Stuffy nose and nasal pillow

[JoeFF]

I had a stuffy nose last night and tried to sleep with my Swift LT Nasal Pillow, but I could not breath good and had to change to my backup Respace Hybrid mask. I wanted to see if the Nasal Pillow users on here have any suggestions or tricks they use when their nose is stuffy. I would rather sleep with my Swift than my Hybrid, so if there is any advice anyway can offer I would appreciate it!

[BeanMeScot]

I had a cold and was still able to us my LT. I sometimes use a generic Flonase for allergies, Sudafed for a cold. Some people sweart by nightly use of the Neti Pot.

[Babette]

I was stuffed up last night. I was blowing my nose all evening, and worried about how I was going to sleep. This is what I did. First, I took a Claritin 24 hour pill before going to bed. I also took my usual 2 Benadryl, which I use most nights for sleep.

Then I got in bed, and sucked on a Hall's Menthol cough drop while reading. It opened my nose slightly.

Then I masked up, and SUCKED as hard as I could through my nose. It was tough going. I had to breathe through my mouth a few times. But I did manage it, and I fell asleep surprisingly fast, and had a good night.

I'm always amazed how my mask can help me clear my nose.

Hope this helps,
Barbara

[Raj]

I have a few suggestions. First, try to get your nose reasonably clear with a neti pot nasal rinse. I've found that if I can clear my nose up just enough to breathe through, cpap pressure will tend to clear it further and keep it clear. Second, try upping the humidity -- while some people find that humidity beyond a modest level causes nasal congestion, on me, fairly high humidity helps me decongest when I have a stuffy nose.

Third, try one or both of these tricks: (A) press firmly (but not so hard you bruise yourself) with the side of an index finger or your thumb on the spot right between your eyebrows. Release the pressure and immediately use your tongue to press firmly on the highest spot on the roof of your mouth (about 3/4 of an inch behind your front teeth). Relax your tongue and push again between your eyebrows. Keep repeating the procedure rapidly -- the goal is to get your vomer bone rocking for at least thirty seconds or so, and that will usually ease pressure in your sinuses, which in turn may help decongest the nose. (B) This one requires that you be able to inhale through your nose to some extent. Turn on your xpap and breathe in through your nose but exhale through your mouth at least ten times. This combination can really clear things up, and again, xpap therapy with the right humidity for you may keep things clear.

[TheDreamer]

A couple nights ago, I was stuffed....and it felt like all the pressure was only going through one side of my nose...as I was trying to sleep. And, in the morning I had leaking problems....because the nasal drainage had crusted around one nare.

I wonder if I can get my doctor to write me a script for flonase....though I started taking Zyrtec a couple nights ago...and last night wasn't so bad. Though that might be the sinus rinse I did before going to bed last night.

The Dreamer.

[Babette]

I love my Flonase. I told the doc once "Don't make me stand on the side of the freeway onramp with a sign saying "Will perform lewd sexual acts for Flonase"".

He nearly wet himself laughing.
B.