Dealing with nasal congestion when taking Viagra can be a nuisance, disrupting both comfort and intimacy. This guide offers practical solutions to alleviate this common side effect, ensuring you can enjoy the benefits of Viagra without the discomfort of a stuffy nose.
Page Contents
Key Takeaways:
- Nasal congestion is a common side effect of Viagra due to its impact on nitric oxide levels in nasal passages.
- Simple remedies include taking hot showers, using steam inhalation, and applying saline nasal sprays.
- Keeping nasal passages moist and staying hydrated are key to reducing congestion.
- Adjusting Viagra dosage under medical supervision can also help alleviate symptoms.
How can you reduce nasal congestion when taking Viagra?
To reduce nasal congestion when taking Viagra, use methods like taking hot showers, inhaling steam, using saline nasal sprays, and staying hydrated. Adjusting the Viagra dosage under a physician's guidance can also be effective.
The Link Between Viagra Use and Nasal Congestion
What is it with Viagra that makes you more prone to experience nasal congestion? You have to know this in order to effectively learn how to stop a stuffy nose when taking Viagra.
As it turns out, nasal congestion is a fairly common side effect of using Viagra for erectile dysfunction. (1) It all lies in Viagra’s mechanism of action and how it affects the nasal mucosa of a person.
A penile erection happens when nitric oxide gets released inside the penis upon sexual stimulation. Nitric oxide then stimulates the release of an enzyme known as guanylate cyclase. This enzyme, in turn, increases the circulating levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which ultimately causes relaxed muscles and blood vessels and produces an erection as an end result.
However, a certain substance called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) also circulates within the penis and can stop the effects of cGMP. This will lead to difficulty in achieving and maintaining an erection.
Viagra’s main action is to initiate a penile erection by inhibiting PDE5, thereby improving cGMP’s effects, encouraging better nitric oxide flow, and improving penile blood circulation.
Nitric oxide is also present in your nasal passages and mucosa. This substance can also cause dilatation of the blood vessels in your nose. When the nasal blood vessels are dilated, nasal obstruction and congestion occur (2).
Since Viagra works to improve nitric oxide circulation throughout the body (not just in the penis), it can cause dilated blood vessels in the nose as well. This leads to increased mucus production and the classic symptoms of nasal congestion, such as:
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- Runny and dripping nose
- Nasal pressure
- A sensation of blockage or clogged nose
A stuffy nose can reduce the proper flow of air into your nasal passages. It can also cause temporary problems in your sense of smell. All these can happen when you regularly take Viagra at a higher dose of 100 mg, as evidenced in a 2007 study (3).
Practical Ways How to Reduce Nasal Congestion When Taking Viagra
Now that we know why Viagra can cause nasal congestion, it’s time to learn some tips on how to lessen nasal congestion due to Viagra use.
The key to clearing up nasal congestion due to Viagra is to keep your nasal passages moist. You’ll notice that most of the methods of treating congested noses while taking Viagra are focused on hydrating your body and your nasal passages.
Take a Hot Shower
Step into a hot shower the moment you feel your nose is congested. Steam rising from your hot shower can help your nose loosen up, thin out your mucous secretions, and lessen inflammation in your nasal passages. Hot showers are among the simplest yet most effective ways of treating congested noses while taking Viagra.
Breathe in Steam From Hot Water
Steam is long regarded as an effective remedy for treating respiratory distress caused by various respiratory tract conditions (4).
Here’s how to get some steam to use for clearing up nasal congestion due to Viagra:
- Turn up the tap on your bathroom sink and let it run until hot water is constantly streaming through.
- Wait until the water temperature gets hot enough to produce some steam.
- Place a towel on your head, then lean over and put your head directly over the sink.
- Let the steam build-up, then take deep breaths.
A word of caution: Never place your head too low on the sink. You might get burned by the hot water or the steam build-up if your face gets too near the running hot water.
Moisturize Your Nose With a Saline Spray
A saline spray is basically a saltwater solution packaged for use in various nasal issues and respiratory problems (5). Saline sprays help in treating Viagra-related nasal congestion by adding moisture to your nasal passages. They also keep your mucous secretions thin and lessen inflammation in your nose.
Pure saline sprays are readily available as an over-the-counter medication in all pharmacies. Most formulations require two sprays per nostril, used on an as-needed basis.
Use a Vaporizer or a Humidifier at Home
Humidifiers and vaporizers have long been used in sinusitis and nasal congestion (6). They add extra moisture to the air, keeping your nasal passages moist and preventing them from drying out and getting more irritated. Humidified air can also assist in soothing your nasal passages’ swelling.
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How to lessen nasal congestion due to Viagra use through a humidifier? Simply turn it on and take deep breaths once the air is adequately humidified. You’ll find that your breathing gets easier as you inhale and exhale.
Drink More Water and Fluids
One way how to stop a stuffy nose when taking Viagra is to keep yourself adequately hydrated. Fluids thin out your mucus, making it easier to expel. They also help tone down the inflammation and swelling in your nose.
You can take different kinds of fluids apart from water, including:
- Juice
- Tea
- Sports drinks
- Soups and broths
Spread your fluid intake throughout the day. Time it well so that urination may not interfere if ever you’ll be having sexual activity at a certain time of the day.
Let your Physician Review Your Viagra Dosage
Most physicians recommend 50 mg of Viagra taken once a day, around an hour before sexual contact. But some physicians may prescribe up to 100 mg per day depending on the severity of a man’s impotence.
If you frequently experience a runny nose while taking high dosages of Viagra, tell your physician about it. It’s likely that you need to wean off gradually to a lower dose to help eliminate your nasal congestion.
The Takeaway
Nasal congestion might be a natural side effect of Viagra use, but that isn’t an excuse for you to do nothing about it. Stuffy noses do interfere with a lot of your daily activities, and they can also take a toll on your sexual life as well.
We presented why Viagra can cause a stuffy nose, as well as some tips on how to reduce nasal congestion when taking Viagra. Here’s to hoping you’ll breathe easier and enjoy the benefits of Viagra as well at the soonest possible time!
