Monday, September 14, 2009

Nasal strips

This talking about nocturnal breathing made me buy some Kleerway Nasal Strips.

They do actually help some, maybe 20 or 30 percent. But after a full night, 1) the sides had come off, and 2) they left a substantial residue of glue on my nose, which is hard to get rid of.

Any advice? Better brand? Better way to do it?

31 comments:

Dan said...

The famous/popular brand here in the States is 'breathe right.' Sorry, never tried them.

http://www.breatheright.com/

Timo Lehtinen said...

If you are experiencing nasal congestion, have you checked that you are not suffering from nasal polyps?

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Apart from having to blow my nose a few times a day, I don't think I have actual nasal congestion.
And I don't feel I have *problems* with breathing at night, but I just felt like trying it, you know, anything can be optimized.

bilhelm96 said...

I have used the Breath Rite stips in the US. What little glue residue the is comes off with a light face washing. They work well. One complaint, touching the glue area when putting on really reduces how well they stick through the night

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Yes, Breath Right seems to be very big, even sold over Amazon UK, so I'll give those a try also. (Though they are twice the price of the others, amazingly.)

Aniko said...

> And I don't feel I have *problems* with breathing at night, but I just felt like trying it, you know, anything can be optimized.

Well... interesting point of view. From this point of view, one has a huge amount of optimalizable features to deal with...

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Exactly.

I think many people think if it just works, it's good enough.
And many even thinks that if they don't get blamed or attacked for anything, it's good enough. :-)

Me, I like to continually optimize everything, both in terms of quality and time. Maybe that is why I run a busy web site on three hours a day, while webmasters of similar sites tell me they use ten or twelve hours a day.

Devant la Vitrine said...

A light coat of WD-40 prior to putting the nasal strips on will ensure that they'll come off again.

http://www.wd-40.com

Good stuff, Oui?

Aniko said...

But there is something about protesis... I mean, I think I wouldn't find it weird if you said you do for instance yoga to breath better. Actually breathing is something I concentrate on when I remember about it (and now, deep inhalation). But to check out the new best avalaible breathing *gear*... It wouldn't have ever occured to me. :-)

I just feel a (not so) old story coming back... :-)

I totally agree that is it good to optimize, and I am happy for you if you could reach the level of working only 3 hours per day on your site.

Actually i usually try to get my things done *at all*. I will have a thought about optimizing... :-)

Actually for Csikszentmihalyi, that's one of the ways to stay in the Flow...

TC [Girl] said...

Eo...

I would highly recommend the best-rated air purifier and ionizer within the budget that you are willing to work with and see how you feel after that.

Bruce said...

As an alternative, try using one of the saline solution nasal sprays just before you go to bed. "Ocean" is a popular brand here, but there are many generic versions.

I had the same problem. Tried this and it worked like a champ. I noticed that after continued use, I had fewer problems to begin with. Doc thinks it may be a very mild allergy causing the problem.

Aniko said...

Now I saw the vids concerning sleep apnea. Yeah, that makes me feel like trying those sleeping strips (gears) too. :-)

Anonymous said...

I think many people think if it just works, it's good enough.

If you're already operating at the optimum, then no, you can't do better. Wearing glasses when you've already got 20/20 vision won't be an improvement. Wearing nasal strips if you don't have any problems absolutely will not improve things at all. You're obviously one of those fools who has more money than brains.

Monsieur Beep! said...

All I need for a good sleep (not only nasal) is a cute female ape beside me (a coté de moi). (:-))

I know you've been waiting for one more of my whimsical comments ;-)

ttl said...

Have you tried duct tape?

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Yeah, but I have to put it over both my nostrils and mouth to really black out, and then it's iffy if I ever wake up in time to get it off again, so I tend to be careful with it.

TC [Girl] said...

Oh dear! :-(

Anonymous said...

Have you tried using a neti pot to flush out your sinuses. I used to get congested every night and would be unable to breathe through my nose in the morning. Since getting a neti pot about two years ago and using it most, but not every morning, I have a lot less sinus trouble.

This page is a nice introduction to the practice, as is this one that compares different pot types. I have one of the stainless steel ones.

TC [Girl] said...

Funny...I just "ran into" this article, too...if it turns out to be allergies. Just a thought.

And, yeah...I was going to suggest the nasal rinse, last night, but forgot to go back and do so. I'm pretty sure that I have recommended this NeilMed Sinus Rinse before.

Anonymous said...

Have you tried using a neti pot to flush out your sinuses.

He's already said he's not congested. He for some reason thinks he can optimize things by using these strips. Hate to tell you this, douche, but if you're already at the optimum it won't work.

ttl said...

How about improvising something using cable ties then?

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

I don't have any around, but I have a whole cupboard full of S/M gear, I can probably find something that works.

neeraj said...

Cleaning the nose by salt water is like cleaning your skin/body by taking a shower - also the skin inside the nose gets dirty again and again (especially if you live in a big town with air pollution) and can be very much supported performing its task ... do you think you don't have to take a shower from time to time? There is no constant optimum.

See also for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_irrigation

I'm using the "Common nose rinse device available at drug stores", shown in the 2nd picture from above. With that device it is very easy to perform the so-called "advanced" technique, known in yoga as "Vyutkrama Kapalbhati" - the water is flowing softly by gravity, and you can start/stop the flow by simply opening/closing the little hole on the top with your fingertip. So, you can relax all your muscles inside nose/mouth.

Hoping that's not too much OT:

Many various breathing techniques are also very helpful for cleaning the nose as well as cleaning your "inner environment" from emotional loads, especially the many so-called "active meditations" introduced by Osho. (I recommend very much to experiment intensively with these, after you have found out which one is right for you.)

Basically, breathing techniques are used in every spiritual tradition, e.g.

- "Zikhr" in Sufi tradition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhikr), or

- "Vipassana" in Buddhist tradition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana), or

- "Ch'i Kung" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qigong) based on "Daoism" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daoism),

even if the original breathing part has receded into the background.

Notes:

- "controlled breathing techniques" attributed to "Ch'i Kung" in wikipedia is very much misleading: according to the principle of "wei-wu-wei" it's a "no-technique" - there is no "control" producing additional tension.

- Vipassana I would recommend only, if one has already unloaded a lot, otherwise one is probably sitting on an inner volcano.

(captcha "accente" :-)

Anonymous said...

Well, I'm not sure I understand why you're using them if you're not having any problems - e.g. with congestion.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Nothing is black and white. They help me a little because I have a little bit of congestion.
It's hard to evaluate how big a problem is, if you've never (or not for a long while) had it any other way, so I am just experimenting a bit to see what's what.

I don't always sleep well, and I tend to think it's mental (hyper-active mind), but you never know. So like I said, experimenting a bit.

Anonymous said...

Okay, that makes sense.

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

"you know, anything can be optimized."
...and before you know it, you get heaps of "helpful" spam messages offering to help you "optimize" your 12'' Ron Jeremy!
But that's not for me. I don't care for any shrinking. ;-)

"Doc thinks it may be a very mild allergy causing the problem."
Uh-huh. Classic.

Beep,
Excellent advice! :-)
I always sleep more happily with some sweet pussy in my bed. ;-)

"Have you tried duct tape?"
Excellent advice!!! :-D

"I have a whole cupboard full of S/M gear, I can probably find something that works."
Highly likely, yes.
I would also recommend trying a small daily dose of Sugar Domino right before bedtime...

One small remark about "nasal shower": like all washing, it's useful, but you shouldn't overdo it either. Too much of it could have some bad effects. Just think of it like washing hands, and avoid doing it "all the time".

technique known in yoga as "Vyutkrama Kapalbhati"
From the sound of it, seems like something violent.
Like a kung-fu combo, or something.
Or maybe I can't get over the frustration from last night. Months ago, I was forced to interrupt a classic film, "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin", and eagerly awaited it to be aired again on TV somewhere. I was just watching it yesterday evening, and from the start, too, when... yes, you guessed it: at midnight, lights out.
I feel like giving the power Vice-Secretary a taste of my holy butt-kick. (For those who understand French: "coup de pied occulte"!)
Update: This post was delayed one day. Since last night, at 12:15am, it seems there is a MAJOR national electricity glitch. The good news never stop!
):-P

"I'm not sure I understand why you're using them if you're not having any problems - e.g. with congestion."
If they bring well-being, then it's likely there WAS a slight, underlooked problem. Either congestion, or a deviation of the septum (nasal wall). Very common if you constantly sleep on the same side.
Your nose tends to deviate over the years to the side on which you sleep. So try and alternate.

Eolake riskily said...
"Nothing is black and white."

I've got an ace of spades right here saying otherwise! Ante up.
What about zebras?
Or the newspaper? "Re(a)d all over", you think?

"So like I said, experimenting a bit."
Careful there: movies have long established that human experimentation on yourself might be legal and even ethical, but that it nearly always has catastrophis consequences.
Better ask for the help of someone you know and can spare. Like your tax collector. Or your neighborhood's religious zealot. Or these prolific Chihuahua Witlesses. Or your local lebanese politician...

Anonymous said...

you get heaps of "helpful" spam messages offering to help you "optimize" your 12'' Ron Jeremy!

You mean the late John Holmes. Ron Jeremy's not quite in that league. Um...I mena, I don't watch porn! This is...uh, things I've heard. Wikipedia. Yeah.

Very common if you constantly sleep on the same side.
Your nose tends to deviate over the years to the side on which you sleep. So try and alternate.


How can you really do that when you're asleep? Well, I don't think I have a problem, I've been told I move around too much, so I don't have to worry about deviation (at least not for the ol' septum).

Anonymous said...

ANything can be optimized huh? That would be like Ron JEremy decided to get a penis enlargement done. A guy can always be bigger, am I right?

Pascal [P-04referent] said...

Well, you know what side you go asleep on. And what side you awaken on. And, if you wake up at night to turn around because you feel breathing discomfort, you'll know that too.

Remember, fellow deviants: what moves around in bed, comes... er... somewhere! Right, honey?
'scuse me, I'm expected. :-)

Anonymous said...

I tried to do it but I have no idea what side I went to sleep on. I know I woke up on my back. I tossed and turned a bit before falling alseep.