Whenever someone sniffles, our first and immediate reaction is to stay away from that particular person and maintain a safe distance from him/her. The ultimate motive behind this action is we do not want to get infected with this infection too. And there’s nothing wrong with it.
To Sniffle, as tiresome as it sounds makes tissue paper and handkerchiefs our best friend which we can carry handy all the time. Generally, sniffles end up your nose in running like a heavy waterfall which might be both unpleasant and uncomfortable for you.
Sometimes, sniffles sounds just like a common cold which would get eventually treated by itself, but in some cases, there can be more to just having a common cold.
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What is sniffles?
A sniffles is the natural, immediate action of swiftly inhaling to prevent mucus from running out of the nose, as opposed to blowing one’s nose. We can all relate to the dread that comes with the first sniffle, throat tickle, or sneeze of the season.
What is the Causes of Sniffles?
Whenever you feel an urge to sniffles, it is due to a clogged and stuffy nose. It Is mainly caused by the tissues lining the nose swell. Whereas, excess mucus at the back of the throat might produce a cough or sore throat.
The common and easiest cause to point out in sniffling might be a common cold, which gets healed by itself in a week. But, if sometimes it doesn’t get healed in that period, then there might be some other problems that your body might be dealing with which you are not most probably aware of.
If the urge of sniffles seems to linger around more than a week then there’s no way you can fool around. You need to seek immediate professional medical help from your doctor.
The common causes to sniffles might be:
- Common cold
- Non- allergic rhinitis
- Deviated septum
- Allergies (due to dust, mold, pet dander, pollen) or
- Hay fever
- Chronic sinus infection
- Hormonal changes
- Nasal obstruction
- Nasal sprays
- Influenza (flu)
- Churg-Strauss syndrome
- Spinal fluid leak
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Enlarged Adenoids
- Kartagener Syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Tobacco smoke
- Pneumonia
How to treat sniffles?
Some of the things you can just do at home in case you are experiencing sniffles are:
Washing your hands frequently
Normally, your hands contain lots of bacterias and, now, if you are feeling the urge to sniffles it might just double the amount of bacterias. So, washing your hands frequently helps in killing the bacterias at all costs and minimizes the spread of bacterias through hands. This technique mostly helps in curing a common cold which indirectly results in reducing the effects of a sniffles.
Drinking lots of water
Keeping yourself hydrated will help the liquid to flow more quickly from your nose and sinuses. It keeps your airway membranes moist and would be better if you consume the water in a lukewarm state as it contains an antihistamine to help dry up your nasal passages and alleviate runny nose symptoms and coughing, as well as a nasal decongestant to help relieve stuffiness.
Getting a sufficient amount of rest
When you’re not feeling well, it’s critical to get enough rest so your body can recover. Sleep is the most crucial part of combating infection and inflammation. This implies that getting enough sleep might help your immune system stay in excellent health.
Have steam and opt for a warm bath
Having steam can assist to relax the mucous membranes that line the nose and helps in thinning the mucus. This will help you clear your mucus more quickly. So, next time you experience something similar, cover your head with a towel and have fun at steam.
Consuming over-the-counter medicines
If your desk is piled up with lots of work or you have ample things to do then there is a high probability that you cannot get enough rest which is required to get treated naturally. In that case, consuming over-the-counter medicines will help you recover quickly than usual. It will eventually help in treating your runny nose and put an end to all those sniffles.
When to seek medical help?
Often, we do not pay attention to the symptoms our body gives us and procrastinate the whole process by thinking that it might not be a serious issue. But sometimes negligence can lead us to face hazardous problems such as flu, pneumonia, and many more. Let’s learn some of the key points to differ the common cold infections from the other:
Flu
In flu, you might feel your body is aching throughout, might have fatigue, and also experience fever, which suggests that you have something more serious than a cold.
Flu is most likely to cause in between October running through February and sometimes as late as May.
When you have a cold or the flu, your mucus will be clear at first and may turn to white, yellowish, or green as your body battles the infection.
Pneumonia
Fever and chills can also be symptoms of pneumonia, but severe discomfort in your chest while taking a breath, as well as difficulties such as trouble breathing or shortness of breath, are probable signs of pneumonia.
Another sign you might be having pneumonia is that if you have a lot of yellow mucus, especially immediately after you start feeling sick, this might be a sign of a bacterial infection and an indication of pneumonia.
Common cold
If your symptoms are limited to a runny nose and a sore throat, you are most likely suffering from the typical cold. These symptoms are sometimes mistaken with seasonal allergies.
The common cold is more likely to occur when the seasons change from summer to fall and spring.
Allergies
If your nose becomes stuffy when pollen flies, then you might be suffering from seasonal allergies. However, not all allergies are as visible as hay fever. Many people are allergic to indoor allergens such as mildew, dust mites, or animal dander all year.
Chronic Sinus Infections
Sinus infections are well-known for making your eyes ache, head pound and in some cases also have short breath.
Non-allergic rhinitis
Exposure to things such as chemicals, smoking, or perfumes can occasionally induce nasal congestion and irritation. Non-allergic rhinitis can also be caused by changes in temperature or barometric pressure.
If you are facing any of the above symptoms then you most likely need to see medical help from your doctor.
Preventive measures to take while one sniffles:
Along with curing your infection, it is equally important to pay attention that you might not get anyone infected. For the prevention, we need to make sure that we are taking proper precautions to avoid it at all costs.
Some of the preventive measures you should take are:
- Resting and staying at home.
- Keeping limited personal contact with others. Avoiding activities such as kissing, hugging, holding hands, or shaking hands.
- Sniffling, coughing, and sneezing into a tissue, and discarding the tissue immediately.
- Repetitively washing your hands with a handwash.
Summing up
Sniffles, coughs and sneezes can all seem very displeasing as it not only affects on a physical level but also interferes with your mental level and in some cases disturbs your inner peace too. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of yourself and ensure that you follow the measures to be taken so that it doesn’t infect others and help in curing your sniffles too.
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