Feeling a stuffy nose from a stuffy nose is one of winter’s fears. But, like most everyday problems, TikTok has the solution: put garlic in the nostrils.
If we are desperate to relieve sinus congestion, or we belong to that group of people who enjoy seeing mucus being expelled from the nose, the new viral on TikTok may be what you are looking for. The video consists of putting a couple of garlic cloves in the nostrils to get all the mucus out. It’s a seemingly effective trick for clearing clogged nasal passages, but medical specialists say it doesn’t really fix congestion. Also, it is not a safe way to unclog the nostrils.
Garlic does not clear the sinuses
Experts agree that garlic cloves inserted into the nostrils will not relieve nasal congestion or sinus inflammation. But they understand why people may think it works. After we remove the garlic cloves, the mucus cascades down, but it doesn’t happen for the reasons you think.
When we are congested, we have a lot of mucus and it seems that we are not getting enough air through our nose. We may even notice a lot of dripping down the back of the throat or the front of the nose. Unfortunately, garlic itself won’t exactly help with that stuffy nose. Instead of clearing the sinuses, we are clogging them . If we block the drainage capacity of the sinuses, we will obtain more retained amount of mucus. Once we remove the couple of garlic cloves, that sticky substance is going to come out.
Experts suspect that people turn to garlic because they think it works like other strong scents, such as eucalyptus. What they are trying to do is use the odors from the garlic itself to cause a vasoconstrictive effect, which decongests the nasal mucosa and can open the nasal passages. Vasoconstriction allows more airflow, but garlic in the nostrils doesn’t work like that. This vegetable is quite strong and can cause a kind of dermatitis-like reaction in which the mucosa becomes very irritated.
Not to be used topically
Garlic does not provide benefits topically, so placing it in the nostrils will not eliminate congestion. However, it can cause irritation of the mucous membranes of the nose. Also, anything we put through our nose has the potential to get stuck inside. It could pose a choking hazard if it enters the back of the throat or a respiratory problem if garlic travels down the windpipe and we accidentally inhale it.
People are likely to believe that putting garlic into the nostrils is safe because this fruit has long been considered healthy. But experts agree that there is no evidence that putting garlic up your nose works. Historically, garlic has a lot of medicinal value and people have used it for its antibacterial properties. However, it is not as useful as you think.
Even taking an oral garlic supplement or using it on the skin can be dangerous. Garlic poultice can cause burning, for example, and the supplements can interact with some prescription medications. We must be careful when using it if we are taking blood thinners, we are diabetic or if we take anti-HIV drugs. Garlic in supplements can interfere with these medications.
The most advisable thing is to go to a family doctor to assess the level of the cold. In more urgent situations, the doctor will refer us to a specialist.
