Whether you have an allergy or a cold, what works best for a stuffy nose?
Mandy Francis asked Pavol Surda, a consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and London Bridge Hospital, to assess products that promise to bring relief. We then rated them.
Vicks Sinus Inhaler VH200E£34.99, argos.co.uk
Vicks Sinus Inhaler VH200E
Claim: A hairdryer-sized gadget that heats a couple of tablespoons of water to produce steam, which you then inhale via a mask for five to 15 minutes to ‘relieve the symptoms of sinusitis, allergies, cough and colds’.
Expert verdict: A runny or blocked nose from a cold is caused by a viral infection, while with allergies, the congestion is triggered by histamine — a chemical released by the immune system when it comes into contact with allergy triggers such as pollen or pet hair.
Steam is a traditional remedy for nasal congestion as it is thought to loosen mucus, making it easier to clear by blowing your nose. But data shows no scientific benefit for using steam to ease congestion.
Users may find the warmth soothing and adding menthol fragrance may trigger the sensory nerves in the nose, making you feel less congested.
But steam won’t help to clear a cold or hay fever — you need medication to tackle the root cause. Since steam can scald the delicate lining of your nose, I don’t recommend using it.
3/10 Nurofen Sinus and Blocked Nose Tablets16 tablets, £5.50, most pharmacies
Claim: Relief from sinus pain and blocked nose for ‘up to eight hours’ is provided by anti-inflammatory ibuprofen along with the decongestant phenylephrine hydrochloride.
Expert verdict: One of the main drugs recommended for alleviating cold symptoms, including a blocked nose, is ibuprofen — as it reduces inflammation.
The decongestant phenylephrine hydrochloride has been added to ease congestion — however, data shows that it’s no more effective than a placebo.
Ibuprofen can irritate the stomach, so take the smallest possible dose and do not use for more than ten consecutive days.
7/10
Nurofen sinus and blocked nose tablets
Claim: You fill the bottom of this cordless device with 8 fl oz of saline solution (using the sachets provided) and then insert the soft tip into one of your nostrils.
A gentle stream of salty water is released, which runs through the nasal cavity and out the opposite nostril to ‘flush out dust or irritants that cause sneezing, itching, and a runny nose’.
The maker says that it can be used for ‘allergies, stuffiness, nasal symptoms from flu and cold and congestion’.
Expert verdict: A nasal douche like this — used once or twice a day — is recommended by health professionals for runny noses and congestion caused by colds and allergies. It is one of the few treatments that can improve the symptoms of a cold, as the mixture of salt and water physically flushes away mucus, bacteria and allergens, which will reduce swelling in the nasal cavity.
However, you could make one yourself, by dissolving a teaspoon of salt and bicarbonate of soda in 500ml of water and inhaling it (in one nostril at a time). This battery-operated machine just makes the process easier.
8/10
Neilmed Sinugator
36 lozenges, £4.79, superdrug.com
Claim: These contain two antiseptic ingredients (2,4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol and amylmetacresol) to fight bacterial throat infections, and menthol ‘to help unblock the nose’. Suck one lozenge every two to three hours.
Expert verdict: Menthol has no proven physical effect on blocked noses, but it can make us feel more clear-headed by tricking the sensory nerves in our nasal cavity to register that they feel cold.
These lozenges won’t actually help to shake off nasal congestion — but they could make it seem more bearable.
If you notice a cold developing, take a zinc supplement (around 80mg) daily as this has been shown to reduce the duration of a cold by up to 33 per cent.
4/10
Strepsils blocked nose lozenges
20ml, £8.99, hollandandbarrett.com
Sterimar Cold & Sinusitis Relief
Claim: This nasal spray ‘draws and drains even thick mucus, allowing you to
