# Is there a good alternative to stuffing wads of Kleenex up my nose? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 17, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910 "2004-06-17T19:41:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/1 "2004-06-17T19:41:11Z")
The Sudafed isn’t doing anything. Claritin didn’t help. It’s too early for Nyquil. Clothes pins hurt too much. I can only blow my nose so many times… …but I have the constant watery drip going on, and so I’ve spent most of the day with a was of Kleenex stuffed into each nostril. There has to be a better way. Ideas? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/2 "2004-06-17T19:43:29Z")
OTC Claritin24 works really well (at least for me). It’s the only thing that doesn’t make me sleepy but works on my sinuses. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/3 "2004-06-17T19:50:56Z")
Tampons. When I was the manager of the high school wrestling team, we used tampons for nosebleeds. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/4 "2004-06-17T20:11:04Z")
Claritin didn’t help. ---
**Author:** ![JackaRoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@JackaRoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackaRoe)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/5 "2004-06-17T20:18:36Z")
Okay this comes from my lawyer. He described this process to the judge and my ex’s attorney after we were finished with the divorce. I found the whole thing to be a very surreal experience. My ex’s attorney had a very runny nose and was trying to get the court date moved, I think he was not ready and was using it as an excuse. Take a cup of very warm water and add table salt. The quantity is unclear but I think he meant keep adding till no more salt would dissolve. Get one of those bulb things that you use to clean out your baby’s nose and fill it with the water. Close off one nostril and inject the solution into the other nostril. Then switch nostrils. I have not tried this but my attorney swears by it. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/6 "2004-06-17T20:22:09Z")
Ow. Ow. OW!! Jesus, my mother was right…lawyers will do _anything_. Sorry, **Opal** , the only other remedy I have is a home remedy, but it’s more for stuffy noses, the vick’s vaporub in a pan of hot steamy water and a towel over your head over the pan. ---
**Author:** ![Magickly\_Delicious](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magickly\_Delicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magickly_Delicious)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/7 "2004-06-17T20:22:52Z")
Claritin doesn’t work for me, either. Zyrtec works okay, Clarinex works best for me so far. Although I assume from your post you’re looking for non-prescription stuff. It’s probably too late to prevent your nose from getting sore, but switch to cotton hankies. Some people think it’s gross, but seriously, they’re much softer on your skin than any brand-name tissue with aloe or whatever moisturizers in them. You could always get really drunk, then you wouldn’t really mind… ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/8 "2004-06-17T20:24:51Z")
Do you have a cold or allergies? A guy at work swears by snorting salt water. I’ve never been desperate enough to do it, but I did it inadvertently once when I got smacked in the face with a big ocean wave. After the initial godawful unpleasantness, I could breathe really well. I’ve found that putting a massager on my face right where the sinus cavities are tends to break the crud up for awhile. Now if you ever need to stop a nosebleed, I can tell you how to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/9 "2004-06-17T20:34:23Z")
The [Nori.](http://www2.active.ch/gerstei/main.en.html) Note: Work-safe. You may burst out laughing when you see the pictures, but they’re work-safe. I have not actually used this, but some people think they’re they greatest thing ever. > [@OpalCat](#): > > I’ve spent most of the day with a was of Kleenex stuffed into each nostril. … and even with the leather boots, that can’t be a good look for you… ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/10 "2004-06-17T20:53:51Z")
Snorting salt water is definitely the way to go. Buy a WaterPik and get an attachment for spraying it up your nose. You dissolve about a teaspoon of salt in 100 ml of warm water and then gently blow out while shooting it up your nose. It’s kind of tricky to get the hang of, but it cleans everything out, irrigates and makes things moist. It can get rid of sinus headaches too. We call ours the Snarffleblaster. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/11 "2004-06-17T21:08:26Z")
Link to Snarffleblaster WaterPik attachment: [Waterpik Accessories & Replacement Parts](http://www.dentist.net/waterpikaccessories.asp) ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/12 "2004-06-17T21:40:05Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > … and even with the leather boots, that can’t be a good look for you… It’s actually quite sexy, in its own way. From the totally irrelevent department: the boots are fake leather, by the way. I don’t wear leather. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/13 "2004-06-17T22:31:38Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > The [Nori.](http://www2.active.ch/gerstei/main.en.html) Damn. Thought \*\*\*I \*\* \* was gonna be able to spread the word about the World’s Greatest Giant Glass Apostrophe. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/14 "2004-06-17T23:02:15Z")
See your doctor, IANAD=) I can tell 24 hours before a cold actually starts by the fact I wake up and for about half an hour have a very slight tickle sore throat on one side only. I happen to know from experience if I immediately jump on it with Humibid LA/entex [a humectant] and nasonex, and anally compulsively follow the directions exactly with regards of timing the dosage, and keep drinking plenty of water, hot tea or hot lemonaid I can totally avoid the drippy nose, plugged sinuses and sore throat. I am sure one of the doctors on the list will chime in, but what I _think_ is happening is the nasonex reduces the tissues swelling, the huectant keeps the mucus flowing at the regular ‘thickness’ and I avoid the sore throat that is the result of the mucus sticking in my throat, and the resultant coughing and throat clearing… I will occasionally flush my sinuses in the shower with just plain water, and make sure that I get enough sleep. Other than that, I think my normal diet is varied enough that I don’t need any more than my ritual morning multivitamin, though I might add a second glass of grapefruit juice as a night time treat=) ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/15 "2004-06-18T06:12:50Z")
Is the **nori** related to the **neti**? Anyhow…Yes, the nasal wash is in order. I am a salt-water sniffer and sometimes it is the only thing that works. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/16 "2004-06-18T13:34:19Z")
I’ve been advised to do the saline solution snorting as well; I havent’ gotten up the courage to try that just yet, but will add that using saline solution spray helps greatly when I have sinus problems–and it’s not a drug! IIRC, the saline water snorting is aureyvedic … I think. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/17 "2004-06-18T15:46:11Z")
I am NOT snorting a yeti! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/18 "2004-06-18T15:53:49Z")
Nyeti. Neti. Or nori. They sure look related; depends on whether you want to shove a little glass teapot or a tiny blue vibrator up your nose. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/19 "2004-06-18T17:22:02Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > I am NOT snorting a yeti! Not even if it’s soaked in salt water? 😉 **tarragon** , just make sure it’s only lukewarm before you do it. Have a spoon ready so you can just sniff it off the spoon. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910/20 "2004-06-18T19:39:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Tampons. When I was the manager of the high school wrestling team, we used tampons for nosebleeds. And you can floss at the same time! Nah, I’m gonna invent a smaller, nostril friendly version of the menstrual cup just for Opal. I’ll call it The Snot Pocket. It’s hygenic, needs only to be emptied periodically (pun!), and so much more asthetic than Kleenex or tooth crud coated tampon strings dangling from her face. Of course, with the cups you’ll have to be careful when you sneeze. You could put somebody’s eye out with those things. Depending on the viscosity of your snot, they could be your own. That warning is going right on the box. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-good-alternative-to-stuffing-wads-of-kleenex-up-my-nose/250910.md?page=2)