I notice that when I snuff my nose gets plugged up. Usually one side then the other. Menthol more than a couple times a day and I can’t breathe. I have a neti pot but I’m avoiding it(the feeling is not desirable) would a plain snuff help this? I can snuff a scotch all day and other than needing to blow I’m fine.
It’s a very common complaint. Menthols and highly perfumed snuffs are usually the culprit. Plain, dry snuffs are often the answer, relegating menthols etc to occasional pinches. I think you are better to solve the problem at source rather than use a neti pot to deal with the symptoms. I use an aerosol saltwater nasal spray for the occasional rinse out but neti pots do the same thing, the frequency is a personal thing - some people rinse out daily as a matter of routine, others, like me, hardly ever if at all (I had never heard of neti pots until I heard US members talk about them). Scotchs, HDTs and things like Dholakia White are the way to go. Obviously, they tend to be harder to take if you are new to snuff so go slowly and get acclimatised steadily.
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Do a Google search for “menthol rebound”. Also, the sinuses go through cycles during the day with one side sometimes opening more than the other. Occasionally menthols clog me and sometimes they don’t. I just snuff past it. Also, I found it helpful to give a good snort and spit now and then to clear the back of my nose. It sometimes alleviates a bit of the clogging. I’m not sure why but drinking alcohol always makes me more vulnerable to clogging. Perhaps hydration or blood pressure are involved?
I get the same thing. Some menthols don’t bother me, but most of them do. I like plain/SP styles best, but I don’t get clogged with snuff that is heavily scented, just menthol. If you like menthol, wait until your technique gets better. They probably won’t bother you as much, when they stay in the front of the nose.
Ive had one nostril closed up since I was a kid, I think we are just born with them being uneven, or some people are anyway.
Damn hypothalamus!
There are some snuffs that will almost always makes my nose run and sometimes after I blow my nose I find that both of my nostrils are totally unplugged. This doesn’t work all the time but it is the first thing I try when attempting to unclog my nose.
I find a good US scotch like Square or TTStrong usually unclogs me in seconds.
Right now I am plugged, not from mucus, but from inflamation, darn ragweed. In the spring the tree pollen causes it. I can only realy enjoy snuff after a killer frost till thawout comes in the spring. Sucks don’t it?
Howdy mustangii! I would suggest either a neti pot or a NeilMed sinus rinse (sorta like a pressurized neti pot.) Warm water with a bit of sea salt (to get the pH level right) does wonders. Using it faithfully at least once a day did wonders for me. You can even add specific herbs to it for specific theraputic purposes. I have a supply of Brahmi (an Indian herb,) Sandlewood powder, Tulsi, Valarian, Sage, Ginger and Nutmeg for mine (all in powder form.) I got my sage, ginger and nutmeg right off of the shelf in the spice section of the supermarket. The rest I got at an Indian store, but they could probably be had at an herbalist or ayurvedic medicine store. See my book review on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Neti-Healing-Secrets-Yoga-Ayurveda/dp/0940985853
Then again… There are some snuffs that will dry inside your nose and give you what amounts to armour plating on the mucus membrane. No pollen can get through that.
All good suggestions, I have been using annielmed neti pot now for about a month almost daily. Keeps clogging minimal but I still stuff up occasionally. I have always been that way though but taking a pinch is a challenge with a real stuffed up nose. I steer clear of menthol too which is too bad because I find it refreshing 
Snuff causes congestion - its a sad but true fact. I have only just started using it again after a week away due to sinus problems and a head cold, but whisky causes terrible hang overs - you just have to learn the amount you can take with comfort and no side effects.
Snuff will have to be taken differently depending on the grind. If you try to do a one size fits all perspective on snuff, you’ll simply be putting a lot of tobacco into your nose. You have to sniff harder/softer/just right. Find that sweet spot for the snuff you are using and stuffed noses disappear.
I find that snuff (after a while at least) dries up the mucus membranes in my nose, so that, if anything, my nose becomes too dry. I could probably rectify this with the occasional pinch of menthol, but I can’t stand the stuff.
I’ve found that when I start to get stuffed up from too much other snuff, if I can get a good pinch of Temptation Concord Grape up the pipe about 5 minutes later my nose is running like a faucet. Then a good ‘blow and snort’ and I’m clear again. Must be that tartness of the grape that sets it off for me… :^)
doctorbeat if you want to try mentholated snuffs there are quite a few that are very lightly mentholated I would recommend you take a look at those and see if they interest you.
I had a yoga teacher who told me that if your left nostril is blocked, then you’re ready for meditation and if your right nostril is blocked, then you’re ready for action. Other than that, I would second the advice in the thread - the drier, toastier and less perfumed snuffs seem to cause less nose-ache for most people.