nasal moisturizer?

[missyb]

Hi, I am doing pretty good, but am having one significant issue right now. My sinuses/nasal passages, are so dry, they are acually sealing shut! , making it harder to breath! I know there are many sprays to dry out your sinuses, are there any made to add moisture?
missyb

[Butterfly]

Hi Missyb. I use an over the counter nasal saline spray and have several humidifiers going at home (one in my bedroom and one in the living room). I couldn't live without them. I use the nasal saline spray as often as I need it. The spray is cheap and can be found at numerous local stores-grocery stores, pharmacies, and even Sam's Club. You could also try a nasal water pik. I haven't had to use this yet but hear that it is pretty effective. You might also try ky gel. It will help lubricate the passages. Hope you find something that works well for you!

[Epson]

Missyb,

There are several nasal spray which are basically a saline spray.  I use Ayrs nasal spray, you can pick it up at any drug store and when things get really bad I use a nettie pot. The sodium in these produces helps to retain moisture.

I also take Evoxac, a drug that helps produce moisture in the nose and mouth, but even with all these remedies I still have some dryness issue from time to time.

[gsmraxe]

Mine swell shut one one side, that drives me bananas.  It feels like congestion, sounds like congestion but it's not.  I had a scan of my sinuses 5 years ago or so and the Dr told me my uh, mucus in my sinuses was the consistency of tar.  Lovely thought!

I use the neilmed rinse once a day, and ocean (generic works too) when I need it.  If you get really bad headaches from your sinuses, I found only ibuprophen works for me.  It is anti inflammatory so it gets rid of the swelling of the sinuses.

I hope you find some relief soon!

[desertnose]

Hi I have dealt with this problem for 5 years now and this is what works best for me:

Make up a combination of glycerin and glucose or corn syrup (80/20 proportion)- I make my own every two weeks or so and store in an easy dispense plastic bottle to keep sterile.
After applying this inside the nose, cover with a little pure olive oil or flaxseed oil to seal in the moisture. I also store this in a separate plastic bottle.

Careful not to use this too much of the oil at night or when lying down, as in rare circumstances, it can cause a condition called lipid pneumonia.

Apply the glycerin syrup and oil 3-4 times a day. It should give you two-three hours of relief at a time. At night go easy on the oil.

Re irrigation and nasal wash - i find that if I use the saline washes too much (event the isotonic ones) it actually reduces the small amount of mucus I still produce and dries me out further, so i try not to use them more than once a week for a general clean out, or on days when there is a lot of dust or . Having said that, on windy days, I always carry a nasal spray and oil bottle to 'top up' where needed. Try to use the ones without preservatives.

The nozeoil is quite good, but the same goes for it as for the olive oil, - be careful not to use it when lying down.

The other thing that works well are the preservative free individual eye drops - Refresh plus is the brand in Australia I use but there are plenty on the market. Squirt half or a whole one up each nostril and the relief can last for up to an hour!

I have also tried hyaluronic acid with xylitol, that can give some relief as well.

Other things that really do help ( boring as it sounds) are a good diet and exercise- cruciferous vegetables are particularly great - cauliflower, brussel sprouts as well as garlic and onion help keep the nose healthy, seem to aid a little with mucus production and reduce congestion. While you may still be dry, at least it will feel slightly better. Another thing that helps produce a small amount of mucus is wasabi ( horseradish) paste. Just use a small amount on food and it generates a bit of a moist response. Yoga is good also (especially the poses that get your head in a slightly upside down position) as this produces a bit of a blood rush to the head and often a tiny bit of moisture.

Things to avoid - really salty snacky foods seem to dry me out - I always notice my nose is drier if I hit the junk food too much
.
Make sure to keep up the water - its easy to forget to drink lots throughout the day, but it sure makes a difference if you don't.

There are some meds like Exovac (cevimeline HCl) and pilocarpine that may help you produce some more moisture in the nose, but they are contra-indicated for asthmatics (so I don't take them) and can have other side effects.

Warm showers and the good old fashioned steam bowl can also have a good temporary effect.

Hope this is helpful too you. From personal experience, I sympathise hugely. Having a dry nose and sinuses can be heck, but while its a bit harder to manage than the eyes and the mouth, these tips should go some way towards giving you some relief.


DN