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Stuffy noses are perhaps one of the most irritating conditions you can suffer from.
They ruin your sleep, are unpleasant (constantly blowing your nose is not office friendly) and can spoil your appetite.
To make matters worse, according to experts, traditional remedies we have relied on for years are now believed to be ineffective.
Many over-the-counter cold and flu medications contain the active ingredient phenylephrine – a decongestant – which is essentially useless according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Luckily, a doctor known for his genius health hacks on TikTok has revealed a foolproof way to unblock your nose — without drugs.
A video posted to his TikTok channel, where he has 177,000 followers, shows Dr. Sermed Mezher demonstrating an 'underused' product that he says is 'vital' for relieving breathing difficulties.
The clip, which has been viewed more than 17,000 times, should not be viewed while eating. It shows a man using a nasal rinse to expel mucus from his nasal passages.
“This is the most underused method for blocked nasal and sinus infections,” says Dr Mezera British-based general practitioner.
With a nasal or sinus rinse, a saline solution is injected into both nostrils one at a time, allowing the contents of the nose to fall out.
Dr. Mezher further explains why the method works so well.
'The outside air is filled with all kinds of dirt and bacteria and when they settle, a build-up of pus occurs.
'When that happens, most people just opt for nasal sprays because they are quite convenient and not that painful.
The FDA recently ruled that the majority of our usual flu medications don't work, but Dr. Mezher says nasal rinses are foolproof
“But all they do is relieve inflammation.” Nasal rinses, on the other hand, 'flush away the infection'.
Experts have long recommended the use of nasal rinses – or nasal irrigation devices as they are sometimes called.
However, doctors have also urged users to ensure they clean the tools properly – to avoid the risk of further infection.
Dr. Eric A. Mann, Ph.D, of the FDA said: 'Nasal irrigation devices – including neti pots, bulb syringes, squeeze bottles and battery-operated pulsed water devices – are generally safe and effective products when used properly and cleaned up. .'
The body recommends rinsing only with distilled, sterile or previously boiled water – rather than plain tap water that contains few organisms – such as bacteria and protozoa, including amoebae.
Although these are safe to swallow because stomach acid kills them, the organisms can remain alive in the nasal passages and potentially cause serious infections.