In the cold season, it is often very fast: As soon as a colleague whistles, you need a handkerchief soon after. The main cause of the rapid transmission of viruses and bacteria is contact via the hands – either directly or indirectly. Especially when shaking hands or when touching door buckles or handles in buses or subways, the risk of infection is very high. ENT doctor Therefore, Christoph Brand from Vienna advises those who are already chilled to wash their hands after every whistle or even better – to disinfect their hands over and over again. The same thing should be done by healthy people during the flu season – for example after a ride on the subway or after a visit to the public toilet.

Schnupfen spray clears the nose

Once caught, the mucous membranes in the nose become inflamed and the nasal turbinates swell. The cold is actually only a reaction to this inflammation. If the swelling is so strong that the whistling is no longer possible, we can not breathe through the nose, which is particularly annoying when falling asleep. A cold spray works wonders and releases your nose in just a few minutes. However, spraying is important not only for the feel-good factor: "decongestant sprays should be used early, so that the secretion does not rise in the direction of the ear," says dr. Brand, "Otherwise it can quickly become a sinusitis, devious ears and sometimes a painful and sometimes protracted middle ear infection."

Nasal spray: Attention addictive

Adults should use the nasal spray up to three times a day, not more than a week. Dr. Brand: "The nasal turbinates get used to the effect of swelling and swelling after more than a week, and you then need more and more often the spray." So the physician advises to use the spray rather short and regularly than too long and only when needed.
Children should be treated with drops rather than nasal spray for anatomical reasons, as they develop middle ear infection more quickly in case of cold. When spraying it is important to blow your nose first. "Then spray the spray in an upright position with the head tilted slightly forward and diagonally outwards into the nose," explains Dr. Brand, "So the drug can penetrate to the sinuses, which lead away from the side of the nose." After 15 minutes, the nasal mucosa should be so far away that a renewed whining is possible.