A nasal strip can make breathing feel easier while your nose still feels full of mucus. Holding your nostrils open and washing out what’s inside your nose address different parts of the problem, so the right choice depends on what you need.
Key takeaways
- Saline rinses wash out mucus and irritants and moisten dry nasal passages.
- Nasal strips gently support the nasal opening. Try one according to its directions and notice whether breathing feels easier while you wear it.
- You can use both when you want nasal cleansing and the extra support of a strip.
Should you choose nasal strips or a saline rinse?
Choose a saline rinse when mucus, pollen, dust or dryness is bothering your nose. A nasal strip is worth trying if you want to see whether gently opening your nostrils makes breathing easier. Both can help nasal breathing in different ways, and you can use them together when both are useful.
Rinsing helps loosen and wash out thick mucus. Pollen and dust can also irritate the lining of your nose and make it swell; rinsing helps wash those irritants away. Saline moistens the nasal passages too, making it useful when your nose feels dry as well as stuffy.
For rinsing at home, SinuPulse Elite delivers saline in pulses and lets you adjust the pressure to control the flow during your rinse.
What can a nasal strip actually help with?
A nasal strip gently lifts the skin on the outside of your nose to help open your nostrils. That extra space can make it easier for air to pass through, even though the strip hasn’t washed out mucus or added moisture inside your nose.
The narrow area near the entrance of your nose is called the nasal valve. If that area narrows or draws inward when you breathe, a strip can provide support while you wear it.
To try one, apply it to clean, dry skin in the position shown on the package, then notice whether breathing through your nose feels easier. Follow the directions for wear time and removal. If it makes no noticeable difference, adding it to your routine may not be worthwhile.
Improvement with a strip doesn’t identify the cause of your stuffiness. If the same nostril stays blocked or congestion keeps returning, ask an ear, nose and throat doctor what’s restricting airflow. A deviated septum, meaning the partition between your nostrils is crooked, is one possible reason.
How do you prepare a comfortable rinse?
Use saline mixed as directed with distilled, sterile or previously boiled and cooled water. Plain water can irritate your nose, so follow the saline directions for the amount of water and powder to use.
Tap water can be safe to drink and still contain organisms that can cause an infection when they enter your nose. Using the right water keeps those organisms out of your rinse. Clean and dry your irrigator after use, following its directions.
Don’t force a rinse through a completely blocked nostril. Skip rinsing if you have an ear infection or pressure in your ears, and follow your surgeon’s advice after ear or sinus surgery.
Can you use both before bed?
Yes, a saline rinse and an external nasal strip can fit into the same evening. Rinse first, let the remaining saline drain, then apply the strip to clean, dry skin according to its directions.
After an afternoon outdoors during pollen season, for example, rinsing can wash away pollen and mucus before bed. If you’ve tried a strip and noticed easier breathing while wearing it, you can add one afterward. The rinse handles cleansing, while the strip provides support at the nasal opening.
If you’re breathing comfortably after rinsing, you may not need a strip. If mucus, irritants or dryness aren’t bothering you and a strip provides the help you want, using it alone may suit you.
If you want to wash out the day’s pollen or mucus before bed, consider SinuPulse Elite for your home rinse, with or without a nasal strip afterward.
