Are you blowing your nose correctly?


What’s all the fuss about? What is there to blowing your nose?

With Winter approaching expert Ear Nose & Throat Surgeon Mr Michael Kuo advises Medstars and Good Housekeeping magazine readers how best to unblock your nose.

 

So, how hard should you blow?

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‘Doing anything excessively or violently is bad for you,’ adds Dr Michael Kuo, Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon for Medstars. ‘Tubes connect the nose to the eyes and ears and if you blow too hard, you can end up blowing air down these tubes causing pain.’
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Expert ENT Surgeon Mr Michael Kuo

Medstars’ top 10 tips of how to unblock your nose

  1. Blow gently.
  2. Don’t pick your nose! You say this to your children but now its time to head your own advice. Blowing your nose is much better than picking your nose to clear the mucous. Picking your nose can make the problem worse and increase the inflammation.
  3. Using moisturised tissues to blow your nose can help reduce the skin around your nostrils becoming raw with repeated blowing.
  4. Blow your nose one nostril at a time.
  5. Breathing in steaming whilst taking in a hot shower or bath can help relieve a blocked nose. It won’t fix the underlying problem but certainly delivers short term relief of symptoms.
  6. Over-the-counter decongestants and nasal sprays can help to open your airways.
  7. Salt nasal sprays are good for everyone, and decongestant nasal sprays are good for adults with no underlying medical illnesses.
  8. Sinus rinse kits can reduce inflammation and reduce congestion and are are great when nasal sprays don’t offer you relief.
  9. Help your body fight the infection by drinking lots of water, eating a balanced diet (high in vitamins and minerals), and resting.
  10. Anti-inflammatory medications like Ibuprofen can help with pain and inflammation.

So, now that you know how to unblock your nose all you need to consider is how should you sneeze!

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MR MICHAEL KUO
Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon

First Visit £220
Birmingham
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