A group of Ear Nose and Throat experts at the Cedars Sinai Medical has studied snoring seeking probable causes and treatments to this condition.  One of the findings that the group encountered was the probable relation of nasal dryness or commonly referred to as dry nose, to snoring.  The methods and treatments were detailed in a book by Debra Bruce and Murray Grossan entitled The Sinus Care (Ballnatine).

Nasal Dryness

A lot of people have nasal dryness that is can be compared to the common cold.  This condition makes breathing difficult than normal.  It can at times produces unpleasant sounds which was later on associated to cause snoring and other problems.  Nasal dryness usually occurs when there is dry heat or dry hot air.  This can happen whole year round since dry heat is not really from the summer season only.  During summer, when humidity is low – then you have dry heat that leads to dry nose.  You can have dry air when humidity is low which can be true for indoor air during winter.  If your heater is set at a high temperature, then you are likely subjected to dry hot air that causes nasal dryness.  This may also be the case if you utilize air conditioning where the cool air actually has lower humidity and possible drying your nasal cavities.

Nasal dryness can lead to a secondary nasal infection – the crusting and having a dry mouth as well.  When you have a dry nose your body’s natural defenders – lysozyme, good white cells will not be able to attack the bacteria that enter your nose.  Normally, your nasal cavities are moist that washes out pollens and dusts. A homemade saline spray – one teaspoon salt to a pint of water helps. A saline product that contains the body’s natural electrolytes, such as Breathe.ease®XL Nasal Spray is highly effective in providing moisture here.  Furthermore, it is very important to keep the bedroom moist.  The medical group from Cedar Sinai recommends having pans of water and allowing the water to evaporate to keep the humidity level normal.

Dry Nose is one of most common nasal condition which leads to nose bleeds and sinusitis.  When ignored, the condition can worsen and lead to chronic nasal congestion.  There are ways to prevent nasal dryness.  One way to avoid this is the regular irrigation or cleaning of your nasal cavities before applying moisturizing nasal gels.  Always remember that your nose is a sensitive organ.  The linings inside it are made of thin layers of tissues so that it is highly prone to cuts and scratches if not cleaned properly especially when the area is dry.

Here are some steps on how to properly clean your nose.  You will need to make your nasal saline solution.  Note that this is readily available for over the counter purchases at your nearest pharmacy but knowing how to prepare it can be handy as well.  To mix your own, you will need ½ teaspoon of the common table salt, a pinch of baking soda and 8 oz. of warm water.  Since it is not very costly to do, it is recommended that you make a fresh batch of solution everyday and keep in a small bottle.

Now there are different methods of how to use the nasal saline solution.  There is the “Palm Snuffle” method where in you pour your saline solution on clean hands and snuff it up your nose, one nostril at a time.  After snuffing, you need to spit it out and gently blow your nose.  Another technique is the “Bulb Syringe” where you will need a large bulb syringe.  Fill this with the saline solution and insert the tip of the syringe inside your nostril.  Lean over your head on a sink and press the syringe so that the solution it will go up and over the roof of your mouth, letting out of your mouth.

Remember, you need to clean your nose everyday and apply moisturizing nasal gels.  This will ensure that your nose is always clean.  Keep in mind, they act as humidifier for the air that we breathe in.

One of most common nasal condition is nasal dryness, more commonly referred to as dry nose that can lead to nose bleeds, sinusitis and chronic nasal congestion.  This condition can be caused by several factors which can be a medication side effect or even just dry hot weather.  It can also be caused by other a more serious ailment such as Sjogren’s Syndrome. As we all know, the human lungs performs better when it is moist.  Our nose is not only a mere passageway but performs the delicate task of ensuring that the air that we breathe in gets moist before it truly enters our lung.  However, if we have dry nasal passages then we also get dry air into our system.

Here are some good tips to avoid having a dry nose.  To prevent nasal dryness, we need to assess our current living environment.  But what we usually overlook and ignore is that we can even have dry air into our homes whole year round.  First and most common source of dry air is our air-conditioning units.  If you are accustomed to using this in your home then you are more prone to having dry nose.  The quality of cold air that goes out of your air conditioner actually lowers humidity level within your house.  To avoid this, doctors recommend the use of cool mist vaporizers or humidifier while you sleep.  This will help you achieve proper humidity level at 50% to 60%.  Next would be constant nasal irrigation.  This involves regular cleaning of your nostrils with the use of nasal saline.  Last but the most important of all is the constant moisturizing of your nasal passages.  The best way to do this is to apply moisturizing nasal gels. There are some preparations that even have soothing agents like aloe and they are readily available over-the counter in all pharmacies.

Medicines can be taken in different ways.  Tables, capsules or syrups are taken orally while intravenous or IV medications are administered through the veins.  Another form would be topical medicines that are applied on to the skin usually in form of ointment or gel.  There are also nasal medicines that are being used nowadays which could be in the form of a nasal spray or a nasal gel.

The nasal spray however has its disadvantages.  With the spray’s viscosity, it is more likely that the patient will experience increased nasal drip which is very uncomfortable.  There are also situations that spraying deep within the internal nasal cavity can bring pain and discomfort.  It sometimes intensifies sinusitis and may even cause sneezing or coughing.  Other possible side effect may include nose bleeding, headaches, loss of smell or loss of taste.

These effects actually lead to the manufacture and use of nasal gels.  Researches done showed that the vascular nature of the nasal mucosa can tolerate high drug permeation at a faster rate.  The olfactory region of the nose can take in the medicinal compound and quickly distributes it to the central nervous system.  Nasal gels are thicker than sprays thus preventing post-nasal drips and usually contain hydroxypropyl cellulose a compound that helps improve the absorption of medications with low molecular weight.  Most of the nasal gels available in the market include soothing agents like aloe or other moisturizers that diminishes irritation, dryness and discomfort during application.

With more hygienic application and lesser irritating effects, nasal gels are now an accepted form of medication preferred by patients.

Nasal discomfort can be caused by a lot of factors.  This can be due to colds, allergies, sinusitis or simply the weather alone.  Nasal discomfort can be the reason for dry nose, running nose, continuous sneezing, sinusitis and headaches as well.  Pharmaceutical companies came up with several medical treatments to ease nasal discomforts.  It may be in the form of oral medications like tablets, syrups, capsules or inhalers. 

Medicine came up with a temporary relief for these discomforts through the use of nasal rinses, sprays or gels.  For a quick fix of nasal discomfort, nasal gels have been introduced in the market.  Choosing the right nasal gel is critical since there are some side-effects that consumers should look out for in the medical literature enclosed with the product.  Next to keep in mind are the ingredients used by the manufacturer.  There are nasal gels that are saline-based which are non-medicated.  There are a variety of brands of nasal saline gel which gives a soothing effect for those with allergies and colds.  The saline nasal gel moisturizes dry, stuffy, sore noses and even prevents nose bleeding due to low humidity or dry weather.  This medication is readily available over the counter however there are some precautionary steps that consumers need to keep in mind when doing a purchase in your community pharmacy. 

It might be worth your while to speak to your local pharmacists regarding the effects of a nasal saline gel.  The most important to consider when buying this product is if the consumer has allergy with saline.  Since the product is mainly for topical use and does not contain chemicals, it is regarded as safe for over the counter purchase.

There are a lot of nasal gels in the market nowadays that treats several types of ailments.  Majority of the nasal gels are treatments for the nasal decongestion, common colds, sinusitis and allergies. 

Several brands are available in the market offering different types of relief for nasal discomfort due to colds like Zicam, Rhinaris, Vicks, Walgreens and Ayr that can be bought over the counter.  However, consumers should be extra careful and strict with dosages.  The ingredients of each brand differ depending on the strength of the medication.  Ayr is one of the leading brands and like its competitors, nasal gels are usually water-based and has special aloe added that helps soothe and moisturize dry, sore nasal cavities.  One brand of nasal gel treatment for colds that hit the headlines recently was Zicam produced by Matrixx Initiative, Inc.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter to the manufacturers of Matrixx ordering the recall of Zicam from the market due to a lawsuit against the company due to the products’ causing anosmia to those who used it. 

Anosmia is the condition wherein the person losses his smell and partially loses taste as well.  The active ingredient of Zicam that is linked to anosmia is zinc gluconate.  The lawsuit leads into a settlement wherein Matrixx agreed to pay $12 Million to the benefit of the petitioners who were victims of anosmia, claiming that they acquired the condition after one use of Zicam.  Another form of Zicam is still available in the market for over the counter purchase.