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What Do I Take to Stop Sneezing & Stuffy Nose?

Whether you have allergies or a cold, suffering from a stuffy nose and sneezing is an inconvenience. It interferes with routine activities of everyday life, and slows you down when you can't afford to miss a beat. Thankfully, in this day and age, there are a number of different medicines you can take to relieve cold or allergy symptoms. Medicine can't get rid of your runny nose completely, but it can stop it temporarily so you can get on with your day.

  1. Vapor Rub

    • If you're tossing and turning in your sleep, trying to catch a breath of air through your stuffy nose, a vapor rub such as Vicks VapoRub is a quick fix. It's typically used as a cough suppressant, but it's strong enough to clear the airways in your sinuses as well. The rub includes both menthol and eucalyptus oil, and creates a cooling sensation when applied to the skin. Dab a finger into a jar of this and rub it above your upper lip, just below your nose. This will give you the temporarily relief you need to focus your concentration elsewhere for one to two hours.

    Antihistamines

    • An antihistamine medication, Benadryl is marketed as the small pink pill that solves all allergy problems with one key ingredient: diphenhydramine. Diphenhydramine is a first-generation antihistamine, which means it's created to stop allergy symptoms, regardless of side effects. The side effects aren't deadly or harmful, of course, but drowsiness is enough to make people avoid taking it on a regular basis. If you're suffering from sneezing and a stuffy nose from your allergies, however, Benadryl is the best over-the-counter medicine you can take. It'll get rid of your symptoms for a full four to six hours with one dose.

    Multi-Symptom Medications

    • If you have a stuffy nose or you can't seem to stop sneezing during a cold, a multi-symptom medication such as Tylenol Cold is a safe medicine you can take to temporarily relieve stuffiness and discomfort. Phenylephrine is a decongestant that can clear your nasal passages and also provide relief from sneezing. It will also get rid of any sinus pressure and headaches you may have from your cold. The medicine lasts for approximately four to six hours. A version of Tylenol Cold containing the stronger decongestant pseudophedrine is also available, but is kept behind the pharmacy counter.

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