We have all had colds where it seems one nostril is closed while the other is open. Is there a reason why we can’t force them both open? I have heard that the body switches back and forth to rest parts of the nose, but would that even be an issue if we put some kind of tube in place?
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Oral decongestants such as pseudoephedrine and nasal sprays work well for relief of mild/moderate congestion by causing vasoconstriction (shrink the blood vessels). There are many blood vessels in the nasal passages that swell when we have a cold or allergies causing acute congestion.
Such drugs are only advised for short term use due to, amongst other things, increasing blood pressure and dependence/rebound effect.
“Of course this isn’t medical advice and always follow the directions with medication.”
Anatomical abnormalities or injury, such as a deviated septum, can be a cause for chronic or recurrent congestion. In those cases surgery might help.
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