Post by hafeezanwar on Oct 9, 2008 21:25:30 GMT
Common Cold, Uncommon Nasal Remedy
Washington, October 09: Entering the coldest months of the year and the favored months of the common cold, prevention methods are back in full swing.
Flu shots are being offered at drug stores and pharmacies across the country, cold medicines are going on sale, orange juice is ready to be plucked off grocery store shelves and tissues are being grabbed by the handful. One of the most overlooked methods however, is using saline nasal solutions to help with allergies, congestion, and sinus troubles. Whenever I was getting a sore throat my mom always tells me to gargle with salt water; turns out it works with your nose, too, just in a different form.
Contrary to popular belief, nasal congestion isn't caused by a buildup of mucus. Common colds and allergens increase swelling of the blood vessels of the nasal passages causing congestion by blocking air flow through the nostrils. University of Wisconsin researchers studied the effects of salt water on the sinuses through irrigation and concluded that their volunteers had little need for sinus infection medications after using this method. By flushing salt water through your nose, the bad bacteria that could be accumulating have a way of being naturally processed out, and the more often it is used, makes it harder to get an infection or large amount of congestion.
There are two main ways to "irrigate" your nose with a saline solution: using a neti-pot or a nasal spray. Saline nasal sprays are more common and can be found at any major drug store or cold section of your local grocer, but watch out for those that carry preservatives as they can be harmful to the inside of your nose over time. The best kind of saline nasal spray to look for is one that is a natural sea water rinse with minerals and one that doesn't contain preservatives if possible, such as Breathe Again Seawater Saliine Nasal Spray. Saline sprays usually come in a squirt bottle or as an injection and can be used every day to prevent symptoms that can lead to the common cold, congestion, chronic sinusitis, asthma due to sinusitis, seasonal allergies, irritation and soreness due to lack of moisture, and snoring.
The neti pot is the alternative medicine approach, an Ayurvedic method of cleansing the sinuses. An ancient branch of the yoga practice, using a neti pot is a way of washing out the nasal canals without stuffing them with foreign objects or resorting to decongestion medication. Neti pots come in all different sizes and styles, most are narrow pots similar to a travel-sized tea pot with a small spout like a thin watering can opening and usually come in metal, ceramic, or unbreakable plastic.
Neti pots can be purchased at many health food and drug stores. Prices run from $10 to $30 depending on the material and where you buy them. Some neti pots come with pre-packaged saline solutions and others recommend you buy non-iodized salt to dissolve in them. Once you fill the pot and dissolve the salt you stand over a sink or tub and tilt your head while positioning the spout just inside your nostril so the solution is poured right up one nostril and out the other for about thirty seconds on both sides. Practicing this daily helps to keep your sinuses flowing and can help prevent your nose from being a target the next time cold season comes calling, although if you are prone to chronic nosebleeds, have a deviated septum, or if you already have a sinus infection or another serious nasal condition, please consult your doctor before use.
Dr. Ketan C. Mehta, M.D., is a physician specializing in pulmonary medicine and critical care and before creating his own nasal saline solution, he used this practice to treat his patients as well as himself, "Of all the treatments tried for controlling and curing the symptoms of sinus disease, the one I found to work the best is a saline nasal rinse," he says, "An effective nasal rinse would significantly reduce or permanently cure the symptoms of nasal allergies and sinus disease."
October is already well underway and school children will start coming home with the sniffles, co-workers will be calling in sick more frequently, and holiday shoppers will no doubt forget to cover their mouths to cough, sneeze, or breathe in your direction so start the prevention now and look into finding the best saline rinse for your healthy nasal needs.
-----Agencies---
================================
SEARCH BY
Muhammed A. Hafeez, B.Com.
HYDERABAD, INDIA
Email. hafeezanwar@yahoo.com
============================================
READ 50 CHAPTERS OF MUSLIM SAINTS ON THE BELOW WEB SITE
hafeezanwar.multiply.com
==========================================
AQLIM HIND KE HAIN QUTUB MERE
SARKAR SHAH AFZAL BIABANI
======================================
Washington, October 09: Entering the coldest months of the year and the favored months of the common cold, prevention methods are back in full swing.
Flu shots are being offered at drug stores and pharmacies across the country, cold medicines are going on sale, orange juice is ready to be plucked off grocery store shelves and tissues are being grabbed by the handful. One of the most overlooked methods however, is using saline nasal solutions to help with allergies, congestion, and sinus troubles. Whenever I was getting a sore throat my mom always tells me to gargle with salt water; turns out it works with your nose, too, just in a different form.
Contrary to popular belief, nasal congestion isn't caused by a buildup of mucus. Common colds and allergens increase swelling of the blood vessels of the nasal passages causing congestion by blocking air flow through the nostrils. University of Wisconsin researchers studied the effects of salt water on the sinuses through irrigation and concluded that their volunteers had little need for sinus infection medications after using this method. By flushing salt water through your nose, the bad bacteria that could be accumulating have a way of being naturally processed out, and the more often it is used, makes it harder to get an infection or large amount of congestion.
There are two main ways to "irrigate" your nose with a saline solution: using a neti-pot or a nasal spray. Saline nasal sprays are more common and can be found at any major drug store or cold section of your local grocer, but watch out for those that carry preservatives as they can be harmful to the inside of your nose over time. The best kind of saline nasal spray to look for is one that is a natural sea water rinse with minerals and one that doesn't contain preservatives if possible, such as Breathe Again Seawater Saliine Nasal Spray. Saline sprays usually come in a squirt bottle or as an injection and can be used every day to prevent symptoms that can lead to the common cold, congestion, chronic sinusitis, asthma due to sinusitis, seasonal allergies, irritation and soreness due to lack of moisture, and snoring.
The neti pot is the alternative medicine approach, an Ayurvedic method of cleansing the sinuses. An ancient branch of the yoga practice, using a neti pot is a way of washing out the nasal canals without stuffing them with foreign objects or resorting to decongestion medication. Neti pots come in all different sizes and styles, most are narrow pots similar to a travel-sized tea pot with a small spout like a thin watering can opening and usually come in metal, ceramic, or unbreakable plastic.
Neti pots can be purchased at many health food and drug stores. Prices run from $10 to $30 depending on the material and where you buy them. Some neti pots come with pre-packaged saline solutions and others recommend you buy non-iodized salt to dissolve in them. Once you fill the pot and dissolve the salt you stand over a sink or tub and tilt your head while positioning the spout just inside your nostril so the solution is poured right up one nostril and out the other for about thirty seconds on both sides. Practicing this daily helps to keep your sinuses flowing and can help prevent your nose from being a target the next time cold season comes calling, although if you are prone to chronic nosebleeds, have a deviated septum, or if you already have a sinus infection or another serious nasal condition, please consult your doctor before use.
Dr. Ketan C. Mehta, M.D., is a physician specializing in pulmonary medicine and critical care and before creating his own nasal saline solution, he used this practice to treat his patients as well as himself, "Of all the treatments tried for controlling and curing the symptoms of sinus disease, the one I found to work the best is a saline nasal rinse," he says, "An effective nasal rinse would significantly reduce or permanently cure the symptoms of nasal allergies and sinus disease."
October is already well underway and school children will start coming home with the sniffles, co-workers will be calling in sick more frequently, and holiday shoppers will no doubt forget to cover their mouths to cough, sneeze, or breathe in your direction so start the prevention now and look into finding the best saline rinse for your healthy nasal needs.
-----Agencies---
================================
SEARCH BY
Muhammed A. Hafeez, B.Com.
HYDERABAD, INDIA
Email. hafeezanwar@yahoo.com
============================================
READ 50 CHAPTERS OF MUSLIM SAINTS ON THE BELOW WEB SITE
hafeezanwar.multiply.com
==========================================
AQLIM HIND KE HAIN QUTUB MERE
SARKAR SHAH AFZAL BIABANI
======================================