Monday, March 19, 2012

Body Essentials - Post Nasal Drip

Yes, it does sound pretty gross, but it's a part of life. A very annoying part. In case you don't know what post-nasal drip is, it is when cold/mucus thickens and cause congestion in the nose and sometimes the throat. Typically, the body passes mucus through the nasal passage and throat all day, about 2 liters I believe, yeah, even more gross! But when you are becoming sick with the colf, flu and even when you are having an allergic reaction or if you become dehydrated, post nasal drip can occur. Do you see how often drinking water can help you avoid some nuissances in life. Anyhoo, i found some interesting things to do to get rid of post nasal drip:

1: Gargle Salt Water

Most problems with postnasal drip are merely irritating and eventually will go away. But you can alleviate some symptoms by gargling with salt water can help soothe your sore throat. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to 1 cup water and gargle away.

2: Use Baking Soda

If you're willing to do anything to clear up your mucus problem, try this remedy. Mix 1 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of baking soda. Get a nasal syringe and squirt the mixture into your nostril, closing off the back of your palate and your throat. Tilt your head back, forward, and to each side for eight to ten seconds in each position to get the solution through all four of your sinus cavities. After you swish everything around, blow your nose. Try squirting in three or four bulbs full of the solution on each side of your nose. If you don't have a bulb syringe, you can snort the mixture out of your cupped hand. Try this process up to six times a day when you're dealing with postnasal drip. If you want to avoid future problems, do it twice a day.

3: Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water is a common-sense defense against postnasal drip. It keeps your mucus thin and your body, including your nasal passages, well hydrated.

4: Improve Your Environment

  • Keep the humidity high and stable in your house by keep a kettle of water on low boil.
  • Away with allergens. If cat dander tends to make your mucus start multiplying, it's logical that you can avoid postnasal drip by avoiding that allergen. If you're not sure what allergies aggravate your nasal passages, do a little detective work and find out.
  • Skip the smog. Smog contains known nasal irritants. Check your newspaper for news on air quality for the day and try to stay indoors as much as possible on bad days.
  • Skip the smoke, too. Secondhand smoke can have just as bad an effect on your throat, sinuses, and nasal passages as firsthand stuff does.
Granted there are other things you can take over the counter, but I figured I'd give you natural ideas since this is blog dedicated to finding natural remedies to dealing with health issues. Anyway, what I have been doing to treat my post-nasal drip is drinking bottled water with a cap of apple cidar vinegar in it. I've also heard this helps to reduce fat when done everyday. I've seen POSITIVE RESULTS! But that's another blog. It has helped much and I even slept through the night last night. I'm not brave enough to try Option 2, but for those who are, try it out and let me know how it goes. Live on purpose people! CiAo and MuAh!

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