How to Relieve Sneezing

Whatever the cause, sneezing can be a real issue. In excess it can begin to affect just about every area of you life. There are some things you can do to relieve sneezing. Finding the cause is helpful, but even if you are not sure why you are sneezing there are still some things you can do.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Drug Store
• Doctor
• Over-the-counter medicine
• Saline spray

1. See if you can find the root of the problem. Most bouts of excessive sneezing come from allergies. You could be allergic to pet dander, mold, pollen, dust, ragweed, etc. To find out if you are allergic to a family pet you should stay a week with a petless friend. If you get better you know that is the answer. Check your house for mold to see if you are allergic to that. As for the pollen it is in the air. Have you been spending a lot of time outdoors? The second most common cause of sneezing is the common cold. In fact sneezing in excess can be the first sign that a cold is coming on. You should know in a day or two if this is the cause. Of course there is always the sneezing that ends up in the "no known cause" section.
2. If you have allergies: The most obvious is to stay away from the thing you are allergic to. During pollen season keep your doors and windows closed. When you get home from being outside take a shower and change your clothes. This will help get rid of the pollen. If this is impossible there are drugs you can take. Use over-the-counter antihistamines such as Claritin. Claritin is a good choice because it comes in the non drowsy formula as well as the rapid release tabs which melt in your mouth. You may also want to go to your doctor's office and get a prescription nasal spray. Flonase and Nasonex are the most common and the most affective.
3. If you have the common cold: You will want to keep your nasal passages open. Steam can help with this. Just boil a pot of water, take it off the stove, lean your face in to the steam with a towel over your head. The towel will trap the steam in so you can breathe it in. If your cold is full blown you can try over-the-counter decongestants. Getting your nose cleared up is the objective. Once that occurs you should be able to stop sneezing.
4. If you have no known cause: Use a saline spray on your nose. It is the closest thing to a natural solution that you can find. It should clear out your nasal passages and hopefully stop the sneezing. If it doesn't work I would go and try the prescription nasal sprays I mentioned earlier. It should only take one squirt per day to keep the sneezing away.

Tips & Warnings

• Always check with a doctor before beginning any kind of treatment.
• Don't try more than one method at a time. It is dangerous to mix drugs and you wouldn't be able to know which drug was actually working.