Drops for the common cold: when and which ones to choose

1. What should you consider when using nasal drops?
2. How to bury a newborn's nose?
3. How to put nose drops in children?
4. What should you not do when putting nasal drops in your nose?
5. How to use nasal sprays correctly?
6. Prescribing nasal medications
7. Nasal drops
8. Vasoconstrictors - decongestants
9. How long can you use vasoconstrictor drops?

Despite the simplicity of the procedure, there is a certain algorithm for nasal instillation. The principle of action depends on the age of the patient, the type of drops, and the nature of the disease. This article will focus on how to properly instill nose drops and what manipulations need to be carried out for nasal congestion in children.

How to treat a runny nose: the best drops and sprays.

June 16, 2021
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Content

• Causes and symptoms of a runny nose
• Remedies for the common cold: what are they?
• Top 7 best remedies for runny nose
• Aqua Maris Plus
• Galazolin
• Nazivin
• Isofra
• Sanorin
• Vibrocil

The most unpleasant thing during a cold, besides fever, is, of course, nasal congestion. When we cannot breathe normally, it interferes with both normal work and proper sleep. What will help get rid of a runny nose? Here is our list of the most effective drugs for rhinitis.

Causes and symptoms of a runny nose

Among the main causes of runny nose

the following can be distinguished:

• hypothermia (cold rhinitis);
• infection (bacteria or viruses) entering the body;
• allergens (plant pollen, household dust, animal hair, chemicals, etc.);
• hormonal disorders.

Symptoms of a runny nose:

• the nose does not breathe freely;
• possible frequent sneezing;
• ears are blocked;
• headache;
• burning and dryness in the nose;
• severe nasal congestion;
• no sensitivity to odors;
• mucous discharge from the nose.

Remedies for the common cold: what are they?

Depending on the causes of the runny nose, you need to choose the right remedy to treat it. By the way, some drops for the common cold (antibacterial and hormonal) are sold in pharmacies with a prescription. They have certain side effects, so such remedies for the common cold should only be prescribed by a doctor. So, what are the remedies for treating a runny nose?

1. Means for rinsing the nose.
   Such solutions have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects. By the way, you can prepare them yourself (a weak aqueous solution of soda, soda or furatsilin, chamomile decoction, etc.). Or you can buy a ready-made drug at the pharmacy: miramistin, saline solution, chlorhexidine. When you have a runny nose, seawater-based products are also very popular for rinsing the nose - they reduce swelling and improve breathing.
2. Vasoconstrictors.
   Such drops and sprays for a runny nose constrict the vessels of the nasal mucosa, thereby reducing their permeability and relieving swelling. Vasoconstrictor nasal drops are prescribed for vasomotor, infectious or allergic rhinitis, but for a short period of time. If you use vasoconstrictor drops for a long time, addiction occurs.
3. Antiallergic (antihistamine).
   Such remedies for the common cold protect cells from destruction, which releases histamine (a substance that provokes an allergic reaction). Allergic rhinitis is usually treated with tablets, but nasal drops are also available. You can also combine: tablets and drops for allergies.

   
   The most unpleasant thing during a cold or allergy is nasal congestion

   Getty Images/Brand X

4. Antibacterial.
   Such drops or sprays for a runny nose are prescribed only if the cause of a runny nose is a bacterial infection. Treating viral or allergic rhinitis with antibacterial drops is not only useless, but also dangerous. Antibacterial nasal drops are usually only available with a prescription and can only be prescribed by a doctor. So don’t self-medicate to avoid harming yourself!
5. Hormonal.
   Similar remedies for the common cold are used if a person has a severe form of allergic rhinitis due to inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. Hormonal nasal drops are not addictive, but have a bunch of side effects. Therefore, only a doctor prescribes such drugs for the common cold.
6. Combined.
   Such remedies for the common cold contain active substances aimed at eliminating several problems. For example, they constrict blood vessels and relieve an allergic reaction. These drugs for the common cold are good because you buy one product instead of two or three. But if it contains a hormone or antibiotic, you will need a prescription from a doctor.

What should you not do when putting nasal drops in your nose?

If you have nasal congestion, you should not administer medications in a standing position with your head tilted back. In this position it is impossible to get into the area of ​​edema. The medicine enters the larynx, causing a sore throat or cough.

Important!

Many manufacturers do not make nasal sprays for children under 2 years of age. Some manufacturers extend this period to 6 years. Such restrictions are primarily associated with the increased dose of the drug when sprayed, which is designed for an adult, not a baby.

It is prohibited to independently prescribe antibacterial drugs to a child without consulting a doctor!

If the doctor has prescribed several medications at once, follow the established order:

1. rinsing the nose with saline solution;
2. decongestant;
3. antibacterial or antimicrobial agent, immunomodulator.

Aqua Maris Plus

This remedy for the common cold is excellent for maintaining the physiological state of the nasal mucosa. "Aqua Maris Plus" for the nose is created on the basis of sterilized water of the Adriatic Sea with natural microelements. The drug thins mucus and normalizes its production. Microelements in the composition of Aqua Maris nasal drops improve the functioning of the ciliated epithelium, relieve inflammation in the nose, cleanse the mucous membrane and restore it. Aqua Maris Plus, a remedy for the common cold, washes away allergens from the nasal mucosa and reduces inflammation. For hygienic purposes, drops are used to cleanse the nasal mucosa from street and house dust, as well as to moisturize the mucous membrane and soften crusts in the nose in children.

"Aqua Maris" is prescribed for acute and chronic inflammatory processes of the paranasal sinuses, adenoiditis, after operations on the nasal cavity, for vasomotor and allergic rhinitis, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, for dry nasal mucosa in air-conditioned rooms or during the heating season , in dusty rooms, etc.

Aqua Maris Plus

Jadran-Galenski Laboratories, Croatia

For the treatment and prevention of atrophic and subatrophic rhinitis;
- for cleansing and moisturizing the nasal mucosa in inflammatory diseases of the nasal cavity, sinuses and nasopharynx, incl. pregnant women and during lactation; - in the complex therapy of allergic and vasomotor rhinitis (especially for persons predisposed or suffering from hypersensitivity to drugs, including pregnant women and during lactation); — for the prevention of infections of the nasal cavity in the autumn-winter period (including for pregnant women and during lactation); - patients suffering from dry nasal mucosa and persons living and working in rooms with air conditioning and/or central heating, in order to preserve the physiological characteristics of the nasal mucosa in altered microclimatic conditions; — people whose mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract are constantly exposed to harmful influences (smokers, vehicle drivers, people working over 250

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How to use nasal sprays correctly?

Medicines for the treatment of diseases of the nasal mucosa are available in the form of sprays and drops. First of all, this is due to the peculiarities of the dosage of the drug. The spray is distinguished by an accurate dosage; the medicine reaches both nostrils evenly. The drop form is more gentle and is better suited for use in young children, since there is no such sharp injection as in a spray, which can frighten a child.

Regardless of the form of the drug, you should adhere to a certain algorithm of actions:

1. Take a sitting position and tilt your head back a little.
2. Lift the tip of your nose and apply drops into your nostril.
3. In a sitting position, tilt your head towards the nostril where the medicine was delivered and hold your head in this position for a couple of minutes.
4. Repeat all manipulations on the other side of the nose.
5. When lying down, you should not put a pillow under your head; it is better to place it under your neck and turn over on your side after administering the drug.
6. If the procedure is performed lying on your side, then you first need to apply drops to the nostril closest to the pillow, and then take this position on the other side and repeat the procedure.
7. After instilling the drops, you need to hold your breath so that the drug does not get through the nasopharynx into the stomach.
8. It is necessary to treat the pipette or the tip of the bottle with an antiseptic to prevent re-infection.

Galazolin

Galazolin nasal drops are great help even with a severe runny nose, when it is difficult to breathe. This remedy for the common cold helps to quickly relieve nasal congestion, reducing swelling of the mucous membrane. “Galazolin” for a runny nose is suitable as an “ambulance” for a runny nose if your nose is stuffy in the evening, but you can only get to the doctor in the morning. "Galazolin" relieves inflammation of the Eustachian tube and widens the passages so that air can pass freely. After using these drops for a runny nose, breathing immediately improves without producing a lot of mucus. The positive effect lasts about six hours. At the same time, doctors do not recommend using Galazolin nasal drops for a long time, so as not to develop an addictive effect.

The active substance of this remedy for the common cold is xylometazoline hydrochloride. Allergies to it do not develop, so even pregnant and lactating women can use Galazolin. If you follow the correct dosage of the drug, the active substance is practically not absorbed into the blood.

Galazolin

Medana Pharma SA (Medana Pharma), Poland

Under the influence of Galazolin, arterial vessels narrow.
As a result, the swelling of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages decreases, and the amount of discharge decreases. Relieving swelling helps restore patency of the nasal passages, Eustachian tube and sinus openings. After using Galazolin, the effect develops after 5-10 minutes. The duration of the vasoconstrictor effect is 8-12 hours. If the dosage is observed, clinically significant absorption of the drug is usually not observed. from 28

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Nasal drops

When prescribing nasal drops, compliance with the time intervals of procedures and rules of use plays a significant role in treatment. Before using nasal products, it is necessary to clear the nasal passages of mucus. Moreover, you should not blow air forcefully out of your nose. This will only increase the pressure in the cavity, and the capillaries will begin to burst. If the epithelium is damaged, the body's forces will be directed towards healing injuries instead of fighting bacteria and viruses. It is necessary to remove the contents from each nostril one by one, while closing the second. For babies, you can use an aspirator or a rubber bulb. If the mucus is thick enough and does not come away, you should drip a saline solution into your nose and clear the nasal passages.

Some immunomodulatory drugs must be stored in the refrigerator. Therefore, before use, you should warm them to room temperature: remove them from the refrigerator a few minutes before use or warm them in your palms.

Important!

Under no circumstances should you put cold drops into the nose of a sleeping child. This can cause a reflex spasm of the larynx.

Before burying your nose, you do not need to tilt your head back too much. This allows the medicine to penetrate into the oropharynx, causing coughing or scratching, and the medicine does not have the desired effect.

When using nasal drops, you must keep your head straight, slightly tilted in the direction where the medicine will penetrate. After this, you should massage the wing of the nose and instill drops into the second nasal passage in the same way. If these simple rules are followed, the medicine will be correctly distributed throughout the mucosa. It is especially important to adhere to the sequence of manipulations for various sinusitis. The canaliculi of the paranasal sinuses are located in the middle and upper parts of the nasal passages, so the medicine should go there.

Nazivin

This remedy for the common cold is available in several versions: in the usual dosage, for children of different ages, for those who suffer from allergies or are prone to it. “Nazivin” perfectly treats a runny nose, having a vasoconstrictor effect, and it acts immediately after use - the nose begins to breathe normally, health improves, and the secretion of mucus from the nose decreases. Ear congestion, which so often accompanies a runny nose, goes away. "Nasivin" for the nose helps prevent the development of otitis, sinusitis or eustacheitis.

These drops and nasal spray contain the optimal concentration of the active substance (oxymetazoline hydrochloride), which helps prevent addiction to Nazivin. After one instillation, the positive effect lasts for about 12 hours. But you need to be careful and not overdose on Nazivin (this can cause even more nasal congestion and even increased blood pressure).

Nazivin

Merkle GmbH, Germany

— treatment of acute respiratory diseases accompanied by rhinitis;
- allergic rhinitis; - vasomotor rhinitis; — restoration of drainage in case of inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, eustachitis, otitis media; — elimination of edema before diagnostic manipulations in the nasal passages. from 120

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How to bury a newborn's nose?

Children at an early age do not yet know how to blow their nose, so you can remove mucus from the nasal passages with an aspirator or syringe. Moreover, all objects used to remove crusts and mucus must be sterile. They should be used as carefully as possible so as not to damage the mucous membrane. Before you start using nose drops, you should calm your baby down. If he is capricious and cries, then it is better to postpone the procedure. It is necessary to introduce drops into the nose of a newborn with him in a horizontal position. 1-2 drops of the medicinal solution should be dripped into each nostril. You should not take a full pipette of medicine; if the child moves suddenly, the entire medicine can be poured out, which will lead to an overdose.

After the procedure, you need to let the baby lie quietly for 1-2 minutes.

Isofra

Isofra nasal spray is an antibiotic that fights infections in the nasal mucosa and paranasal sinuses. The nasal spray has a convenient dispenser - thanks to this, the active substance (framycetin sulfate) is evenly distributed inside the nose and penetrates into hard-to-reach places. Isofra nasal spray can be used as the only remedy for the treatment of bacterial rhinitis, or as part of complex therapy.

A remedy for the runny nose is prescribed for rhinitis, sinusitis, sinusitis, nasopharyngitis and other complications of the runny nose. Isofra is often prescribed as a prophylaxis after nasal surgery, when general immunity is reduced.

Isofra

Laboratories Bouchard-Recordati, France

As part of combination therapy for infectious and inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract, including: - rhinitis;
- rhinopharyngitis; - sinusitis (in the absence of damage to the septum). Prevention and treatment of inflammatory processes after surgery. from 220

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Functions of the nose

The nose is one of the most important sense organs. In the depths of the nasal cavity is the olfactory region of the mucous membrane. It is dotted with a huge number of receptors that are responsible for the perception of odors. That is why any disturbances and destructive processes on the nasal mucosa first of all deprive us of the ability to smell.

A person has the ability to differentiate 4–10 thousand odors. However, individual differences in the ability to perceive odors are very large. People endowed with an amazingly subtle sense of smell are highly valued as tasters and perfumers.

But speaking about the functions of the nose, we are talking not only about the sense of smell. The most important functions of the nose: Thermoregulation. Cold air, entering the nasal passages, comes into contact with the nasal mucosa, as a result of which it warms up. Cooling of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity almost never occurs due to its rich blood supply.

• Hydration.
  Passing through the nasal cavity, dry air streams are moistened due to the transformation (conversion) of part of the nasal secretion liquid into water vapor.
• Cleansing.
  The external air contains a large number of various foreign particles (dust, chemicals, etc.). Having penetrated the nasal cavity, the air masses are cleared of them by the usual binding (gluing) of foreign substances with nasal mucous secretion. This secretion normally moves from the internal nasal openings (choanae) of the nose to the external ones (nostrils), due to the presence of ciliated and microvillous cells on the surface of the mucosa.
• Perception of smells.
  In the area of ​​the upper and middle nasal passages, in the thickness of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity, there are receptor neurosensory (olfactory) cells, which are the initial part of the olfactory analyzers of the brain (parahippocampal gyrus, anterior perforated substance, hippocampal cortex).
• Antibacterial protection.
  The nasal secretion contains a large amount of bactericidal substances (mucin, lysozyme, etc.), which actively destroy new microorganisms that enter the nasal cavity with external air during breathing. So any problems with this organ can deprive us of a lot.

Dry and stuffy nose without runny nose

Conventionally, the causes of dry congestion can be divided into 2 types:

• Physiological
  - adaptation to climate or season, bad habits, structural features, consequences of injuries, diet.

In this case, a sensitive reaction of the nasal mucosa to external stimuli occurs. Even the diet

can affect nasal congestion. Thus, those who indulge in carbohydrate and fatty foods may experience increased blood glucose levels. Nasal congestion may not be intrusive or traumatic. But for those who have been diagnosed with diabetes or at the threshold stage for diabetes, dry mucous membranes, including in the mouth, can be a constant companion.

Seasonality and acclimatization.

They can also cause swelling of the nasal mucosa, which inevitably leads to a feeling of stuffiness. A negative factor in this case is insufficient air humidity.

Smoking and drinking alcohol.

Due to toxic resins, alcohols, and chemical compounds, the cells of the mucous membrane are destroyed. These bad habits negatively affect blood vessels and capillaries, which can also cause nasal congestion and swelling of the mucous membrane. For example, these symptoms can lead to snoring and sleep apnea.

Injuries and anatomical structure of the nasal septum.

Prevents proper breathing.

• Pathological causes of congestion are
  an inflammatory or infectious process in the body, taking medications, diseases of the nasopharynx or respiratory tract, chronic pathologies of the nasal mucosa.

Infectious, inflammatory diseases

may not be accompanied by an outflow of mucus from the nose. Congestion can be a symptom of ARVI, FLU, sinusitis, sinusitis and many other diseases of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract.

Allergic reaction

also not necessarily accompanied by a runny nose. Most often, dry nasal congestion manifests itself as hay fever - a seasonal exacerbation in people sensitive to flowering plants and trees. But it is worth noting that if an allergic reaction occurs, antihistamines should be taken orally. You also need to take courses of enterosorbents to accelerate the elimination of allergens and possibly drugs to restore and maintain normal intestinal microflora. Since the intensity of allergic reactions is directly related to the condition of the intestines.

Side effects such as nasal congestion and swelling of the mucous membrane can occur when taking certain medications.

.

Pathologies of the nasal mucosa in which dryness is observed can represent an extensive list. Even osteochondrosis

and disturbances in blood flow in the vessels of the brain can have an unpleasant consequence in the form of dry nasal congestion.

Sanorin

These drops for runny nose help reduce the symptoms of rhinitis literally from the first use. Sanorin can completely cure a runny nose in about five days. The active substance of “Sanorin” for the nose is naphazoline nitrate, it constricts blood vessels, reduces the secretion of snot, drying out the mucous membrane.

"Sanorin" can be bought in the form of drops, spray or emulsion. This remedy for the common cold helps with chronic rhinitis, sinusitis, sinusitis and other problems with the nasopharynx. Sanorin drops may contain eucalyptus oil or aloe extract. But it should be noted that this drug for the common cold is contraindicated for those who have high blood pressure, a tendency to tachycardia, any problems with blood vessels, or eye diseases. The maximum course of treatment with Sanorin is seven days (for children - no more than three days).

Sanorin

TEVA, Ukraine

Sanorin is a vasoconstrictor drug for topical use in ENT practice.
Alpha2-adrenergic agonist. When applied topically, it has a rapid, pronounced and long-lasting vasoconstrictor effect on the vessels of the mucous membrane (reduces swelling, hyperemia, exudation). Facilitates nasal breathing during rhinitis and reduces swelling during conjunctivitis. After 5-7 days, tolerance occurs. from 55

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Vibrocil

The cold remedy “Vibrocil” is prescribed for allergic rhinitis and as a vasoconstrictor. "Vibrocil" quickly and effectively relieves swelling of the nasal mucosa and helps you breathe freely again. "Vibrocil" has such a safe composition that it is prescribed to children from a very early age. These drops for the common cold have no contraindications or side effects.

The active ingredients of Vibrocil nasal drops are phenylephrine and dimethindene. The first constricts blood vessels, and the second has an antihistamine effect. In addition, this remedy for the common cold contains sorbitol and lavender oil extract - they fight germs and are effective natural antiseptics. Literally after the first use, there will be less mucus in the nasal sinuses, and if it is allergic rhinitis, swelling will decrease. "Vibrocil" is suitable for the treatment of all types of runny nose, as well as in the complex therapy of otitis media.

Vibrocil