Help: Dry Nose!!!

[Guest WyattEarp]

I've tried about every nose spray known to man, Afrin, Equate, Ocean Mist, prescription flo-nase, and I can't rid myself of this dry nose. The cold this year has dried it out like a ripe prune in the California sun, and it's about unbearable. hurts to sneeze, hurts to blow my nose, hurts to even touch it.

Already called the doc several times, they say just keep using what I have. obviously, its not working.

anyone have any other suggestions? This has been the worst year for me in terms of dry nose, everything gets hardened in there and blocks my nasal passages and I can't breathe through my nose, and I can't get any of that blockage out. I need some relief.

[daddyo]

Just some things to consider, as I don't know whether or not these apply to your situation:

Are you dehydrated?

Are you on any antihistamines?

Have you tried any saline nasal sprays?

Have you tried smearing vaseline on your nasal membranes?

Are you ingesting too much caffeine, alcohol, or salt?

[Guest NYCrulesU]

Be careful of nose sprays. I avoid them altogether. Some can be addictive, literally. Hate to go old school on you...but maybe try a humidifier or a vaporizor? Not really sure if thwy work for dry nose...but both should be better than nasal sprays.

[JPR1959]

Try using a saline nasal spray. It's basically salt water and is available from any store for a couple of dollars. It will help. I'd also check with an ENT doctor. You could have nasal polyps that can be removed with a laser.

[peejman]

Forget the decongestant nasal sprays, they won't help. They might make it worse. Saline spray might help.

Buy a humidifier. I have 2 of the ultrasonic (cool mist) versions in my kids rooms. I have a much larger capacity steam version in our room. The steam version has a humidity sensor and turns itself on/off as needed. I set it to 55% relative humidity and when it's cold out and the heat is running a lot, it'll run nearly non-stop and dump 6-8 gallons of water into the air in 24 hrs. If I was smart, I'd rig up some sort of auto-fill mechanism using a toilet valve. The cool mist ones won't touch that output, they only run at night.

You will have to take them apart and clean them periodically. The steam one gunks up with crusty scale, the ultrasonic ones get mold/algae funk in them.

I also have one of those Oregon Scientific weather stations. It correlates reasonably with the humidifier setting. When humidity in the house drops below 40%, my nose starts to close up.

edit... if possible, when you sleep try to retain the moisture in your breath. I pull the sheet up around my face a little to help keep a pocket of moist air.

Edited January 17, 2012 by peejman

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Yep a humidifier will help.

Didn't you say you had started taking an ADHD drug last fall? Those will dry you out.

[Guest possumcop]

Here's what I use >>> Sinus Buster Nasal Spray | Buster Brands and don't take any allergy med with a D on it + the humidifier in the bedroom. Works Great!!!!!

[Guest WyattEarp]

Im taking Equate saline nasal spray right now. Ill run to wal-greens after class and check into a humidifier, thanks for the.tips info. Good idea on the vaseline/vicks, didnt think about that one.

I was dehydrated, 2 weekends ago when I was sick, but ive been drinking plenty of water, so no dehydration.

Lester, yes I am taking adderall.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

I get dry nose and as I get older dry flakey skin in cold weather. When you run a heater in the winter it tends to drive the relative humidity indoors down real low, even if it is rainy (but cold) outside.

Best humidifier I had when living in a crummy old apartment, it had one of those old fashioned big floor-standing sheet metal gas heaters in the living room. Those are great to heat up a room but make it pretty dry. I kept a kitchen pan of water sitting on top of the heater and it humidified great. Can also work with old-fashioned steam radiators.

You might could do the same with the stove or a hot plate but that would cost a lot more energy than a humidifier. With that old flat-top gas room heater, it didn't cost any more money to set a pan of water on it.

Given central heat floor vents, maybe somebody with ingenuity could put something over the hot air grate that would not impede the air but allow moisture to evaporate? Maybe some kind of bracket setting a foot above the vent supporting a folded soaked towel?

Edited January 17, 2012 by Lester Weevils

[peejman]

Given central heat floor vents, maybe somebody with ingenuity could put something over the hot air grate that would not impede the air but allow moisture to evaporate? Maybe some kind of bracket setting a foot above the vent supporting a folded soaked towel?

Whole house humidifiers that are a part of your central HVAC system are readily available... Humidifiers - Trane Humidifier | TRANE

[Pain103]

May sound crazy but it works great. Get some neosporin put a little on q-tip rub along inside your nose. Also I use a sinus rinse every so often it helps somewhat to moisten it. I get especially bad dry sinuses and nose bleeds during this time of year and this has helped me greatly.