Stopped up Nose

Listen to the doctor and try the saline spray. It isn't a medication, and will hopefully keep you away from using medications.

Use a "Neti Pot" to flush your nose.
Many Doctors also recommend it. You can get it at any Whole Foods or drug store.
My Husband has sinus problems and he uses this, and it really helps. Even my daughter uses it when sick and stuffed up.

Water and saline.. is not "medications" but natural.

I'd had about a 10 yr addiction to nose sprays because my nose was constantly stuffing up. Finally I went to an ENT, and they put me on a steroid and got me off the nose spray. I remember the follow up appointment and they said I was fine. I said "Are you kidding? I can barely get air through my nose! The least little bit of pollen and I'll be breathing through my mouth again.". They said I had some pretty narrow breathing passages and my septum was deviated. So I ended up having some nose surgery to trim my turbinates (baffles in your sinuses that air passes through/around) and fix my septum.
I had call after call from the insurance company and I assured them this was all internal so I could breathe and nothing was being altered on the outside for appearances (this was not a cosmetic nose job).
I had the surgery in Apr of 1990 and I've been able to breathe ever since.
I occasionally still get a cold or a sinus infection, but rinsing with a neti pot and saline really helps and with no physical blockage it clears up quickly.
Saline is about as non medical as you can get and it's very soothing to your nasal tissue.

Neti pot or Sinus rinse! Really helps. Yes, these are the things you squeeze a little saline up your nose (one side) and it runs out the other side.
I cannot tell you how much that helps.

I don't know about any tool for using saline but Saline spray does come in a bottle like nasal sprays. It is natural and cheap. I use it a lot and my youngest will let me use it on her, she calls it the tickle me stuff. It works good on my sinus problems too.

Hello L. Mama. I am telling you a NETI POT will change your life. You can get one at any drugstore and pick up the salt that goes with it also. Always use warm water so you don't get lightheaded. And don't give up it does take some practice and getting use to. But once you do get it down you will be a neti fan forever and will be telling everyone about it. You can go to youtube and watch videos on instructions on how to use them. Good luck and say goodbye to sinus troubles and colds :)

REALLY! Look up the definition of medications. But Saline is as close to simlar to your body as anything could be. Most of the body is made up of Water and it has salt in it so is just like Saline. That is WHY they have that solution put up the nose as it would be pleasant versus pure water that would sting since it would not have simlar number of Ions (charged particles) in it. Also could try sniffing Menthol or Mint. Eating very spicy foods close in spice to Jalapenos can help too. Hot Chicken Soup but Avoiding Milk which thickens the secretions. Going to a Steam Room. Also, running but of course avoiding the things allergic too. Those are MY Secrets; I share with you. Even with all that I still take an antihistamine non drowsy version, get allergy shots, use a very mild nasal spray studies claim is even safe for toddlers to reduce inflammation by Rxn. What I don't do is spray corticosteroids in my nose as it COULD have harmful side effects (though pretty low). When I was a child there was a polyp making it hard to breath and nasal surgery helped that. Mouthbreathing though necessary at times dries the mouth, probably bad for the teeth, allows germs in without the protection of Cilia in the nose which pushes out if it can the bad things before they enter in. In a medical setting Saline is what is given when a person is bady dehydrated (not enough water in them). (Salt water) Like the OCEAN but less salty.

The others have suggested Neti Pots, which it sounds exactly like your doctor suggested...what is the issue with that? Why don't you want to use those? Saline is hardly medicine. It is salt and water, that's it. You can buy saline rinses (only salt and water NOT medicine/nose sprays) if you don't like the pot, some people are put off by it. If they don't think you have a deviated septum, which was my original thought by the way, then I'd try using the saline solution. I hope you find some relief.

Whole Foods has a netty pot, which many use for congestion. It is usually a water/saline solution used in it. Another thought is the Breathe Right strips that open up the nostrils. If you go to Whole Foods or Better Health, also grab some eucalyptus drops and you can use that in a nice hot shower or in a pot of water onthe stove and help open the passages that way

My allergist gave me a sample for stuffy noses and I swear it works! The problem is I don't remember the name of it! She said its the stuff that is used by NASA Astranauts and it really does help when your nose is stuffy. I know its safe b/c I was using it when I was nursing my baby. I would ask your allergist about it b/c that is where I got it from. She called it a "Stuffy nose cocktail."

Good Luck!