It is customary to treat a runny nose at home or wait for it to pass on its own. Both options can lead to serious complications.
The causes of the common cold: how to treat the disease
Physician at the Semeynaya clinic
For proper treatment, it is necessary to establish the cause of the onset of a cold. Some of its types, for example, allergic, do not require treatment, but the prevention of its pathogens. But it is not recommended to stay inactive either: chronic rhinitis can cause other diseases.
Sinusitis. The main manifestations are nasal congestion, purulent discharge, pain in the paranasal sinuses, fever, sometimes above 38 degrees, sweating and weakness. If the inflammation has spread to the periosteum, the patient’s cheek swells on the affected side and the lower eyelid swells. There is a headache radiating to the forehead and teeth. It is aggravated by touching the bridge of the nose, tilting the head, sneezing, coughing.
Otitis accompanied by severe pain syndrome, leads to hearing loss, and in severe cases – to complete deafness.
Conjunctivitis – redness, lacrimation or purulent discharge from the eyes, itching and burning sensation, photophobia. If left untreated, this can lead to loss of vision.
Pollinosis. With a prolonged course of rhinitis without treatment, the formation of benign growths in the nasal sinuses can develop. And this is a constant nasal congestion, decreased sense of smell, snoring, headaches. The patient begins to breathe through the mouth rather than through the nose, which usually heats, purifies, and humidifies the breathing air. All this provokes infection of the nasopharynx. The presence of polyps increases the risk of their malignant transformation.
Chronic rhinitis leads to the development of asthma and cardiovascular disease.
First aid
If you can’t get to the doctor quickly, a few rules will help to alleviate the situation.
First, you need to properly cleanse the nose so that the contents do not get into the sinuses and the middle ear cavity. To do this, you need to blow your nose effortlessly, with your mouth half open, and release each half of the nose in turn.
When the crusts dry, soften them with vegetable oil and remove with cotton wool.
For rhinitis, it is recommended to drink plenty of warm water – pure water with lemon or tea.
If the temperature rises above 38 degrees, antipyretic drugs can be used.
Medicinal products
Vasoconstrictor drugs resist the common cold of almost any etiology. They reduce blood flow to the tissues of the mucous membrane, due to which the swelling quickly subsides and the feeling of congestion disappears. Medicines are relevant when a runny nose significantly reduces the quality of life – it interferes with normal sleep and work. The effect comes on quickly and lasts an average of 3–8 hours, but there are also prolonged forms – up to 12 hours. Do not use such drops and sprays for more than 5 days., an addictive effect may develop.
Drugs may be weakened by mucus buildup. Therefore, before use, it is recommended to rinse the nose with a solution of sea water. The mineral composition of natural seawater is close to the composition of blood and other body fluids, therefore it does not cause irritation or dryness of the mucous membrane. Contains trace elements that restore the inner protective shell of the nose. These products thin mucus, facilitating its easy excretion, and also cleanse the nose of pathogenic bacteria, infectious agents and allergens. Sprays and drops with sea water solution are suitable for treating any type of rhinitis or nasal congestion in children and adults, but it is important to choose the right concentration of the solution.
Isotonic solution contains 0,9 g / l of sodium chloride contained in seawater, which practically coincides with its concentration in the blood. Cleans and moisturizes, removes mucus, fights inflammation, restores the functions of the nasal mucosa. Suitable for additional treatment of acute and chronic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, as well as for the prevention of these diseases and daily hygienic care of the nasal cavity, to combat the sensation of dryness of the nasal mucosa.
Hypertensive solution has a more serious concentration – about 2,2 g / l. It is designed to combat nasal congestion. Unlike vasoconstrictor agents, the agent draws out the accumulated fluid, as a result of which the swelling decreases. Long-term use is possible without the risk of developing addiction.
Bad habits
You can not self-medicate, experimenting with folk remedies, warm your nose with salt or boiled eggs.
It is forbidden to abuse the prescribed drugs. In case of an overdose, the vessels become fragile, lose the ability to contract and unclench on their own. As a result, the person loses their sense of smell.
If you rinse your nose every half hour, it can cause inflammation of the back of the throat. In addition, saline solutions wash out not only harmful, but also beneficial bacteria.
It is not recommended to clear both nostrils at once to avoid damage to the eardrum, as well as the spread of infection deep into the body.
Do not use cloth handkerchiefs, as they create favorable conditions for the growth of bacteria. If you reuse such a scarf, you run the risk of infection. Use disposable tissue paper or running water. It is the best solution for cleaning the nasal passages.
Selection rules
Pay attention to composition of remedies for the common cold… Natural sea water has a different healing properties from water based on sea salt. The latter has a reduced amount of useful minerals due to production technology. Age restrictions must be taken into account. For babies, there are special nozzles with a restrictive ring to determine the depth of the spray introduction into the nasal passage, as well as those involving soft spraying for gentle and non-traumatic irrigation of the nasal cavity.