Alternative To Taking Antihistamines For Nose Blockage

[steveb]

I am looking for an alternative to taking antihistamines for nose blockage when I sleep. I am now using saline solution to clean my nose and nose spray but continue to have both sides of my nose blocked when I sleep, especially in this rainy season. Is there any herbal medicine or any other way to keep my nose clear when sleeping? I can't take antihistamines because of urinating side effects.

[wasabi]

There are steroid sprays but those are not a good long term solution, maybe 2 weeks tops.

[SoiGirlHunter]

I use the nasal spray "Otrivin" and it works excellent, better than any spray i used in the usa

sold everywhere here

[robblok]

I use the nasal spray "Otrivin" and it works excellent, better than any spray i used in the usa

sold everywhere here

I used that in Holland and it is great. I havent seen it in Thailand (Bangkok) could you tell me where you get it. Now i get it shipped over.

[Rimmer]

I use the nasal spray "Otrivin" and it works excellent, better than any spray i used in the usa

sold everywhere here

I used that in Holland and it is great. I havent seen it in Thailand (Bangkok) could you tell me where you get it. Now i get it shipped over.

On sale at most Thai pharmacies for 116 baht, 10ml size. Bought one just yesterday.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Rimmer

[robblok]

If its the same stuff they have in Holland then i smell a good deal in Holland it cost 250bt

[fremmel]

Otrivin is good stuff and I use it when I get a cold. But there are problems with long term use. Google - Otrivin rebound.

[mommysboy]

Otrivin is good stuff and I use it when I get a cold. But there are problems with long term use. Google - Otrivin rebound.

Anti - histamines are hit and miss, but are good for hay fever and real allergies. The majority of people are allergic to the house dust mite and if you are one of those people you may need to continue with them as a preventative measure. Otherwise change your bed sheets and pillows often and keep your bedroom spick and span.

It takes a long time for nasal rinsing to fully work, say 2 months.

Otrivin is excellent but should only be used for a short time, and then left alone for a few weeks.

You need Nasocort or similar, but must see a doctor first, it really works well. A good doctor may also examine your nose with a camera. It sounds like non allergic rhinitis which is common in big cities and the weather is definitely implicated as well, as is the smog.

The blockage is most likely swelling, in which case a good nsaid may help, eg, nurofen.

Herbal remedies may have the opposite effect, and might act as irritants.

If left untreated this sort of problem can lead to sinus pain and infections, so you must seek help IMHO.

[Steve2UK]

A little Tiger Balm type of ointment smeared on the nostrils might help. I recommend the "Gold Cup" brand - orange label and cap on a small glass jar containing yellow ointment which is pleasantly aromatic and less pungent than most others.

[mommysboy]

A little Tiger Balm type of ointment smeared on the nostrils might help. I recommend the "Gold Cup" brand - orange label and cap on a small glass jar containing yellow ointment which is pleasantly aromatic and less pungent than most others.

Interesting, what would the tiger balm do? I think to be effective it would need to reduce swelling.

Apart from medical intervention, I can't see past avoidance, a mask, saline solution and possibly small ice packs placed around nose and eyes. There are plenty of decongestants around but opening the nasal passages is the imperative.

One poster wrote that steroid sprays should only be used for a few days, that's wrong I think, it's OTC decongestants that should be used sparingly.

[loong]

A little Tiger Balm type of ointment smeared on the nostrils might help. I recommend the "Gold Cup" brand - orange label and cap on a small glass jar containing yellow ointment which is pleasantly aromatic and less pungent than most others.

Interesting, what would the tiger balm do? I think to be effective it would need to reduce swelling.

.....................

There are lots of different balms in Thailand. Yah mong is for bites, muscle pains etc and yah dom for a decongestant. Some are really good, but i find that tiffyrub is the best decongestant for me at night.

[mommysboy]

A little Tiger Balm type of ointment smeared on the nostrils might help. I recommend the "Gold Cup" brand - orange label and cap on a small glass jar containing yellow ointment which is pleasantly aromatic and less pungent than most others.

Interesting, what would the tiger balm do? I think to be effective it would need to reduce swelling.

.....................

There are lots of different balms in Thailand. Yah mong is for bites, muscle pains etc and yah dom for a decongestant. Some are really good, but i find that tiffyrub is the best decongestant for me at night.

Thanks for the tip. I think I'll try it.

I think this problem requires quite a few strategies, which in the long run can reduce effects to a tolerable level.

[Steve2UK]

A little Tiger Balm type of ointment smeared on the nostrils might help. I recommend the "Gold Cup" brand - orange label and cap on a small glass jar containing yellow ointment which is pleasantly aromatic and less pungent than most others.

Interesting, what would the tiger balm do? I think to be effective it would need to reduce swelling.

Other than the fact that the combination of camphor, menthol, eucalyptus oil etc seems to reduce swelling and act as a relaxant (as with insect stings/bites) - the short and honest answer is I don't know. I used Olbas oil (similar ingredients) for many years in Germany and the UK to good effect - clears the nasal passages and also good for headaches; haven't seen it in Thailand but there are many locally produced alternatives - the best (for me) being "Kwan Loong" oil.

Googling "blocked nose" produces a number of useful sites to look at - mentioning everything from allergies to twisted septum etc etc....... there seem to be as many causes as there are cures/remedies. I did spot one semi-yoga approach (that a number of people tried and it worked for them) on a forum called "Healthy House" - as follows:

"I have suffered from a blocked nose, especially at night for years. I used to use Olbas oil to some effect. I did yoga for a while some years ago and best thing I ever learnt was:

when lying down in bed to go to sleep, make a fist and place it under your opposite arm pit. It somehow miraculously clears my nasal passages within a few seconds. You can actually feel your nasal passages expanding. It works - I don't know how - must utilise some pressure point under the armpit. It also works in a seated or standing position, but takes practice. Give it a try."

BTW, I very much agree with your later point that a combination of strategies is likely to work to reduce the symptoms to a manageable/tolerable level. Not too many "silver bullets" around........

PS - the "Gold Cup" ointment I mentioned before is sold in small orange-coloured cube-shaped cartons - easy to spot in pharmacies.

Edited May 24, 2009 by Steve2UK

[loong]

PS - the "Gold Cup" ointment I mentioned before is sold in small orange-coloured cube-shaped cartons - easy to spot in pharmacies.

It also has a Gold Cup on the label , not a drinking cup, more a sports trophy type cup.

A word of warning with some of these balms and oils. Some of them will burn sensitive body tissue, so don't just plaster lots of it up your nose. Take it gently with the smallest amount you can and wait a few minutes - you will find you own tolerance.

[guava]

Surprisingly, I don't think anyone mentioned Pseudoephedrine - an excellent decongestant, quite likely the best. It's still readily available OTC in Thai pharmacies as Actifed tablets (and also liquid I think, though this may be a full cough mix). It's cheap enough, but there are even cheaper Thai brands (Nasarol/Nasarin?).

I think it used to be the primary active ingredient in nasal sprays like the one mentioned above, Vick's Sinex etc, but western governments have placed pretty severe restrictions on the use and sale of Pseudoephedrine (and almost completed banned Ephedrine), as it's potentially used to produce methamphetamines in clandestine labs. Cold and Flu product manufacturers had to substitute less effective ingredients. Historically PSE had always been a very unrestricted OTC drug which doctors readily prescribed to children. I believe it also potentially caused rebound congestion with prolonged use, but only when used as a nasal spray - tablets are fine.

It can have minor speed-like stimulant effects in some, so it may not be the best drug to take before bed, but I've never found it to be an issue. As it is a mild stimulant, check with a doctor if you have any relevant health issues, or concerns about long term use. And it does taste bloody awful - don't ever try to take it without fluid.

There were rumours here in Thailand a while back that they would also start placing heavy restrictions on the over-the-counter unrestricted pharmacy sales like they have in many other places. It would be a real shame, but it's probably inevitable.

As far as I know, and it would be reasonable to assume, there's no real small scale clandestine meth production in Thailand/SEA. There's already so much meth (yaba/yabaa/shabu etc) coming out of the full scale factories in Myanmar/Laos which is likely cheap, pretty high grade, probably produced by experienced (if not actually qualified) workers, and they would likely be starting with large quantities of easily sourced Ephedrine from Ephedra plants, not dicking around the Actifed Tablets. So a small operator couldn't produce product anywhere near as good or for anywhere near the price, and they would place themselves at considerably more risk to do so. But the potential is always there for a politican to do something stupid, and should a situation arise where it suddenly became profitable to manufacture meth in small scale clandestine labs in Thailand (probably still using Ephedrine), my guess is that any number of experienced "cooks" would have the country reflooded in no time

But in Thailand, as in the US and elsewhere, it seems almost all drug policy decisions are made on political grounds, saving face and/or attention whoring for the media - never science, stats, common sense or reason. I wouldn’t be surprised if the FDA/DEA is already leaning heavily on countries yet to tighten up on Pseudoephedrine restrictions, and anything else they can blame for the utter failure of their trillion dollar War or Drugs to do anything but harm and more harm. I’d be tempted to rush out and buy 50 sheets of 12 Actifed tablets if I found out regulation was coming for sure – but then I’d be in possession of a trafficable quantity of an illegal drug precursor....

[Old Man River]

I am looking for an alternative to taking antihistamines for nose blockage when I sleep. I am now using saline solution to clean my nose and nose spray but continue to have both sides of my nose blocked when I sleep, especially in this rainy season. Is there any herbal medicine or any other way to keep my nose clear when sleeping? I can't take antihistamines because of urinating side effects.

I have been prescribed Nasonex for long term use. I started two weeks ago and do notice a difference. Below, is the link to their website:

http://www.nasonex.com/nasx/application?na...allaboutnasonex

[ingvar]

I would waarmly recommend the web site earthclinic. It is about folk remedies and it really works from my personal experience. My favorite is Apple Cider Vinegar which seems in my case to be able to cure almost anything from gout to common colds. Of course every condition is very individual and it depends very much on the overall body condition how to treat each individual. The site rates the different remedies in how much positive feedback (i.e. "it worked") it gets from people around the world who try the remedies. A few years back I got problems with cronically congested nose and after some deep thinking I realized I was biking to work and I got allergic reactions to the road dust, so I solved the problem by using a face mask while biking and it helped. Maybe something similar in your case?

The most popular recipe for congested sinuses I could find on Earthclininc is following (have'nt tried it myself)

Recipe:

Add 1 cup tomato juice,

1 tsp chopped fresh garlic,

1/2 tsp of hot sauce,

1 tsp lemon juice,

and a pinch or two of celery salt for flavor. Heat ingredients and drink hot."

I think "hot sauce" can be chilli powder or Tabasco.

I have also tried two teaspoons of chilli powder in a big tea cup heated water; chilli powder tea, it worked but boy was it hot, drink slowly with water bottle in hand.

Edited June 30, 2009 by ingvar

[phetaroi]

There have been studies that any longer term use of antihistamines and decongestants may actually increase the need for even more. Basically, I didn't believe it. Then, when I started on a low dose of Paxil for stress and couldn't take almost any decongestant or antihistamine, guess what -- I didn't suffer any more than when I could take them, and my colds and sinus headaches were less frequent and of shorter duration. Can't say if it would be true for everyone, but it sure has been for me.

[tomartoh]

I have used nasonex for a few years now, When i feel ok i stop and restart when i need to. It works well for me. Problem is its expensive here in Thailand [probably is everywhere] so i get mine when i visit the uk for free as i am old old old. Not going home this year so looking around for thai made alternative.