So it seems the whole issue of clogged noses has popped up over the past few days both in discussions about certain snuffs, neti pots, ect. and heck even I started a discussion regarding the whole dripping, sniffing, stuffed up nose thing. The main answer seems to be “keep it out of your sinuses and in the front of your nose”, that being the case has anyone tried taking a pinch and just placing the snuff directly into your nose that way you don’t get it up in the sensitive parts? I know that may sound crude but I’ll take crude over clogged nose any day! And also when the pros say “keep it in the front and out of your sinuses” does that mean keep it in the nostrils as in the visible parts of the nose?
I have tried the “direct deposit” with mixed results; I certainly didn’t have the burn that way, but it also didn’t get in quite far enough to have any effect. That and if you try it with something really fine like a toast or a Scotch most of it ends up falling right back out again. I have also tried the “rabbit sniff” where you don’t use the lungs at all, but rather create a minor vacuum by rapidly dropping the jaw and tongue, but I find I’ve missed a lot of that initial flavor hit. For me at least, I’ll stick to the regular way and risk the occasional cough, but there are no hard-and-fast rules, whatever works for you is A-OK…
I like the feeling of a good snuff melting high up in my sinuses. Nicotine absorption and olfactory pleasure is enhanced by retaining the snuff soup in the nasal cavity for as long as practicable. If one desires to control drainage away from the throat and beyond, tilting the head slightly downward will cause everything to eventually flow out. A few short and sharp breaths through the nose will move the mass in the desired direction, either up or down. When I’m ready to blow, it goes easily, because it’s pretty liquid by that point. I hope this works as well for other snuffers as it does for me. This doesn’t keep all the snuff and juices from going into your throat and mouth, but that is part of the pleasure of snuffing in my book.
A variation on rubbing the snuff into the septum works very well for me as i have small hands i just take my pinch and gently press it into place finger on top thumb underneath and roll the thumb away at the last as you press. Had a cold so had to adapt as everything was causing congestion and its been a revelation as i am able to enjoy every snuff without congestion and it has perked me up no end.
I was doing this for a while, as I kept getting stopped up. But the method has it’s pros and cons. One con was it was messy, to me, and I ended up with more snuff on the floor or my shirt and pants. And the scent while there, is not as strong as when sniffed. Even a menthol. In a sense, it’s sorta like rubbing vicks in your nose. It does work, and it did prefent the sniff congestion I was having at the time, while using menthols and others. I have not done this in a while though, and have been doing regular sniffs off the back of my hand, but I have not had any congestion problems lately, as I have not used any menthols, or others that have given me congestion. I’ve currently been sniffing Temptation Orange Chocolate and Toque Whiskey & Honey, and those have been fine. In regards to congestion, I think it’s just certain snuffs affect certain people certain ways. So, as I find snuffs that do congest me, and not, I make a note of that.
Sometimes when I’ve done the stick it up there method I’ve found it falls out shortly right down my throat or ends up hitting my sinuses when I’am breathing normaly.
I never had much like with the pick and stick either. So far the best methos has been the back of the hand with a slight sniff, it has always worked well for me but I also snuff mostly shmalzlers, latakias, and other coarse dark grinds. On the occasion I do indulge in scotches or finer grinds and powdery grinds, I use my bullet with a half inch gap between my nose and the bullet.
I find the “shove it up” method works well for clumpy moist snuffs such as Taxi, Ntsu and sometimes even the English dark snuffs like Wilson’s Brunswick/Burgundy. Checkerberry and Maccoboy might work like this too. I may try soon. With styles like Taxi, I find I can shove vast amounts in at once, amplyfing its power. True, there is some loss of scent enjoyment, but with Taxi & Ntsu I take them for the little nicotine trip it gives me, not for the flavor. It will get runny within a few minutes, but its all good.