For the last few weeks my nose has been very dry on the inside, and it sometimes cracks and when I blow my nose, there is blood. It also hurts because of the cracking.
I know they make saline stuff you can spray in your nose, but it seems like just wetting it down a couple of times a day wouldn’t make much difference in the long run.
Things like Vaseline don’t actually moisturize, so it doesn’t seem like that would help.
Anyone know of a treatment that would get my nose back in shape? I don’t want it like this all winter
My first thought was already mentioned – hydration in general might be the culprit. I was, on seeing OP, skeptical of using saline spray – it’s salt, right? We know what salt does to meat, from cooking – dries it out. Good for short term lubrication, maybe not so good for a longer term condition.
The simplest possible answer: get the membranes wet with water. I also like the petroleum idea – form a barrier of sorts to impede exit of water from the nose. Also nose plugs? Like the kind swimmers wear?
Humidifier, especially at night. A Neti pot–use it in the shower, it’s less messy.
And then I’m an old-fashioned believer in Vicks VaPoRub in the nose. Directions nowadays tell you to NOT put it in the nose, but I remember way (WAAAAAAY) back when that was a recommended usage.
I live on saline spray in the winter. Trust me, it is isotonic, the same salt level as is supposed to already be in your body so it doesnt suck out the water already there. Grab a bottle, it is reasonably cheap and use it constantly at first. For the first week, carry the bottle in your pocket and give yourself a spritz every half hour or so. Trust me. Drink plenty of water as well. Add a cold mist hydration unit as well. once you get yourself rehydrated, and the environment up to a reasonable level you can back of to spritzing every couple hours.
I used to have horrible nose bleeds in the winter until I started aggressively hydrating myself.
Nope. Regular water is not good at all and will in the long run make the problem worse (long story short: your body is saltier than normal tap water and it’ll just mess things up).
Increasing the humidity around you is your best bet - I would say invest in a good humidifier with a big enough reservoir to run all night. Use it every night. Keep using saline spray regularly. A combination of humidifier + saline spray + vaseline every night should make a difference.
I don’t know if drinking water will actively help but it never hurts.
Thanks! I’ll check out that gel, and saline sprays and try to keep myself hydrated. We have a humidifier but it’s in my husband’s room… maybe I can see how expensive they are…
My fiance gets a horribly dry nose with bleeding every winter, he spent years fiddling with humidifiers and putting lotion up his nose - thanks to me finding this stuff, his nose is now in perfect health. A little tube lasts a whole winter+. It’s designed for nasal use, so is much healthier than putting Vaseline and lotion up your nose (that stuff really shouldn’t get into your bronchial tubes, lungs, etc).
You should be able to get an adequate one for less than fifty bucks. And in my experience (as a dry-nosed, sinus-problem-suffering individual who lived in the desert for six years), it is absolutely worth the money.
Also, I just remembered this: they make water-based ‘lubricants’ specifically for dry schnozzes (technical term, there) - most often used by people who are on oxygen long-term - you might ask your local pharmacist about that (should be available OTC, I imagine, but may be hard to find at CVS or whatever).
Very dry noses should be stored on their sides at just below room temperature. Full-bodied and robust noses can be enjoyed with sharp cheeses and beef, while more delicate noses pair well with veal and chicken. All noses should be allowed to breathe after opening.
Great advice, Ninja – I didn’t mean soak the nose in water, though. Instead, increase the aqueous fluid inside the tissue. That wasn’t clear in my post, though, and I thank you for making it clear I didn’t mean to waterboard oneself for treatment.
My mother is pleased with the results she gets from Boroleum ointment. It seems like it’s only a notch away from being vaseline, so I’m not sure there’d be much difference.
I got some of this from Amazon and have been using it, and I have to say it is great stuff! My nose no longer hurts all the time, nor does it bleed when I use a kleenex!
So anyone else who is suffering from a dry, cracking nose: this stuff works. Hope that helps.
If you have a moderate or severe head ache that ibuprofen doesn’t seem to kill and a bleeding sinus, I have used “Triple B” antibiotic lightly coated a Q-tip and slowly, carefully applied it deep inside my sinuses and taken that pain away in less than 30 seconds. I did it once a day for 3 days. The bleeding healed in about a day or two.
I don’t like saline or salt offered in the usual concentrations and find they desiccate my sinuses worse, especially if they are bleeding. A neti pot or neil pot with the sodium chloride / sodium bicarbonate used at about 1/4 to 1/3 of the usual recommended concentration is good enough. About 20 seconds in the microwave for 8 ounces of water brings the temperature up to a pleasant level.
As for water consumption…other posts are correct about this. Those who drink too much carbonated, sweet, or diuretic beverages will find them no help to their own dry sinuses. During cold weather months, you may have to tolerate electrolytes (salt) and some water retention to avoid dehydrating.
Men with enlarged prostates who purposely taper off fluids in the evenings before sleeping, may find a vaporizer very useful. Also, moisturizing cream on the external skin such as arms, torso and legs, will stave off evaporation through the skin and permit more fluid to be redirected to humidify the sinuses.
Men with untreated low-testosterone levels tend to be more moody and sensitive. If they are not breathing normally and instead breathing rapid and shallow, they will report dry nose conditions and even hyperventilate. Some steroids (prednisone) promote "hyper"ness and jittery sensations that cause abnormal breathing reactions and dry nose.
If you are asthmatic, seriously consider taking a trip to a coastal climate for a few days and carefully observe yourself to see if symptoms are relieved. Some notice improvement in 2-3 hours.
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