BBC Morning Live doctor warns 'dangerous' stuffy nose hack could burn you

The doctor said he would rather people have a hot shower than do this common hack as it could be dangerous

BBC Morning Live's regular, Doctor Xand Van Tulleken, has issued a warning against a "dangerous" hack that people frequently resort to when dealing with a stuffy and blocked nose. During his appearance on the breakfast show this week, he advised viewers to be "very careful" with their actions, stating taking a shower is a safer alternative.

"I’d be very careful of putting your face over a bowl of boiling water", he cautioned, highlighting that the NHS "see burns in emergency departments every year from people who have done this. 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, labeling it as "that's 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 well-respected 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 weather, he offered another solution to relieve a congested nose - simply standing outside or slightly opening a window. Dr Xand advised on managing cold symptoms, explaining: "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", he suggests.

On top of his breathing tips, Dr Xand also highlighted one "amazing" remedy for colds - chicken soup. He remembered: "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".

Chicken soup is easily available at supermarkets, with stores such as Lidl and Sainsbury's offering cans for as little as 62p. During the show, he also issued a caution regarding nasal sprays, recommending that people should steer clear of them. He warns that "the stuff you can buy in the chemist is complicated to navigate".

Talking specifically about decongestant sprays, he explains that they often "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 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."

He says instead "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." You can watch the full Morning Live - Series 6: 19/11/2024 - episode via BBC iPlayer here.