Nasal Pillow When Congested

[KT19]

I caught a cold over the holiday weekend. For 2-3 days I was so congested I couldn’t breathe out of my nose. I tried wearing my mask and kept waking myself up with a really dry mouth because I was mouth breathing due to not being able to breathe out of my nose.

I ended up not wearing my mask/using my machine for 2 nights because of this. My cold has gotten a little better now to where I can breathe from my nose again.

What do others do in this situation?

[Pugsy]

A lot of people keep a full face mask handy for situations like that.

I don't though. In over 10 years I have never had a situation where I couldn't get my nose opened up enough to use my nasal pillows.
Usually with oral decongestants and maybe a little bit of Afrin I can get things opened up a little and I crank up the humidity and usually wake up with a clearer nose than when I went to bed.

[palerider]

Same here.... It's been about 10 years, and the only time I've had to go to a FFM was when I had a NG tube up my nose in the hospital.

I just do what's needed to get my nose open.... real decongestants, a bit of afrin... etc.

[ChicagoGranny]

I couldn’t breathe out of my nose.

1. Saline nasal rinse in the morning followed by a corticosteroid nasal spray such as Flonase or others.

2. Saline nasal rinse an hour or so before bed followed by Afrin decongestant spray.

Do you need to have a consultation with an ENT to check for a deviated septum and enlarged turbinates?

[KT19]

I couldn’t breathe out of my nose.

1. Saline nasal rinse in the morning followed by a corticosteroid nasal spray such as Flonase or others.

2. Saline nasal rinse an hour or so before bed followed by Afrin decongestant spray.

Do you need to have a consultation with an ENT to check for a deviated septum and enlarged turbinates?

I caught a cold which is why I was congested. I don’t have a deviated septum or enlarged turbinates.

[ChicagoGranny]

I don’t have a deviated septum or enlarged turbinates.

How do you know? Just curious.

[chunkyfrog]

Mucinex nasal spray and a breathe right strip is usually enough for me.
I discovered several years back that most of my "colds" were actually allergies.
A nightly antihistamine beats the heck out of a pallet of Kleenex every year.

[Okie bipap]

I need the antihistamines and pallet of facial tissues.

[rcobourn]

I was introduced to X-lear on this site, and it has helped me pretty much kick the Afrin habit. But when it comes to it, I've found that I can dilute Afrin to about 25% using saline nasal spray and it's plenty effective.

[ChicagoGranny]

I was introduced to X-lear on this site

Which type? Xlear has several products with very different chemical formulations - https://www.xlear.com/store/xlear-sinus ... jMQAvD_BwE

[rcobourn]

I was introduced to X-lear on this site

Which type? Xlear has several products with very different chemical formulations - https://www.xlear.com/store/xlear-sinus ... jMQAvD_BwE

I've only tried the xylitol and saline product. I've also purchased the max version with the capsicum but I haven't braved it yet.

[zorki1c]

When my nose stuffs up while using pillows I use a Breath Rite strip to open the passages. Solves the problem and the strips don't interfere with pillows.

[ChicagoGranny]

I've also purchased the max version with the capsicum but I haven't braved it yet.

I really like that one - the effects are immediate. Keep facial tissue handy.

I'm hesitant to use it regularly for the long term. The effects on the mucous membrane of repeated exposure to capsicum have not been studied.