Home Remedies for Common Cold Treatment

Stopping Runny noses from common cold, allergies, flu and sinus infection

by Susan Rudy

Chapter 15: Self Help for the Stuffy, Runny Nose

If the nose is too wet, dry it, but not too much! In humans, just like in dogs, the nose is more healthy when it is moist. One of the challenges in caring for a stuffy, runny nose is figuring out what has caused it, and when to seek medical care. Causes of a short-term or long-term stuffy and / or runny nose are reviewed in chapter two. The common cold, or viral upper respiratory infection (URI), influenza ("the flu"), allergies (allergic rhinitis), and sinusitis, (rhinosinusitis), are the most common causes.

INFO LINKS Humidifiers Overview - view all humidifiers sold by AllergyBuyersClub.com Air Purifiers Comparison Chart - a comparison with pluses and minuses of all the best Air Purifiers Sinus Learning Center - Sinusitis prevention and sinus relief articles and FAQs All Sinus Articles - a list of every article on the topic of sinuses

Allergy, Cold, Flu, or Sinus Infection?

It can be tough to figure out whether symptoms are caused by allergies, a cold, the flu, or a sinus infection. Medical healers have to know the difference so they can apply the right treatments. Laypersons who know the difference can best judge when and how to manage alone, and when to seek medical care.

Allergies are a common malady affecting one of every five people in America (Zellerbach, 2000). Allergies are a reaction to touching, breathing, or eating the item one is allergic to, which causes the body to react by putting out chemicals (like histamine). These chemicals, which are released either right away, or hours to days later, cause the bothersome symptoms of itching (nose, eyes, throat, ears or skin), sneezing in bunches, runny nose, watery eyes, and sometimes coughing or wheezing in the lungs. Children especially, may have a telltale look to the face; a crease across the nose, dark circles under the eyes, and mouth breathing. Headaches or facial pressure may result from severe nasal stuffiness with or without the complication of sinus infection. Fever and body aches are not part of allergies, unless there is infection on top of the allergy. Fatigue may be present, however. Common items that cause allergic reactions are trees, grasses, weeds, molds, dust mites, pets, cockroaches, foods like peanuts, wheat, eggs and seafood, and food additives such as dyes and sulfites. Outdoor allergies to "pollens" in the air tend to be worse in seasons. Indoor allergies to dust mites and pets tend to be a year-round problem. People allergic to more than one outdoor pollen, may have symptoms much of the time. The frequency of food and insect allergy symptoms varies with exposure to the food or insect.

Actions that Help a Runny / Stuffy Nose from a Cold, Flu, Allergy, or Sinus Infection

1. Keep the nose open to drain the sinuses and to promote rest.

• Breathe steam using a personal steam inhaler or a facial sauna with or without aromatic agents like menthol and eucalyptus as needed, up to every four hours.
• Use nasal dilators: external dilators like Breathe Right® while at home, internal dilators like SINUS CONES™ when away from home.
• Use a decongestant nasal spray such as Afrin (OTC) or Neosynephrine (OTC) for no longer than 3 days. Do not do this to a nose that was ever addicted to these sprays since the addiction is easily restarted.
• Take decongestant pills such as Sudafed or liquid such as Pediacare, (unless you have high blood pressure, chest pains (angina) thyroid problems, prostate or bladder problems, diabetes, or glaucoma). Follow the dose directions on the package.
• Use nasal saline sprays as needed and tolerated; isotonic buffered nasal spray (Breathe Free OTC), hypertonic buffered nasal spray (ENTSOL™ Spray OTC), or Locke Ringer's nasal spray (Breathe.ease XL™ Saline Moisturizer OTC).

2. Help mucus to flow and drain.

• Drink plenty of wetting liquids like water and juice – at least 1/2 oz. per pound of body weight. Avoid high salt foods and caffeine such as in coffee, alcohol, chocolate drinks and soda. People with heart failure or kidney problems must follow the directions of a healthcare provider for the safe limit of water to drink.
• Use mucus thinning drugs (mucolytics), like Robitussin (OTC) 600mg 4 times / day; or Humibid LA (Rx), or Mucinex™ (Rx) 1200mg twice a day (not under age 12).
• Flush the nose with isotonic buffered or hypertonic buffered saline or Locke Ringer's at least daily and as needed, using a gravity flow device such as a neti pot, or a squeeze bottle device. Some people may benefit from using this as many as three times a day.

3. Avoid breathing nasal irritants

• Do not spend time around smokers. Ask smoking housemates to smoke outside.
• Avoid indoor and outdoor air pollution.People who must work around dust or chemicals need to wear a mask or respirator to protect the nose.
• Do not use a fireplace or wood-burning stove.

Added Measures for the Runny / Stuffy Nose of Allergies

1. Avoid the offending allergen(s)as much as possible.

• If outdoor pollens are the culprits, stay indoors with closed windows.
• If dust is the culprit, use dust mite covers on the bedding for starters.
• If pets are the culprits, rethink keeping them, or at least keep them out of the bedroom.
• Use an air purifier if possible.
• Use houseplant natural air purifiers such as the lady palm, areca palm, rubber plant, English ivy, dracaena and Boston fern (Wolverton, 2000).
• Houseplants, while good for adding wetness to the air, may make mold allergies worse because molds like to grow in the dirt around houseplants. Place a layer of small stones on top of the damp soil to decrease mold spores in the air.
• Keep humidity below 45% to discourage molds.
• If food is the culprit, be diligent in avoiding the offending food(s).
• Talk to a specialist about allergy testing (blood test or skin test) to identify the culprit(s).

2. Prevent the reaction to the allergen when it cannot be avoided

• Take Cromolyn sodium nasal spray (OTC) every four to six hours starting one week before exposure.
• If allergies are a big part of your life explore allergy shots (immunotherapy) through an ENT or allergy office.

3.Manage the symptoms after allergy exposure to keep the nose open and control mucus drainage.

• Exercise (Cole, Forsythe & Haight, 1983).
• Take antihistamine pills for itchy, sneezy symptoms: Benadryl (OTC), Chlortrimeton (OTC), or Claritin (OTC) or other prescribed pill, liquid, or nasal spray.
• If steroid pills or nasal spray are ordered, take them on schedule and report any side effects or missed doses. Be aware that nasal steroid sprays do not work right away with the first dose.
• Take Atrovent® 0.06% nasal spray if ordered, to control the out-of-control drip when in public, if other measures will not control it.

Medical Disclaimer:

This information is intended as an adjunct to, not a substitute for professional medical and nursing care. The author specifically disclaims all responsibility for any liability, injury, damage, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, including loss of profit, or other commercial damages which is incurred directly or indirectly as a consequence of the use and application of this information. The advice and strategies here may not be suitable for every person."

Author Biography

Susan F. Rudy is a leading family and otolaryngology nurse practitioner in the Baltimore / D.C. area who has practiced ear, nose, and throat nursing for over 20 years, working in inpatient, outpatient, and operating room arenas in public, private, and government facilities. She holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in nursing and was the first nurse practitioner to serve as an instructor in the Department of Otolaryngology for Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Susan is associate editor for the ORL-Head and Neck Nursing journal and a member of the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) and the Association for Practitioners in Infection Control (APIC). Ms. Rudy has published and spoken widely on otolaryngology medical and nursing topics and is known for her research critiques, as well as for her writing and teaching abilities with the lay audience.

Excerpt Nuances of Nasal & Sinus Self-Help, Chapter 15, pp. 159,162-164.
(© 2004; ISBN # 141201371-2)
by Susan F. Rudy, MSN, CS-FNP, CORLN
Purchase online from: www.trafford.com/robots/03-1749.html
Cost $26.95 U.S.

First Published: April 2004
Updated: February 2007

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