are also associated with breathing difficulty year-round as well.
Seasonal allergy symptoms are also similar to those of the common cold. This can potentially cause confusion, especially since cold and flu season also happens during allergy season.
Related: Allergies or Cold? How to Tell the Difference
When your seasonal allergy symptoms are driving you crazy, your first instinct is probably to reach for the over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medication including nasal spray, antihistamine eye drops, or allergy medicines in pill form. But there are lots of ways to treat your symptoms naturally without the OTC stuff.
Here are a few of our tips for relieving your hay fever symptoms naturally.
Tip #1: Use SinuSonic. The SinuSonic device uses a unique combination of gentle pressure and light acoustic vibrations to open your nasal passages naturally. Using SinuSonic regularly can even help you breathe more efficiently! Need to blow your nose during or after using SinuSonic? That means it's working! You can also use any of the tips below to complement your SinuSonic treatment and kick your allergy symptoms to the curb.
Tip #2: Use a cold compress to relieve eye allergy symptoms. A cold compress can help relieve and soothe itchy eyes. Just soak a clean washcloth in cold water, and apply it to closed eyes.
Tip #3: Use a neti pot or a saline solution to rinse your sinuses. Although a bit messy or time-consuming, saline solution or a neti pot are helpful natural alternatives to OTC or prescription nasal spray. The saline solution helps moisturize your nasal passages while also flushing out irritants like pollen.
Tip #4: Pay attention to pollen count. It can be hard to deal with seasonal pollen allergies if taking one step outside sends your symptoms into a tailspin. To prevent this, we recommend checking Pollen.com during pollen season. It can tell you what the allergy forecast is for your area— low, medium, or high— as well as what allergens are in the air. So whether you're allergic to tree pollen, grass pollen, or weed pollen, you can check to see each day's pollen count so you can prepare for the day.
Tip #5: Keep the windows closed. While spring weather is often very pleasant, opening the windows during pollen season can bring pollen into your home. And once it's inside, it can easily be inhaled— where it can irritate your airways. It can also stick to the soft surfaces in your home, like carpet, curtains, and furniture.
Related: How to Allergy-Proof Your Home
Spring is a beautiful time of year when nature is in full blossom— but that can be a problem if you struggle with hay fever. Thankfully, it's easy to keep your symptoms under control so you can enjoy the beautiful weather. The best part? You can find relief from your hay fever naturally.
So go forth and enjoy that spring weather without worry. We definitely will be.
Want to breathe more freely? Check out SinuSonic!
You don’t have to be sick or suffering from allergies to experience congestion or nasal breathing issues. Instead, you may have a condition called a deviated septum.
Maybe you’ve heard of a deviated septum but aren’t quite sure what that means, or how to identify if your difficulty breathing is a result of the condition. Discover how to identify and address a deviated septum, including treatment without surgery.
A deviated septum— also known as a deviated nasal septum— is a condition where your septum is off-center or crooked.
Your septum is the cartilage and bone in the center of your nose that divides your nasal cavity into two passages. A crooked septum can cause one of these passages to be smaller than the other leading to reduced airflow in your sinuses and difficulty breathing.
Deviated septum is a common condition for all age groups, with up to 80 percent of the population having a noticeable septal deviation when examined. But that doesn’t mean treatment is required. Many people have a deviated septum and never have bothersome symptoms.
Most of these deviations are generally minor and will not cause breathing problems, which is why many people may not realize their septum is crooked. More severe cases though can cause breathing difficulty and may even require surgery to fix the issue.
If you have a chronically blocked nasal passage, along with other common deviated septum symptoms, it may be time to address the issue.
Common deviated septum symptoms include:
Although many people with a mild condition don't report symptoms, a deviated septum that is more moderate to severe is likely to create a nasal obstruction. This obstruction makes it more difficult to breathe through the obstructed side of the nasal passage. However, sometimes the obstruction is noticed on the opposite side.
When breathing, you continuously switch from one nostril to the other while directing airflow. This continuous switching is intentional and designed to prevent constant airflow from drying out and damaging the nostril's lining.
This switching of airflow from one nostril to the other is referred to as the nasal cycle. And if you have a deviated septum and the obstruction occurs on the opposite side of the septal blockage, nasal breathing becomes especially difficult and often uncomfortable.
Having a deviated septum with more severe blockage can also make you vulnerable to sleep apnea when left untreated. [1]
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious sleep disorder where the airway is partially blocked, or in some cases completely obstructed. These blockages contribute to hypertension, mood disorders and heart conditions such as heart failure or strokes.
A common sleep apnea symptom is loud snoring. If you find yourself snoring, gasping for breath, or are told you stop breathing while asleep, it's important to get tested for sleep apnea and seek expert advice on whether your deviated septum is contributing to the disorder.
There are two main causes of a deviated septum. The first is that many people are simply born with the condition. It could develop in utero, or is caused by an injury to the nose during birth, or by pressure within the birth canal.
The second cause of a deviated septum is injury or trauma to the nose. This can be caused by several injuries including:
You can help reduce your risk of injury by always wearing a seatbelt while in the car, or wearing appropriate safety gear when you play sports.
A third, although less common cause of a deviated septum, is something that can’t be prevented— aging. As you age, the structure of your nasal cavity may change, which can cause or worsen a deviated septum.
If you experience any of the symptoms listed or have suffered an injury to your nose, you may have a deviated septum.
Generally, a physical exam with an ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist) can determine whether your septum is deviated. Although you may be able to tell by looking in the mirror, you can also have a nose that looks completely straight and still suffer from the condition.
Septum piercings have become very popular in recent years. Even before that, nose piercings were popular fashion statements. It’s very common for people to wonder if it’s okay to get a nose piercing when you have a deviated septum, or to worry that getting a nose piercing will cause snoring, difficulty breathing, or affect one’s sense of smell.
It is possible to get a septum piercing with a deviated septum— although the piercing may not be completely centered. Your septum piercing may also hurt more initially because of overactive septum nerves. But what about other breathing problems?
A nose piercing can lead to narrowed airways, swelling of your nostrils, or breathing obstruction— but only temporarily. As you adjust to a new piercing— like a septum piercing— you get used to the new object in your nose as your piercing heals. Once everything is healed, your breathing should return to normal.
However, an infection or an allergic reaction to the new jewelry can prevent healing and cause other problems. Signs of infection include:
You can prevent infection by keeping the piercing site clean— your piercer will give you directions for this. If you have any allergies to metals used in body jewelry, let your piercer know ahead of time so you can prevent potential allergic reactions.
Nose piercings cannot affect your sense of smell either. This is because the piercings are in areas that contain minimal amounts of nerves. And with fewer nerves there, your new piercing is unlikely to hinder your ability to smell.
The only way to 100 percent fix a deviated septum is through nasal surgery. The main surgical procedure is called septoplasty— which evens out the size of your nasal passages by removing the excess bone or cartilage causing the obstruction. [2]
However, surgery may not be a feasible option for some because of the price, or if the surgery isn't covered by insurance. It may not even be necessary if your deviated septum is less severe.
There are treatment options for a deviated septum that don't require surgery. While these options will not correct a deviated septum because they aren’t addressing the structural issues, they can help reduce the congestion and symptoms associated with the non-deviated side.
When you get congested or clogged on the “open” non-deviated side, it can feel miserable. Taking steps to open the “good” airway supports better breathing.
These treatment options include:
Remember— these options cannot correct a deviated septum— only sinus surgery can do that. However, these treatments are effective in relieving some of the symptoms caused by a deviated septum and can help open up the non-deviated nasal passage.
A deviated septum is a very common occurrence— most people have it in some form! However, they may not even realize they have it, since their symptoms are likely not causing any issues. But if your deviated septum is causing problems, there are ways to treat it— with or without surgery.
Not sure if you have it? Talk to an ear, nose, and throat specialist or your doctor. They can help you find the root of your breathing problems and get started with the right treatment.
Want to learn more about SinuSonic, or have some questions for the team? Let's get in touch!
Some causes are more obvious like picking your nose, but what about congestion or overusing nasal decongestant sprays? Is there a connection between nasal congestion and nosebleeds?
It may feel like the two are connected— but are they? And if so, what can you do for congestion when decongestants may also be a contributing factor?
Let’s start with a quick look at what causes a nosebleed.
Nosebleeds— also known as epistaxis— are extremely common, and most of them are caused by nasal irritation or the common cold.
Your nose contains many small blood vessels that can become irritated and bleed easily. Even air moving through your nose can irritate those sensitive membranes— which is why nosebleeds are more common during winter when the air is colder and drier.
There are two different kinds of nosebleeds, defined by where the bleeding starts. These are:
Nosebleeds are caused by multiple factors. Some of these include:
Occasional nosebleeds are no cause for alarm. However, frequent nosebleeds can be a symptom of another underlying disorder. For instance, recurring nosebleeds can be a sign of serious conditions like high blood pressure, a blood clotting disorder, or even a tumor in your nose or sinuses.
You’ve seen people twist toilet paper and stick it up their nose— maybe you have too— but that’s not the recommended way to stop a nosebleed. And although stopping a nosebleed is pretty straightforward, it sometimes takes the right touch to stop it quickly and prevent another. Follow these steps to stop a nosebleed:
Avoid inserting tissues, toilet paper, tampons, or gauze into your nostrils during a nosebleed. While it absorbs the blood flow, it can actually worsen your bleeding by irritating your nose further. It also doesn't provide enough pressure to stop the bleeding.
You main be tempted to lay back during those 10 minutes waiting for your nosebleed to stop, but you should instead remain upright and avoid laying down during a nosebleed.
Avoid blowing your nose or sniffing for several hours after a nosebleed— this prevents any irritation that may cause your nose to bleed again.
Yes— there is. In fact, if you've been following our blog, then you may have noticed that many potential causes of nosebleeds can also cause nasal congestion. From above, these include:
If you're prone to nosebleeds cold and flu or allergy seasons may increase how often you get a nosebleed, but there are easy ways prevent nosebleeds and nasal congestion.
When it comes to a bloody nose, prevention is the best cure. Here are a few simple ways to prevent a bloody nose, even when your nose is all stuffed up.
If you're prone to nosebleeds and you're feeling congested, it's more important than ever to find a gentle way to decongest. One of the best ways to do this is with SinuSonic.
SinuSonic relieves nasal congestion gently and naturally through the use of light pressure and acoustic vibrations. When you breathe through the device's unique flutter valve, it provides gentle resistance to help strengthen your breathing while those good vibrations clear your sinuses.
SinuSonic doesn't use any chemicals that will dry your nose out either— giving your nasal passages some much-needed relief.
Nosebleeds are seldom dangerous, but it's important to know when something is wrong. Call your doctor if any of the following occur:
If you experience any of the following, seek medical attention immediately:
Nosebleeds can be an irritating and unsettling occurrence, even when you're not feeling stuffy and congested.
And while nasal congestion and nosebleeds are more closely related than many may realize, they're both easy to treat. And in the case of nosebleeds, they can even be prevented with a little extra care!
Want to know more about SinuSonic? Send us your questions! We'd love to hear from you.
Nall, Rachel. "How to Stop a Nosebleed: Tips, Prevention, and More." Healthline, Healthline Media, 4 Mar. 2019, www.healthline.com/health/how-to-stop-a-nosebleed#how-to-stop-a-nosebleed.
Philpott, Carl. "How to Blow Your Nose Properly." The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 24 Nov. 2019, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/nov/24/how-to-blow-your-nose-properly.]]>