BBC doctor's warning over 'dangerous' way of unblocking nose

Regular BBC Morning Live doctor Xand Van Tulleken has issued a warning against a "dangerous" hack that people often use when dealing with a blocked nose. In an appearance on the breakfast show this week, he advised viewers to be "very careful", and said taking a shower is a safer way to relieve congestion.

He said: "I'd be very careful of putting your face over a bowl of boiling water" highlighting that the NHS "see burns in emergency departments every year from people who have done this." He added: "So a shower is a much better way of getting steamy air."

Presenter Helen Skelton confessed she's guilty of doing this, revealing she's grown up performing the "head over bowl with a towel" trick, often adding menthol drops to clear her nasal passages. However, Dr Xand was quick to interject, labelling it as "the dangerous one".

He explained: "That's the one where you were at risk of burns. If it's hot enough to steam, it's hot enough to burn so a shower is good". The doctor noted that "steaminess can be good" as it "thins the mucus out, seems to help the little hair cells in your nose waft the mucus a bit better, things function well and the blood flows a bit more easily and that fights off the infection."

Discussing the UK's chilly conditions, Dr Xand offered a tip for those suffering from a stuffy nose – simply step outside or crack open a window. On managing cold symptoms, he explained: "You could do the opposite hack on a day like today, you've got cold, dry air outside.

"If you are stuffed up and can get a little bit of air flow in, go and breathe through your nose and that cold air will shrink the blood vessels in your nose. Hot steamy air - that can work a bit. Cold, dry air - that can also work a bit.

"So you're just trying to juggle what's gonna work for you. None of it will fix your cold, but you get your nose open somehow."

In addition to his advice on breathing techniques, Dr Xand praised one particular remedy for colds – chicken soup - as he said: "Doctor Oscar has spoken about this on the show as well but there is some evidence that chicken soup is quite good for colds, and of course, chicken soup is generally great if you make it properly".

During the discussion, he also issued a warning about nasal sprays, advising people to avoid them. He cautioned that "the stuff you can buy in the chemist is complicated to navigate".

Speaking specifically about decongestant sprays, he explained that they "decrease the blood flow in your nose and they're very effective, but they do have side-effects and you can get a major rebound congestion. So when you stop using them the blood vessels in your nose have gotten used to using them so they wear off quite quickly and then you get more congestion afterwards.

He further added: "It's actually a very well described phenomenon and it means you can get congestion going on and on and on for ages. So personally I would steer clear of them." Instead, he suggested, "what can work is washing your nose out, get some of that mucus out which will restore your taste and smell and it will help you breathe a bit more easily."

Morning Live airs weekdays at 9.30am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer