Question:
How do I sleep when I can't breathe?
I've had strep throat for about three days. I've been to the doctor, got the antibiotics, and feel 1000 times better already. However, my nose gets clogged. During the day, I just blow out of it really hard to unclog it, and it's fine, but I've only been able to sleep for about 30 minutes at a time before I wake up, unable to breathe. I can't breathe through my mouth because my throat is dry. I'm on antibiotics and pain killers prescribed by my doctor. I also gargle salt water, drink copious amounts of chamomile tea, suck on peppermint hard candy, use saline nasal spray as often as the package recommends, eat soup, and do everything else a google search suggested. Is there anyway to open up my nasal passage so I can just sleep for a few hours at a time?
Thanks.
Answers:
try a decongestant diffuser - they plug into any plug socket in your room and keep going until you either turn them off or the pad in it drys out (which normally takes about 12 hours at full use) sudafed and vicks both make good ones and they can help keep your airways open all night without physically having to get up to spray the solution up your nose - also breath right strips (the type they use to stop snoring) help keep your nasal passages open as it is when they close that people snore so they will probably work to stop you getting bunged up even if you aren't a snorer.
hope that helps