12 January 2024 , 11:03
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It’s cold and flu season, which means many Brits are battling stubborn respiratory illnesses, but one doctor has shared a simple trick for banishing a blocked nose.
Nasal congestion is one of the most common symptoms of a cold, alongside a sore throat and a persistent cough. Fortunately, Dr Karan Rajan has revealed the "best health hack" for warding off that stuffy nose sensation, and it’s so quick to complete.
Taking to TikTok, under the username @dr.karanr, the expert explained that by pushing your tongue to the roof of your mouth and pressing in between your eyebrows for 20-seconds, you will experience almost instant relief.
He said: "Pressing on both areas at the same time removes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages back and forth like a seesaw. This motion loosens the congestion and after 20-seconds the sinuses begin to drain."
The viral video has racked up a hefty 173K likes, and followers were impressed with the simple technique. One user gushed: "I’ve been suffering from allergies this month. This worked!" Another penned: "It seriously worked on my husband and his nose has been stuffy all day, that’s awesome."
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"No way thank you so much, I was struggling to breathe a minute ago," voiced another. While a fourth wrote: "This is the only one I’ve tried that works. After two weeks of congestion, I can finally breathe."
Another added: "You should clarify to press on the soft palate, people don’t think it works because they are pushing on the hard palate," to which Dr Rajan responded with: "Yes!"
According to Healthline, the soft palate is located in the back roof of the mouth behind the hard palate. It is made up of five muscles, which play a key role in breathing, swallowing, and phonation.
Healthline also shared some helpful tips on warding off a blocked nose, these include:
- Use a humidifier to reduce sinus pain and help relieve nasal congestion
- Take a warm shower - the steam can help to thin out the mucus in your nose
- Stay hydrated - hydration can help to thin the mucus in your nasal passages
- Use a saline spray
- Drain your sinuses - clean out your clogged nostrils with a neti pot
- Use a warm compress - this can help alleviate symptoms by opening the nasal passages from the outside