nasel congestion

[dewie27]

I never had a problem with congestion pre injury but right after my accident 3 years ago, when ever I lay down I'm congested right away. And ofcoarse I can't sleep or get wicked dry mouth from breathing thru my mouth all night or annoy my wife cause I snore now when I do sleep. It's soo annoying to deal with every night and I have been using nasel sprays way to much which I know is a real bad habit but it works great.

Anybody have any tips?

[SCI-Nurse]

Do the nasal sprays help? Any signs of sleep apnea? Have you been tested for sleep apnea?
CWO

[sherocksandsherolls]

I was told though sprays are addictive via rebound that requires continue use..Some say use the nedi cup, or just saline water sprays.

Maybe see an allergist to see if you may be allergic to something, get a room air purifier/cleaner for your bedroom, see if you can't sleep with head slightly elevated and stay hydrated with lots of water.

I have been having the same issues lately..but I refuse to take meds..inflammation in sinus passages can be caused by many things..even what you eat.

[gjnl]

Get an appointment with an Allergist and/or Otolaryngology or ENT (ear, nose, and throat).

In the meantime try nasal strips, saline nasal sprays (not additive or harmful to nasal passages and membranes), room humidifier, sleep with head slightly elevated, and Benedryl (try children's formulation if regular Benedryl is too strong for you) at night. Wash sheets, pillows, and blankets regularly. Vacuum and dust bedroom regularly, including window coverings.

Have you checked the side effects of your medications to see if any of them may be contributing to the nasal congestion?

All the best,
GJ

[dewie27]

I forgot to mention I have tried those saline sprays and nasel strips and medi Pot things to flush my sinus out and I found putting vasoline on a q tip then applying it I inside my nose keeps things moist and helps a tiny bit. It doesn't matter where I am when I lay down ( my bed, couch or hotel or anyone else's house) as soon as my head hits the pillow im stuffed up. I avoided those Nasel sprays for years cause its a steroid but it helps me sleep and it's a bad habit I know.

[Millard]

I never had a problem with congestion pre injury but right after my accident 3 years ago, when ever I lay down I'm congested right away. And ofcoarse I can't sleep or get wicked dry mouth from breathing thru my mouth all night or annoy my wife cause I snore now when I do sleep. It's soo annoying to deal with every night and I have been using nasel sprays way to much which I know is a real bad habit but it works great.

Anybody have any tips?

Hi Dewie.

I had the same identical problem and would keep nasal spray in my desk, car, bedside table and pants pockets. I finally put them all away and decided I would just breathe through my mouth and eat peppermint for my dry throat. After 3 to 4 days, the stuffiness went away and breathing through the nose was unrestricted. I didn't know it was habit forming but was glad to go without using them any more. If I get a cold or something to cause runny or clogged sinus' now, I will use Alka-Seltzer Sinus Relief.

Good luck and I hope this helps.

[SCI-Nurse]

Pretty much all my suggestions have been given. I would definitely recommend the saline sprays and drinking water!! You also may want to try sleeping with your head slightly elevated.
CKF

[thehipcrip]

I've also been caught in the nasal spray dependency/rebound congestion trap, and have some ideas that might help you the way they have me.

Detoxing is easier if you let your sinuses heal one at a time. Take one of your empty nasal or saline spray bottles and fill it with VVF. For the next few nights, spray the VVF in your left nostril and continue using the nasal spray in your right. The VVF is way more effective than saline spray in terms of taking the swelling in your sinus down and soothing it while you're still able to breathe freely through your right. After a few nights, you'll find that your left sinus is clear even when you lie down. When that occurs, switch to using the VVF in your right nostril until it, too, is clear.

Should the congestion recur, try using an OTC decongestant rather than Benedryl. Benedryl is an antihistimine, which dries the sinuses up, and that will make your congestion problems worse, not better.

If you find you must use the nasal spray, using it only in one nostril each night, alternating nostrils and using VVF in the non-sprayed nostril to keep the tissue healthy, and not using it for more than three nights in each nostril should get you through the worst of a cold without getting your sinuses hooked on the spray again.

[arndog]

Agree with gjni.

Go see an OtorRHINOlaryngologist/head and neck surgeon AKA ENT doc or snot doc or bugger picking' doc.

In all seriousness, you have to rule out you have some structural problem like a deviated nasal septum, polyps,nasal valve collapse (which the strips help), enlarged turbinates, or allergies that made you reach for the decongestion sprays which then have their own problems of rebound nasal congestion as described by thehipcrip.

Often along with weaning yourself off Afrin, it is a good idea to concurrently use a steroid nasal spray like Flonase, Nasonex, etc and take some oral Sudafed if you can find it in a pharmacy.

[SCI-Nurse]

To get the steroidal nasal sprays, you need a prescription. If you go with the HipCrip's advice, please be sure to let us know how it works.
CKF

[dewie27]

I went to my GP doc and to my surprise she was holidays but she had a fill in doc there. I told her since my accident everytime I lay down I get congested and I told her I tried all most everything. I told my family doc about this issue years ago and she never looked in my nose at all. Her replacement doc I seen today looked and my right sinus is extremly inflamed and my left side has a deviated septum! Wish my GP doc actually looked years ago.

So like SCI Nurse said I have to try a steriod nasul spray ( I thought they all where, sorry ) and if that doesn't fix it then I have to go for a CT scan and then possible surgury.

Glad I started this thread cause I still would have been doing nothing about it. Thanks to everybody for all the suggestions. I truely appreciate it.