For a happy, healthy snout, keep it wet and clean it out

Brushing teeth comes naturally. But how many of us care for our noses?

Ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists warn that in winter, nasal hygiene is important for people suffering congestion, dryness and nosebleeds.

"A little bit of dryness can lead to a fair amount of discomfort and pain," says Greenwich (Conn.) Hospital ENT physician Dr. Steven Feldman.

"I talk to business individuals who, every time they fly, have a sinus infection. They're constantly sick and constantly on antibiotics. (Planes are a common source of ear and nasal woes from variations in cabin air pressure and dryness.)

Allergies, which cause swollen mucus membranes, also are a frequent source of trouble, notes ENT specialist Dr. Andrew Parker, affiliated with Norwalk Hospital in Connecticut. "When you have allergies, your nose is truly a filter, trapping all the little particles that cause your allergies," he says. If you don't rinse them out, they stay and ... cause problems.

Reason enough for ENT doctors to promote nasal-health practices, including cleansing with saline sprays or cleansing agents and moisturizing nasal passages with a gel such as AYR, which soothes congested or dry, crusty noses. Moisturizing the air with a humidifier also is recommended, provided the device is kept clean.

The respiratory tract enjoys a moist environment, says Stamford, Conn., ENT specialist Dr. Jason Klenoff. "Irrigating the nose is a way to rinse it out and clear out some of the secretions, keeping it moist."

Allan Sarn, 72, of Wilton, Conn., says his perennial sinus condition, caused by allergies that provoked breathing and coughing problems, was alleviated by Parker. Sarn's sinus infection was caused by three badly infected nasal polyps, and Parker suggested nasal cleansing with a solution containing the topical mucus solvent and cleansing agent Alkalol, followed by an over-the-counter nasal spray. Sarn began using it in the shower.

"I spritzed each nasal passage three or four times, and in a month or two, I realized my sinuses were really clear," says Sarn. "I am breathing better; I can exhale without a cough. I am amazed."

The combination of cleansing irrigation followed by a nasal spray is very powerful, says Parker. Cleansing the tissues makes the nasal spray more effective, decreasing your chances of catching cold.