Many people have been using cold sprays for years to solve a simple problem, unaware of the serious consequences. Otorhinolaryngologist Oleg Abramov talks about treatment options.
Chronic nasal congestion is a common problem that, if not treated promptly, can lead to serious consequences. According to major studies, 1/3 of the world's population experiences difficulty breathing through the nose. However, many people neglect visiting a doctor and adapt over time. The situation is worse with self-medication, when a person begins to use over-the-counter drugs, namely vasoconstrictor sprays, which can be addictive.
Oleg Abramov, head of the department of operative otorhinolaryngology at GMS Hospital, author of the blog @ent_expert.
Development of nasal congestion
The nasal cavity is an area that is actively supplied with blood due to a large number of venous vascular sacs in the thickness of the mucous membrane. They are necessary to perform important functions - warming and humidifying the inhaled air. Due to some reasons (colds, allergies), swelling of the mucous membrane occurs, which leads to difficulty in nasal breathing and nasal congestion. In most cases, it is temporary and goes away with the use of local remedies, such as vasoconstrictor drops and sprays.
How to properly fix the edges of a wound?
Special adhesive-based healing dressings are used to fix the edges of wounds that are small and deep cuts. The purpose of the product is to prevent sloppy edges and the subsequent formation of an unsightly scar.
The most common area of application is plastic surgery, where it is necessary to tighten the wounds of damaged areas on the face. It is here that the facial muscles cause special mobility of the skin. If you do not fix the edges of the wound, scars will remain. Specialized products are more functional than regular dressings. Strip strips will ensure the formation of an even scar, which will subsequently resolve without leaving marks. At home, such strips are used for minor cuts. If the wound is deep, you should contact a specialist who will carry out proper treatment and then fix the wound for speedy healing.
Drug treatment
Vasoconstrictors (decongestants) are drugs that have a local effect. When used, there is a quick and effective reduction in the swollen vascular networks of the nasal cavity and easier nasal breathing. These medications can be purchased without a doctor's prescription. There are many trade names, but there are only three active ingredients: oxymetazoline, xylometazoline, phenylephrine.
Expert advice on proper wound treatment
Even the best dressing materials will not give the expected effect if used incorrectly. It’s not difficult to remember the recommendations of experts. All that remains is to remember them at the right time and promptly replenish your home first aid kit with everything necessary for first aid.
Before bandaging and dressing the wound, the damaged area itself and the skin around it must be treated taking into account a number of rules. Particular care is taken when treating wounds after surgery. The rules for using adhesive bandages are as follows:
- Before opening the package, wash your hands with soap, dry them with paper towels and treat them with an antiseptic;
- the next step is to make sure that the expiration date indicated on the package has not yet expired;
- When opening the packaging, you should avoid touching the product in those places that will come into contact with the wound;
- Having taken the dressing product out of the packaging, you should hold it only by the outer side;
- remove the polyethylene or paper strips covering the adhesive layer by holding the product by the free fragment;
- a strip is applied to a dry and clean wound so that its central impregnated section covers the entire wound, and the glue is located outside the damaged skin;
- unless otherwise provided, bandaging is done at least once a day. Exceptions are made for burns, when the bandage remains in place for a long time;
- To make a dressing, you need to grab the edge and hold the skin nearby with your free hand. Considering that you will need 2 hands at once, it is advisable that the person who is injured does not do the dressing.
Among the useful tips given by experts, there is often a recommendation to shave the skin around the wound. This is necessary because hair can cause infection of the wound surface even under a bandage and after treatment. In addition, the presence of even vellus hair makes dressing painful.
The recommendations listed in the article will help you pay due attention to the process of treating and dressing wounds. All that remains is to buy the necessary dressings, choosing medical products from trusted manufacturers. The range of products is quite wide, and prices vary depending on the brand and country of origin.
Development of addiction and dependence
Unfortunately, few people pay attention to the instructions and warnings that long-term use (more than 5-7 days) of these products can be addictive. Thus, after the end of the course of treatment, the congestion will return again, and in order to relieve it, you need to spray the product into the nose again. This effect in medicine is called “tachyphylaxis”, in other words, a boomerang effect, when, after the end of the action, recurrent nasal congestion occurs. As a result, the congestion does get relieved with the spray, but as soon as you stop using it, it comes back.
What types of postoperative sterile patches are there?
Surgery requires the subsequent application of a sterile medical post-operative plaster. It can replace a sterile dressing, providing the same functions - protecting a fresh wound from infection and subsequent problems. If the incision is small, it is possible to fix the edges of the wound. Manufacturers offer products with different impregnations, the effect of which is selected taking into account the need.
- Antibacterial patch for wound healing with silver. Accelerates skin regeneration. The absorbent base allows for repeated dressings much less frequently. There are products for children and adults, standard and waterproof.
- A postoperative non-woven bandage is made of elastic materials and is designed specifically for moving areas of the body. The microporous surface provides air exchange, which eliminates irritation and diaper rash. During dressing, the adhesive composition is easily separated from the skin, and no traces remain.
- Product for resolving sutures after surgery. Indications for use: epithelization of wounds and protection against re-infection. The material absorbs wound secretions well and protects the surface from mechanical and other impacts. Due to the transparent base, you can observe the process without peeling off the film each time.
Denial of the problem
In ENT practice, drug-induced rhinitis is considered a common problem, which remains unobvious to the average person, a non-specialist. At the same time, the consequences of constant use of vasoconstrictors are quite serious. First of all, this is the suppression of the natural functions of the mucous membrane - moisturizing and warming the air, resulting in the formation of crusts and bruises. Patients report constant dryness in the nose. And due to a decrease in mucus production, there is a sore throat and hoarseness of the voice. Reduction of blood vessels in the thickness of the mucous membrane leads to atrophic changes and thickening of mucus-producing glands, which further increases nasal congestion. By constantly using these means, people, without knowing it, provoke irreversible changes in the nasal cavity.
Breathe medical inhaler patch 5pcs 15836
“Breathe” inhaler patch is intended for inhalation and is adhesive to clothing . Essential oils that evaporate during the application of the patch contribute to:
- prevention of colds, relief of their symptoms,
- normalizes breathing during nasal congestion, makes it easier to fall asleep.
Ingredients: Mint oil without menthol (Oleum menthae), eucalyptus oil (Oleum Eucalipti), fir oil (Oleum Abiesis), levomenthol (Levomenthol), lavender oil (Oleum Lavandulae), turpentine oil (Oleum Terebinthinae).
Pharmachologic effect:
The medical inhaler patch “Breathe” contains natural essential oils, which:
- have antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and tonic effects,
- used for the prevention of colds and as a symptomatic remedy as part of complex therapy for ARVI.
After removing the protective coating, essential oils evaporate from the surface of the patch.
Essential oils destroy pathological microorganisms in the air, thereby reducing the risk of them entering the body.
The effect of the patch is due to the action of the essential oils included in its composition.
The beneficial properties of lozenges are due to the properties of the active components.
Contraindications:
- Individual intolerance to individual components.
- Children under 2 years old
Indications for use:
- normalizes breathing during nasal congestion, makes it easier to fall asleep,
- prevention of colds, alleviation of their symptoms.
Mode of application:
- Remove the patch from the package, remove the protective covering and stick the sticky side onto clothing in the area of the upper chest.
- For preventive purposes, the Breathe patch can be used during periods of increased risk of colds. To prevent infection with ARVI and other colds, it is necessary to stick a patch on outer clothing while in public places or transport. You can also stick the medical inhaler patch “Breathe” on any dry surface that is near you or your child (a wall next to the bed, a table at your workplace, etc.).
- One patch is valid for up to 8 hours. The patch is intended for single use.
Shelf life: 3 years from the date of manufacture.
Storage conditions: At a temperature not higher than 25°C and relative humidity 45-80%. Keep out of the reach of children.
Special instructions:
- For external use only.
- Do not stick the patch on the skin.
- Avoid contact of the Breathe patch with the eyes, mucous membranes and damaged areas of the skin.
- If an allergic reaction occurs, you should immediately stop using the patch and consult your doctor.
- Before using the patch, children under 2 years of age, pregnant or breastfeeding women should consult a doctor.
- Do not use by persons with hypersensitivity to the components of the patch.
- Do not use the patch if the integrity of the packaging is damaged.
Release form: Inhaler patch 5 pcs. packaged.
Methods for treating drop addiction
Despite the seriousness of the developing changes, the problem is quite easily solved. Both conservative and surgical treatment are possible - the optimal tactics are determined in consultation with a doctor, taking into account the patient’s priorities. According to research, courses of drugs with an anti-inflammatory effect (fluticasone, mometasone) effectively relieve inflammatory changes in the nasal mucosa and in approximately 80% of patients, dependence on drops disappears within a three-week course. If such tactics do not lead to positive dynamics, the possibility of surgical treatment should be considered. This is a short and quick procedure that is almost one hundred percent effective, so that the vast majority of patients no longer resort to the use of vasoconstrictors after surgery.
In my practice, I often encounter anxiety among patients before starting treatment. This is not surprising, I have met people who ran to the pharmacy in the middle of the night for sprays or abandoned the car in a traffic jam due to lack of spray; they simply did not go out into the street without the treasured bottle. Therefore, modern tactics involve not only drug therapy, but also a psychological explanation that the moment will soon come when you no longer want to take out the spray and splash it, because the nose can breathe freely. It is a great happiness when free breathing lasts longer than the effect of the sprays allows. I advise everyone not to delay treatment and effectively solve this simple but significant problem with the help of a doctor.
Correct application of wound plaster
The use of medical plaster for wounds is possible both at home and in medical institutions and does not require specific knowledge - you just need to remove the protective film and press the tissue part to the wound. It is only important to choose the right type of patch for the wound so that the effect is maximum.
Blisters and calluses on the feet and toes are caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes. To reduce discomfort, relieve pain and prevent infection of the callus if it ruptures, you need to tape the damaged area. For these purposes, there are different products, each of which has its own characteristics.
- Against corns - protection from moisture and friction, prevention of skin roughening. The keratolytic substance included in the impregnation softens dead skin, and the remaining components disinfect, relieve pain, and stimulate healing.
- From wet calluses - protection from mechanical damage, pain reduction, prevention of infection. Hydrocolloid material stimulates the resorption of the blister, tissue regeneration, and the growth of healthy cells.
- For core and dry calluses - the rough layer is absorbed due to special impregnation, old calluses are softened and peeled off. The products adhere well to the skin.
A wound healing patch is used to treat trophic burns and diabetic skin lesions. Damaged skin must be protected from bacterial penetration. To do this, manufacturers impregnate the fabric portion of the product with special compounds. In contact with the wound, the product creates a gel layer and numbs the area. Skin cells receive an optimal environment for accelerated regeneration.
The length of time to wear a burn dressing differs from the recommendations for a regular antibacterial wound patch. After fixing, you need to leave the product on the wound until it heals, and there is no need to remove it while bathing in the shower and change it regularly. This treatment is indicated for 1st-2nd degree burns. More serious injuries require specialist intervention.
Correct use of a wound healing patch guarantees accelerated cell regeneration, destruction of harmful microorganisms, and elimination of edema. The impregnation contains mainly natural plant-based ingredients. The therapeutic effect has a prolonged effect.
