Experts have revealed a technique to help ease a blocked nose as the holiday season approaches.
With Christmas just around the corner, winter often brings not only joy but also a surge of colds and flus. The aroma of spiced pumpkin pies and mulled wine may not penetrate some blocked noses, leaving individuals spending the holiday season wrapped in blankets.
And this isn’t just limited to those with a cold. At some point, we’ve all experienced the odd situation where one nostril feels clear while the other is severely congested, resembling rush hour traffic in LA.
While these exercises won’t eliminate your cold, they could provide some relief from that uncomfortable, stuffy sensation in your sinuses.
So how does it work?
Dr. Alan Mandell, a doctor and YouTuber known as motivationaldoc, posted an exercise on social media aimed at clearing airways.
The method involves massaging the cheekbone and pulling on the ears to help open the sinus passages, which are air-filled cavities located at various points around the skull.
Though often associated solely with the nose, the sinuses actually extend across a larger portion of the face than one might assume. They run from above the eyebrows (frontal sinus), along the bridge of the nose, down the nose itself, and include two additional chambers beneath the cheekbones known as the maxillary sinuses.
Infections can inflame the sinuses, leading to pain and nasal congestion.
The technique for relieving sinus congestion involves pressing on your cheekbone with one hand while using the other hand to gently pull on your ear, aiming to physically adjust your sinus passages.
Dr. Mandell advises holding this position for around 10 seconds, explaining how to perform the exercise.
Though not a complete cure, the aim of the exercise is to provide temporary relief from congestion.
If you experience severe cold or flu symptoms that persist beyond a week, the NHS advises consulting your doctor.
This recommendation also applies to individuals who are immunocompromised, pregnant, or over the age of 65.