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Why does your nose produce so much snot when you have a cold?
by Stefanie Lechthaler
Onion compress, essential oils or tea? I’ve tried every cold remedy there is
20/1/2025
Translation: Elicia Payne
I’ve tested pretty much everything that’s supposed to help cure or prevent colds and sore throats. And only a few of them have really worked. Here are my experiences with common household remedies.
Some people tend to suffer from stomach flu, for me my upper airways are the problem – thanks to the sensitive mucous membranes in my throat and nose. As soon as someone with a cold comes close, I get the impression I catch it after. Since I was little, I’ve battled with several colds a year, which isn’t exactly tragic but very annoying.
On my journey to finding the perfect symptom relief, I’ve tried a lot of things that are supposed to help with a blocked nose or a painful throat. I’ll show you which methods have helped me particularly well and which I’m not so keen on. Generally speaking, you have to ride the cold out but you can alleviate the symptoms.
This didn’t stop me from hating the smell of onions. In fact, these compresses would reduce me to tears – not just because of their contents, but because I hated everything about this disgusting remedy. The worst thing about it was, once the cold was finally over, the room stank terribly for days. To summarise: it helped, my nose was clear. But the warm disgusting cloth and smell certainly won’t come into my room ever again.
Commercially available decongestant sprays can be helpful for a short time, but you should never use them for longer than the doctor’s recommendation or the package leaflet prescribes.
Nasal rinses: check the salt dosage
A nasal rinse was my faithful companion for a long time. As soon as I felt a cold coming on, I’d let the salty stream of water flow through my nostrils. It always ended with a small puddle in the bathroom, but it helped. Sometimes even for a few hours.
Over time, this method also burned my nose more than it did any good. This could have been down to the wrong salt concentration which can damage the nasal mucosa. I also experienced the same effect with ready-to-use nasal rinses. Maybe my nose is just too sensitive for them.
Now I only use the oils to make my room smell nice. So far, the only «scent» that hasn’t harmed my nose and lets me breathe throughout the night is Vicks VapoRub. In my opinion, the eucalyptus oil and the other ingredients in the cream are relatively mild and well tolerated.
Wondering where all that mucus in your nose comes from? You can find out here:
Goodbye sore throat and cough
Lozenges: numb the pain, but can also have a laxative effect
Lozenges are suitable for the quick relief of acute sore throats. They work in different ways but have one thing in common – they create a protective film on the painful, irritated or dry mucous membrane of the throat. Some slightly numb the pain, while others have a high sugar content to stimulate saliva production.
Unfortunately, the soothing effect doesn’t last very long for me. If I then have more lozenges, my tummy soon knows about it because the sweets can have a laxative effect. But for a short time or when you’re out and about, these little treats can be quite helpful and pleasant.
Martin Jungfer has taken a closer look at humidifier maintenance in one of his articles.
To relieve mild symptoms, I resort to gentle remedies such as steam, tea or a vapour rub. But the best medicine is still bed rest, plenty of water and patience. My colleague Anna Sandner explains why this is the case in her article below:
Header image: Shutterstock
Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.
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