I've tried almost every over-the-counter cold remedy, and most of them are useless. But not all of them!
Since childhood, I've been plagued with epically long and torturous stuffy noses and colds. Accordingly, I've spent an inordinate amount of time in the cold-remedies aisle at the local pharmacy. I'm going to try to get you to put down your typical "cold medicine" (because it's useless) and consider trying some things that sound a little weird (just a tiny bit, really) but will actually help you feel less like a piece of crap.
When you're really stuffed up: The Neti Pot
When someone first suggested I try a neti pot, I thought it was some kind of herbal nonsense.
In reality, the neti pot is basically a small vessel that holds water that is going to end up going in one nostril and out the other. It sounds weird, I know, but once you get past the icky realization that your nostrils are all connected, you'll understand that you're basically just flushing out your stuffed sinuses.
Calm down.
Source: media
The traditional neti pot will look like a little tea kettle, and it will be either ceramic or plastic, like this:
Typically, the neti pot will come with little packets that look like sweetener. You'll mix one of these packets with lukewarm water to create a saltwater mix, and then place the pot's spout in one nostril. You'll tilt your head and breathe out of your nose, allowing the salt water to pass through that nostril and out the other. In the process, the gunk that is stuffing you up will magically fall out into the sink. It's gross, but so is getting your snot all over everyone, so get over it.
Source: ecx.images-amazon.com
