You probably saw some athletes having a sticker on their face, mostly in football, but that is actually helping them breathe. Nasal strips are very popular among athletes in various sports. They use it even on some racing horses so they can breathe easier. There are a few benefits you will gain using it. The majority of people that use strips use it to prevent snoring while sleeping. There are many reasons why you are snoring, but through many tests, it is proven that it can help you.
The principle it works on is very simple, but the outcome for some people is precious. They are also very affordable and you can find them in different designs. If you don’t have time to go look for them, nasal strips can be found online easily. Some people don’t even know they need it until they try using it, so you maybe want to try and see the difference. Also, you should visit a nose specialist if you have trouble breathing.
How Nasal Strips and Dilators Work?
Nasal dilators can be found in two forms, the one that is placed inside and outside the nasal passage. It looks very similar to a band aid, but it is made of a stiff strip. They are lifting the sides of your nose in order to make more room for air to come in and out. It makes your breathing easier and it reduces snoring. When everything happens as it should, the air would go out from the lungs, past the base of the tongue, through the throat and through a fully open nose.
When blocking occurs in the nose because of a deviated septum, the restriction from anatomy or problem from allergies or cold, only a small amount of air enters. This means that you need more power to take enough air to your lungs which means the air will go faster through your nostrils. What happens, in the end, is that throat tissue vibrates and the noise comes out called snoring. When you have this problem, the goal is to have enough air go inside without impacting your throat tissue.
Read more about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_strip
How to Use Nasal Strips?
It is very easy to use, but you need to take care of some small things that may be an issue. When you want to apply it, your face needs to be clean. Because our skin can get oily, it is important to wash it before you use the strip. When you remove the protective layer, you can position it on the nose. How you place it is very important.
The center of the strip should be across the width of the nose. You will be able to feel with your fingers where the middle is and place it there. Rub the strip, but gently, so it will be secured on the nose. You can find them in different sizes because there are different types of noses. They will probably recommend a size when you want to buy it. When you want to take it off, use water, or do it after the shower because it will loosen up. Click here to read more.
Reducing Snoring
There are a lot of studies that were done on this topic, and all of them showed similar results. The effectiveness of these external nasal products is around 70 . The percentage is great because there are people who have other condition which impacts the result. The most common is obstructive sleep apnea. Everything depends on how serious is your condition and what else has an effect on it. It won’t harm you if you try, and that is a great thing, that it doesn’t have side effects. It can irritate your skin, but that depends on how you use it.
Nasal Strips and Athletes
There is a high chance you will see a pro football player wearing this underneath their helmet thinking it will improve their breathing while on the field. This idea was going around for a long time, but recent studies show otherwise.
The reason why it doesn’t work is that they are meant for moderate activities like jogging. When a player is breathing heavily and demands more oxygen, there is a switch point where nasal strips don’t have an effect on. So, when you are doing a hard activity, you can’t expect that it will improve your breathing.