Nasal plasters are special adhesive plasters that users stick on the bridge of their nose. They are intended to facilitate breathing through the nose.
What are nose patches?
Nasal patches are designed to facilitate breathing through the nose. Nasal plasters are also known as nose strips or nasal strips. This is a sticking plaster strip with wide rounded ends. The nose strip is attached to the bridge of the nose. The nose patch has specially curved reinforcements made of plastic. These cause a slight pulling of the nasal wings in the upper direction. With this effect, more efficient nasal breathing is possible. The nose plaster is used for various purposes. The development of the nose patch took place in 1993 in the USA by the company “BreatheRight”. The purpose of the special patch was to combat loud snoring. By lifting the nostrils, it is supposed to allow better air passage. Thus, with the help of the patch, more air flows into the nose and facilitates breathing, which in turn has a positive effect on snoring. In addition to snoring, other obstructions to nasal breathing can also be treated with a nasal strip. In Europe, nose patches became popular in the mid-90s due to soccer. The strips were also used in American football in the USA, which in turn attracted the attention of soccer clubs. In this context, the nasal strips served to improve the supply of oxygen. After the 1996 European Soccer Championships, the nose patches also made their way into the German national soccer league and were also used in other sports. However, whether they actually improved athletic performance remained controversial. Sports physicians advise people to try out nose patches and see for themselves whether they have a positive effect. Ultimately, this also depends on the causes of obstructed nasal breathing.
Forms, types and kinds
Originally, nasal patches were designed to treat snoring during the night hours, because snoring mostly results from impaired nasal breathing. Sometimes colds or allergic reactions are also responsible for the swelling of the nasal mucous membranes. Likewise, a crooked nasal septum can cause snoring, since in this case less air is inhaled through the nose. In addition, the nasopharyngeal muscles of the person slacken during sleep, which in turn affects the supply of air to some extent. To get more air, people automatically open their mouths, but this causes the throat region to dry out. The soft palate vibrates when breathing and leads to the typical sound of snoring. By using a nose patch against snoring, the mouth does not open as wide, so that the snoring sounds are reduced or even disappear completely. The risk of sleep apnea is also reduced. Very popular are nose patches in the sporting field. Thus, sporting efforts cause swelling of the nasal mucous membranes, which leads to reduced passage of air. With the help of a nose patch, the amount of air inhaled should increase significantly. In addition, the nasal strips have the advantage of not causing any disturbing side effects. Another variant of nose patches is used to treat troublesome blackheads on the nose. These can be removed with a special clear-up strip. Especially for people who suffer from sensitive skin, nose patches are considered suitable. With a blackhead patch, blackheads can be removed in just ten minutes and mostly without pain. No pre-treatment is required. However, there is a possibility that treatment with blackhead strips does not always bring the desired success. In addition, therapy with these special nose patches is considered relatively expensive.
Structure and mode of operation
Nose patches are available over the counter at pharmacies. They are composed of two elastic strips of plastic that are inserted into the patch. These plastic strips open the nostrils in a mechanical way. The strips are attached to the bridge of the nose with the adhesive patch. Medical ingredients are not contained in a nose plaster. As a result, there are hardly any disturbing side effects. In some cases, slight local irritation may occur, which is caused by the patch. Since there is also no need to worry about interactions with medications, the nose patches are suitable for joint use with other medications.The application of the nose patch is simple. It is simply stuck on the bridge of the nose. The nasal strip then causes the lifting of the nostrils, which leads to the widening of the nasal passages. Airflow improves and the user finds restful sleep easier.
Medical and health benefits
According to studies, the use of nasal plasters is said to improve airflow by 31 percent. In addition, about 90 percent of all users in a clinical study who suffered from nighttime snoring reported improved sleep quality. Benefits were also seen in athletes, who felt they performed better. Nose patches are considered suitable for endurance training. However, they are said to be of less benefit for athletic competition, since the human body is subjected to greater stress during actual competition than during training. Basically, the use of nose patches has advantages and disadvantages. The strips achieve a quick effect in case of too weak nasal breathing, which is responsible for snoring. The application is also smooth and quick. Because nose patches are hardly noticeable, the user quickly gets used to them. However, unlike a nasal butterfly, the dilation of the nostrils turns out to be less. If the user suffers from sensitive skin, this is noticeable the next morning on the nose by a recognizable imprint of the nose plaster. From a health perspective, nasal plasters can also be used to treat allergic reactions, swollen nasal mucous membranes during pregnancy, as well as a cold.
