Author's rating
Author of the article
Shutofedova Ksenia Yurievna
General practitioner
Articles written
578
about the author
Older family members often recommend warming procedures for colds. Are homemade methods of warming up so harmless?
Is it possible to warm your nose if you have a runny nose? When should the procedures not be used? How to warm your nose with salt? What devices can be used at home? What is a heating pad Ugolek? Let's figure out how to warm up your nose without harming your health.
When you can and cannot use warming for a runny nose
Warming up at home is an affordable and safe method of treating rhinitis. You just need to know whether this method can always be used at home. The therapeutic effect of thermal procedures is explained by improved blood circulation in the nasal mucosa. Warming has a therapeutic effect:
- reduces swelling of the mucous membrane;
- frees breathing;
- regenerates the epithelium of the nasal cavity.
However, it is not always possible to use warming with home remedies for rhinitis.
Recommended reading: Is it possible to go to the bathhouse with a runny nose?
Let's consider what conditions are an obstacle to the use of heat:
- At elevated body temperatures, thermal procedures of any kind are prohibited;
- Thick green or yellow nasal discharge is a sign of bacterial infection. Heating promotes the proliferation of microorganisms, which will cause the spread of infection to neighboring organs.
Bloody veins in the nose are a signal to prohibit any kind of heat.
- It is not recommended to warm up if you have high blood pressure. The procedure will cause dizziness and worsening general condition.
- It makes no sense to do the procedure for an allergic rhinitis.
- Vasomotor or medicinal rhinitis is also not an indication for thermal procedures.
- If the disease lasts for a long time, warming up can be harmful, since it indicates a complication. Self-medication in this case is dangerous.
- You cannot use heat if you have sinusitis - the procedure leads to complications with otitis media, sepsis or meningitis.
- They do not manipulate adenoids - they grow even more from heat.
Thermal procedures are recommended to be used at the beginning of the disease, when warning signs appear - sneezing, dry cough, malaise. Note! If you have an advanced runny nose, heat is contraindicated because complications of rhinitis cannot be ruled out. Is it possible to warm your nose during pregnancy? Heat using home remedies will not harm the mother and fetus. Warming the nose with an egg during a runny nose in pregnant women is allowed. But using an electric device is not recommended.
Warming your feet speeds up recovery. The procedure activates biological points on the feet and stimulates the immune system. It is better to warm your feet and hands at night.
It is also useful for children with a runny nose to warm their feet if they do not have a fever.
Read the article also on a related topic - is it possible to warm your nose with sinusitis with salt, how to do it correctly?
Almag, blue and ultraviolet lamp, Fairy and Ugolek: treatment of runny nose with warming devices
To cure a cold, a blue lamp can be used to warm the nose. Inflammatory diseases of the nose are often treated with heat. The device can even treat sinusitis and other types of sinusitis. Under the influence of heat, pathogenic microorganisms begin to die.
Is it possible to warm the nose with sinusitis: using a blue lamp
The blue lamp is a simple electrical device for warming up the nasal cavity or other part of the body where there is inflammation.
It consists of a handle, a metal shade with a mirror reflector and a blue lamp. After plugging in the device, the lamp begins to emit infrared rays.
Infrared radiation differs from ultraviolet radiation in that it produces pronounced thermal energy.
When treating a runny nose, a blue lamp helps alleviate the condition. Heat relieves swelling, reduces the area of inflammation, the feeling of discomfort disappears and breathing improves. An infrared lamp (IR lamp) has the same properties.
IR radiation has an immunostimulating and antiviral effect. More oxygen and nutrients begin to penetrate into the pathological focus, the inflammatory process is suppressed and swelling is eliminated. The warming procedure with an infrared lamp lasts 5–10 minutes. Place at a distance of 20–30 cm from the nose.
After turning on the blue lamp when you have a runny nose, the rays are directed to the area of inflammation, it is better to close your eyes. The device should be kept at a distance of approximately 40 cm. The duration of the session depends on the patient’s age, diagnosis and averages 10–15 minutes. The frequency of the procedure is 2–3 times a day. If a child has rhinitis, it is better to warm up during sleep, covering the eyes with a diaper.
A blue lamp should not be used for a runny nose if there is purulent discharge from the nose, bleeding, elevated body temperature, the presence of oncology, or severe heart disease.
Is it possible to heat sinusitis? – the question is controversial, and the answer depends on the stage and form of development of the disease. Warming with dry heat is a common procedure in folk medicine, but in many cases there are contraindications.
A blue lamp for sinusitis causes a number of changes in the nasal cavity. During warming up, vasodilation occurs, blood actively begins to flow to the organs. Therefore, if you heat the nasal area during a period of acute inflammation, swelling and nasal congestion may increase. The mucous surface becomes even more loose, and this promotes the growth of bacteria.
Cases when you should avoid warming up procedures:
- purulent form;
- the acute stage of inflammation, when the body temperature rises, there is pain in the head, swelling and redness are observed;
- sinusitis caused by fungi;
- blood diseases.
If all precautions are not followed, complications may develop, such as otitis media, swelling of the orbits, meningitis, brain abscesses and other serious diseases.
Sinusitis can be treated with a blue lamp during the period of extinction of acute symptoms or at the initial stage of the disease, in the absence of swelling, with good outflow of fluid accumulated in the sinuses.
Nose quartzing
Ultraviolet lamps are widely used for colds. They do not warm the nose and have a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect.
In addition, they promote the healing of wounds and damaged mucous surfaces, and also reduce pain. They can be used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes.
Under the influence of a quartz lamp, pathogenic flora dies and the immune system is strengthened.
Ultraviolet treatment is indicated for influenza, acute rhinitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis media, sore throat, and adenoids.
The procedure is prohibited if all these diseases are accompanied by brown or green snot, as well as an increase in body temperature.
UV lamps are installed in all physiotherapy rooms. But you can purchase the device yourself for home use. One of the popular devices with healing properties is the Sun. Its kit includes a special device for the nose, which allows you to direct radiation directly to the inflamed area.
The Sun UV lamp for a runny nose can be used at home. As a result of quartz treatment, the proliferation of bacteria and viruses stops, and rapid recovery occurs. In addition, the immune system is strengthened and blood circulation improves. Warming the nose for a runny nose can be done in children starting from three years old.
The Sun ultraviolet lamp will quickly relieve rhinitis, sinusitis, and tonsillitis. The process of inflammation decreases, swelling decreases, breathing improves, and pain disappears.
Treatment of sinusitis involves radiation through a special tube, which is directed to the area of the nasal passages. One treatment per day for 1 minute is enough. There should be 5-6 sessions in total.
After the first use, you can feel an improvement in your condition.
The Sunshine device for the treatment of runny nose can be used for preventive purposes during the flu season, after contact with a sick person or after severe hypothermia. There is a high probability of preventing a cold or having a mild illness.
How to warm up when you have a runny nose
With burning and tickling in the nose, people feel the need for thermal procedures. To do this, create dry heat using improvised means:
- salt;
- egg;
- sand;
- cereal.
Hot water bottle Ugolyok
Traditional medicine uses a honey cake to treat a runny nose. To do this, mix rye flour and honey in equal proportions. After heating, the cake is placed on the bridge of the nose and cheekbones, covered with a piece of cellophane and fabric. The manipulation is continued for 20–30 minutes. It is advisable to repeat the session 3-4 times a day, and do the last warm-up before bedtime.
To speed up recovery, the use of heating devices has proven successful. One of such devices, which has been used in Russia for a long time, is the Ugolek heating pad. This electrical device is designed in such a way that heat is reflected from the plate. Charcoal is used in cases where doctors advise dry heat. It is easy to use and completely replaces salt.
Causes of a runny nose
Rhinitis can appear both as a result of exposure of the mucous membrane to cold air, and due to viral or allergic diseases. Most often, a runny nose occurs in children. The symptom is dangerous not in itself, but because of the complications that appear in the long-term absence of suitable treatment.
The nasal mucosa performs protective functions against viruses, fungi and bacteria entering the respiratory tract, which trap small villi on its surface. A runny nose is an inflammatory process that occurs when foreign bodies, dust, an allergen, medication, or the result of a congenital pathology of tissues and cartilage enter the nose. It may appear due to nasal polyps, adenoids, or Kartagener's syndrome.
If you don’t go to an ENT specialist and don’t figure out the cause of your runny nose, don’t treat it at all, or treat it with inappropriate medications, a complication will quickly develop. The inflammation spreads to the throat and further. Only a doctor can choose the right set of medications without causing complications.
If a runny nose is formed due to contact with an allergen, this is accompanied by frequent sneezing and watery eyes, the eyes and nose itch, the nasal mucosa swells, and congestion occurs, but at the same time there is copious and watery discharge from the nose. In this case, there is no point in heating it - you need to avoid contact with the allergen.
If there are disorders of the blood vessels, when they stop responding to the external environment and there are vascular or central nervous system diseases, there is also no need to warm up the nose - the vessels will have to be treated.
But rhinitis, which occurs due to a viral infection or due to hypothermia, needs to be treated by warming up, but not on the first day of viral infection, but on the third. The procedure will reduce the amount of mucus secreted and speed up the healing process.
If you are infected with fungi or bacteria, or if you have an atrophic type of runny nose, warming your nose is strictly prohibited. In the latter case, ultraviolet heating is sometimes used, but only as prescribed by a doctor and based on the diagnosis of the disease.
How to warm up chicken eggs
Boiled eggs easily get rid of the symptoms of a cold. This simple procedure does not harm even children. How to warm your nose with an egg ?
- Wrap freshly boiled hot eggs in a thin towel;
- We apply them to the area of the bridge of the nose and cheekbones;
- Warming continues until the eggs cool.
During the session, it is recommended to follow these rules:
- to prevent skin burns, the hot egg is wrapped in thick cloth;
- manipulation is done 2-3 times a day;
- The last procedure is done before bedtime.
Warming the nose with an egg is used for mild colds. As for bacterial rhinitis, this method is not used at all. To increase the effectiveness of treatment, it is better to warm your nose with an egg when you have a runny nose after rinsing the passages with saline solution. After warming up, you cannot go outside for 2 hours. The thermal effect should take hold.
Good to know - What are the advantages and disadvantages of visiting a sauna when you have a cold?
"Fairy" device
There are quite a lot of devices for warming up the nasal sinuses, each one has its own effect, which often confuses all buyers. It is not clear which one to choose. But it's not difficult to figure it out. For example, the “Fairy” device is designed to warm tissues in a specific area; it is excellent for warming up the nose and throat. Rays directed at the affected area help dilate blood vessels, restore damaged tissue, eliminate swelling and nasal congestion.
It cannot be used for cancer, tuberculosis, high body temperature, nosebleeds, or purulent formations.
Treatment with this device is used only with the permission of a doctor, since independent use can lead to side effects.
First, the device is prepared for the procedure - it is disinfected, but it cannot be washed or soaked in liquid.
The procedure itself: heating elements of the device are installed on the skin around the nose, the desired time mode is selected depending on the disease - from 5 to 25 minutes, several times a day. The regimen should be discussed with a specialist.
Warming up with salt
Another type of dry heat that is used for a runny nose is warming the nose with salt. To do this, use coarse table salt - it retains heat better. Buckwheat or sand are also suitable. Pre-sew two small bags of cotton or flannel fabric. For lack of time, use a piece of fabric or a clean sock.
How to warm your nose with salt to warm up your paranasal sinuses:
- Pour salt or cereal into a frying pan and heat, stirring evenly.
- Fill two improvised bags and tie with thread or a small ribbon.
- The patient assumes a supine position, lowering his head on a low pillow. Salt is applied to the bridge of the nose and cheekbones.
- The procedure lasts 10–15 minutes.
- After warming up, it is recommended to lie down for another half hour in a draft-free room.
Warming a child's nose with salt for a runny nose is done while taking precautions. A bag of salt is applied through a towel or double cloth. Warming the nose with salt when a newborn baby has a runny nose is not recommended. The best and safest remedy for babies is to rinse the nose with saline. It is recommended to use home remedies in combination with medications.
How to treat a runny nose with medications
Treatment of a runny nose with steam inhalers or nebulizers has a very effective effect on recovery. A home device for warming up the nose is inexpensive and will help fight various kinds of infectious diseases throughout your life.
For treatment, medical solutions are used, which are sold in every pharmacy, but the use of drugs must be discussed with the attending physician. With the help of a nebulizer, the medicine reaches the remote corners of the nasal passages, which cannot be achieved by heating it over a bowl of boiling water, especially since this procedure will not burn the mucous membrane and thereby damage it even more, as happens when using traditional methods.
After the procedure, the patient should not go outside and become hypothermic, so it is better to do inhalations at night. Ideally, you should remain in bed until recovery.
Special warming patches are also effective - they can be stuck on the bridge of the nose in the evening and peeled off in the morning: it is convenient to warm up the nose at home.
But pepper, for example, is glued only for 30 minutes. But first you need to check if you are allergic to the warming components of such a patch. It is better to stick the patch first on the back of the hand and after 15 minutes check for redness on the skin. In any case, you need to read the instructions for each medicine.
Also in pharmacies you can find special heating pads for warming the nose with salt and not only it. The heating pad contains a liquid solution of sodium chloride, and there is an applicator on it, which must be broken before use so that the liquid begins to turn into crystals. During this process, you need to warm your nose for 15 minutes, repeating the procedure no more than 2 times a day. Before the next use, the heating pad is placed in warm water so that the crystals acquire their original state. Or you can find a special coal to warm your nose.
You can purchase an alcohol tincture of eucalyptus. For inhalation you only need a few drops added to a half-liter jar of hot water. The tincture is effective against microbes. Approved for use by children from 3 years of age.
The same result is obtained by using essential oils of eucalyptus, fir, pine, sea buckthorn and tea tree. You only need 1-3 drops of one of these per liter of hot water. But ready-made solutions with essential oils are also sold.
On the subject: Multi-baker Redmond: customer reviews
Next, we will consider traditional methods of treating a runny nose by heating.
How to warm your nose when you have a runny nose
Salt heating method
You need to take coarse salt, pour it into a dry frying pan, and slowly heat the frying pan. It doesn't matter what salt you use. Seafood or simple cooking. In this case, salt plays the role of a heat accumulator. Its chemical composition does not matter. When, by tactile determination, it is heated to a tolerable temperature (to the desired temperature), it is poured into two gauze bags. You can use thin children's cotton socks. You can sew two bags of cotton fabric of the desired size or shape in the shape of the letter “P” especially for this purpose. Pour heated salt into containers and place it on the nose, sinuses, and forehead. The location will depend on the clinical situation in the individual case. These areas contain the sinuses. Reflexively, pain can radiate to the bridge of the nose. Keep the heated salt until it cools down. This procedure is often used before bedtime. Its duration can be from ten to thirty minutes.
What else can you use besides salt?
- Groats.
Any grain will work well, but not small grains. - Boiled potatoes.
After it is taken out of the water, it must be immediately placed in the required number of layers of cotton fabric. Keep it in the nose area until it cools down. More often such procedures are used in field conditions. Where there are no civilized methods of warming the sinuses or nasal area. - River sand.
- Warming compress.
In addition to heat, it will also provide a good healing effect on the affected area. - Iodine.
It is very good to use an iodine mesh in the area of the wings of the nose, the back of the nose, and in the area of the maxillary sinuses. This is an excellent distraction procedure. It also has a healing effect. - Honey with flour.
Make the dough with a very thick consistency. They form it into flat cakes. They are attached in any way in the area of the back of the nose and maxillary sinuses. - Honey with propolis.
Again, get the cakes and attach them with a plaster or any other means safe for the face, nose and sinuses. - The pharmacy has special containers in the shape of the letter “P”
intended for warming procedures.
