One of the earliest symptoms of a cold is nasal congestion and snot. These problems cause a lot of inconvenience to a person, since not only breathing is difficult, but the sense of smell is also reduced. In addition, the situation is unpleasant when, in public transport or at work, a liquid secret of a transparent color begins to involuntarily flow out of the nose. But it is much worse when it is very thick and does not come out. This can be seen in both children and adults. But regardless of this, you need to take certain measures that will make breathing easier. Let's try to figure out how to thin the snot in order to reduce the intensity and severity of the symptoms of colds and make the patient feel better.
Causes of viscosity
Let's take a closer look at this. Among all possible ailments, the common cold occupies one of the leading positions. However, before we talk about how to thin the snot in the nose, let's first understandthe main causes of viscosity. According to doctors, the most common are:
- wrong treatment;
- unsuitable microclimate in the apartment;
- some kind of infection.
Let's take a closer look at each cause and find out how they affect the viscosity of mucus flowing from the nose.
Incorrect treatment
So what do you need to know about this? If you start a cold or use inappropriate medications to combat it, the snot can become thicker, as a result of which they will come out much worse. If at the same time the child or adult has poor immunity, then the formations can acquire an even more viscous consistency. How to thin the snot in this case? Today, there are many drugs for nasal use that make breathing easier and help to remove mucus from the sinuses. However, if it comes out white, then in this case it is better to go to the hospital. This may indicate the presence of a disease of infectious etiology, and in this case special antiviral drugs are required. It is not recommended to start using them on your own, as self-medication can be dangerous and cause serious complications.
Unsuitable microclimate
Many people are interested in how to thin the snot in the nose, since congestion can be associated with very dry air in the house. According to statistics, a similar problem is most often encountered during the heating season. Due to the lack of moisture in the room, the mucousthe shell dries up, and the mucus becomes drier. In addition, crusts form on the nasal walls that prevent the normal removal of snot. In children, severe viscosity may be due to insufficient fluid intake. Therefore, in some cases, the problem can be solved by giving the child more water or herbal teas to drink.
Infectious diseases
The question of how to dilute the snot in a child if they are caused by some viral disease is very relevant. Indeed, in this case, it is important not only to alleviate the well-being of the baby and improve the excretion of mucus, but also to defeat the pathogenic microflora. It is important to understand that treatment should be started as soon as possible, since infections can cause the development of rhinitis or the accumulation of purulent formations in the maxillary sinuses. Green thick mucus indicates sinusitis, which requires qualified medical care and inpatient treatment under constant medical supervision.
Allergic reaction
So, what should you pay attention to first of all? If you or your child has a severe runny nose with thick green mucus, it is best to go to the hospital, as it can not always be caused by viral infections. Many people suffer from various types of allergies, so the accumulation of mucus is a completely natural response of the body. How to liquefy snot in this situation? Only a qualified specialist can answer this question. To select the most appropriate and effectivenasal preparation, you must first determine the cause of the development of a typical immunological process. In addition to standard therapy, the patient is prescribed mucolytic agents that reduce the viscosity of mucus and promote its excretion.
Basic treatments
So, how to thin the snot in the nose of an adult or a child? There are quite a few ways, but doctors recommend the following:
- nasal drops;
- washing;
- sprays;
- inhalations.
In addition, to increase the effectiveness of therapy, the use of medications and the procedures listed above can be combined with traditional methods. All this will be discussed in more detail below.
Nasal drops
Due to the fact that modern medicine does not stand still, new drugs for the treatment of ailments appear regularly. Babies are advised to drip a few drops of a regular weak solution of sea s alt into their noses, and after a few minutes the mucus clots are removed with cotton swabs. Children as young as 3 years old can blow their nose on their own. How to thin thick snot? Doctors speak well of the following drugs:
- "Dolphin";
- "Rinofluimucil";
- "Aquamaris";
- "Sinuforte";
- "Aqualor".
All of the listed snot thinning drops are made on the basis of sea water, so they are completely safe for small children, and also do not cause addiction and side effects. They normalize breathing, stimulate excretionsputum, as well as relieve swelling and inflammation. It is worth noting that similar products can be prepared independently at home. To do this, dissolve a teaspoon of s alt in one liter of boiled water. Rinsing with such a solution will bring a similar effect as when using pharmacy drops.
Flushing
Let's take a closer look at this aspect. How to thin the snot in a child's nasopharynx? As mentioned above, babies are dripped with special nasal drops that stimulate the excretion of formations. Children can rinse their nose with saline. It is drawn into a syringe without a needle and injected under pressure alternately into each of the nasal sinuses. The head of the child must be in a strictly vertical position. If the baby swallows some of the contents during the procedures, then it's okay. The solution is completely harmless, so there is no cause for concern.
Also, you can use a solution of "Furacilin" for washing. It is very easy to prepare it yourself. One tablet of the drug should be crushed to a powdery state and diluted in 200 milliliters of warm boiled water. However, this method should be used only in the most extreme cases, when the baby has too thick green snot. The thing is that the substances that make up the drug adversely affect the state of the microflora of the nasopharynx.
Among the drugs intended for washing the nose, it is worth noting "Dolphin". HeIt is made from components of natural origin, therefore it does not cause allergies. The drug is available in the form of a powder, which is diluted in saline. Its advantage lies in the fact that it not only helps to thin the mucus, but also has a detrimental effect on many microbes and viruses, and therefore also has a healing effect.
Sprays
How to dilute thick snot in a child if he does not tolerate washing? Doctors advise using sprays that thin sputum and improve its excretion. Among the most effective are the following:
- "Rinofluimucil";
- "Sinupret";
- "Dolphin";
- "Quicks";
- "Aqualor";
- "Nazoferon";
- "Genferon".
It is worth noting that it is not recommended to start using sprays for the treatment of rhinitis in children without first consulting a qualified specialist. Most of them have a vasoconstrictive effect, which can lead to the development of various complications in the baby. Therefore, it is better to refrain from self-treatment so as not to risk the he alth of the child once again.
Inhalations
How to liquefy snot to quickly forget about a runny nose? Effective thinning of mucus is well promoted by inhalation therapy. It is best to carry out procedures using a nebulizer, but if you do not have this device, then you can performthem in the old fashioned way, over the pan, covered with a blanket. But doctors advise to still use the device. It is installed at the head of the bed, medicinal solutions are poured into a container and plugged into an outlet. But first you need to show the baby to the doctor so that he chooses the most suitable drug, and also calculates the optimal dosage and duration of treatment. Most often, the following solutions are used to combat a runny nose in young children and adults:
- "Lazolvan";
- "ACC Inject";
- "Fluimucil";
- "Ambrobene";
- "Miramistin";
- "Naphthyzinum";
- "Derinat".
In addition, inhalations with a nebulizer can be done on the basis of normal saline, as well as mineral waters, which contain alkaline minerals, for example, "Essentuki" or "Borjomi". Alternatively, you can make your own baking soda solution. It not only liquefies formations and dries the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity, but also has a detrimental effect on pathogenic microflora.
Traditional medicine
Many people are interested in the question of how to thin the snot in an adult and a child at home using folk methods. There are quite a few different recipes that will make breathing easier and cure a runny nose in just a few days. For example, traditional healers advise to bury the nose with onion juice diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 3. Just one procedure willenough for the mucus to become less viscous and begin to come out. In addition, onion is one of the best natural antiseptics. It contains special substances that kill many viruses.
Besides this, with a severe cold, aloe and Kalanchoe juice helps well. These plants have an anti-inflammatory effect, due to which the symptoms of colds become less intense and pronounced, so the patient begins to feel noticeable relief. His phlegm begins to come out better, and it becomes easier to breathe. For treatment, take one part of freshly squeezed juice, dilute it in three parts of water and drip 1-2 drops into the nose three times a day. The effect of the procedure will be noticeable after a few seconds. The person will immediately begin to breathe, and snot will come out in copious amounts.
You can also wash the sinuses with a decoction of calendula, chamomile, sage or coltsfoot. These plants perfectly relieve swelling and inflammation, which improves breathing, the baby begins to sleep better and calmer, and the mucus becomes less thick, so it does not linger in the sinuses.
A few words about the microclimate
Above, we examined in detail how to thin the snot in a child. However, as mentioned earlier, the accumulation of mucus is not always caused by any infectious disease or allergy. Very often, too thick formations can be associated with unsuitable microclimatic conditions in the apartment. According to experts, the most common reason- this is insufficient air humidity.
To maintain a normal microclimate, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the premises. During the heating season, it is recommended to use air humidifiers, as batteries dry the air too much. If you do not have one, then wet towels should be hung around the rooms.
Conclusion
If you have read the article to the very end, now you know what to do in case of too thick snot in children and adults. However, you must understand that they can be caused by some disease or pathological changes in the body that require qualified treatment. Therefore, when faced with a similar problem, it is better not to try to cope with it on your own, but immediately go to the hospital, where you will be given an accurate diagnosis and the most appropriate treatment program will be selected. Stay he althy!
