If you always have tissues on hand, you know how inconvenient, annoying, and annoying a stuffy nose can be. Nasal congestion can affect everything from your sense of taste and smell to your ability to sleep and concentrate.
The most famous culprits are allergysinus problems and respiratory illnesses such as colds, flu and Coronavirus disease. But there are many other reasons for it.
“Many of my patients suffer from nasal congestion”said Dr. Ran Wang, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Houston Methodist Hospital. “They’ve lived with it for so long that it’s become part of their lives.”
But nasal congestion is not normal. Various causes of congestion can be treated; although in some cases, it is necessary to figure out what triggered it.
Why do nasal congestion occur?
have you ever thought about Why is congestion worse at night? Here’s the answer to why they happen in the first place.
“It’s normal to have nasal congestion on one side of the nose. The nose has a nasal circulation in which each side takes turns receiving the most airflow,” says Dr. Wang.
The side that receives more air often changes within a few hours, which is why one side may feel stuffier when you sleep on your side at night. This also explains why nostril congestion sometimes changes.
This type of nasal congestion is normal, temporary, and should go away by morning. If not, this may be a bigger problem.
“Many people talk about allergies, sinus pressure and nasal congestion as if they are different problems, but they may be variations of the same problem,” explains Dr. Wang, an otolaryngologist at Houston Methodist Hospital. “Something is restricting the flow of air through your nose, and it can usually be traced to three things.“
- Anatomic obstruction: When the nasal septum is pushed to one side, it narrows the airway on that side.
- Soft tissue swelling: When infection or irritants (such as dust, pollen, pet dander, and smoke) trigger inflammation in the nose, narrowing the nasal passages.
- Mucus production: Mucus can also cause a clogged nose as a defense mechanism to help clear infection or irritation faster.
Sometimes, these things happen for a very obvious reason: Maybe a cold has spread through the office, or high levels of tree pollen are causing an allergy attack. other times, The cause of the congestion may be more mysterious.
“Our first step is to differentiate whether congestion is due to anatomic obstruction, soft tissue swelling, or excessive mucosal drainage,” Dr. Wang explains. “For many patients, it’s a combination of the three.”
What can alleviate congestion?
Whether or not you know why congestion occurs, you may be willing to try anything to relieve your symptoms. Ways to get rid of nasal congestion include home remedies and over-the-counter medications. Dr. Wang recommends starting with a saline nasal rinse as a simple first step.
“saline rinse Help clear excess mucus from the nose,” says Dr. Wang. “You can use these rinses as many times as needed, but be sure to use distilled water or water that has been boiled and cooled to room temperature. “
Saline nasal rinses may be enough to treat a mild cold or acute sinus infection. But because they don’t contain medically active compounds, they don’t provide the long-term relief of congestion needed for more severe symptoms. In these cases, Dr. Wang recommends combining a saline rinse with a nasal spray.
“Nasal steroid sprays can help control drainage, and nasal antihistamines are an especially good option if your nose feels very blocked,” explains Dr. Wang. “Rinse with saline first Then put one pump of the steroid spray into each nostril twice daily. “
Nasal decongestant sprays can also help clear congestion, but be careful: You shouldn’t use them for more than two or three days. Any more and you risk rebound congestion.
“If you have more allergy symptoms, oral allergy medications may help. Allergies are more than just nasal congestion, such as itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, or coughing,” adds Dr. Wang.
What doesn’t work Long-term medications are oral decongestants containing phenylephrine as the active ingredient. It’s one of the most popular decongestants in multi-symptom cold remedies, but the FDA says taking phenylephrine by mouth doesn’t relieve congestion, and long-term use can increase blood pressure. Instead, try one of the suggestions above.
What to do when congestion doesn’t go away
The most common causes of congestion are temporary or controllable. Cold symptoms usually improve within 7 to 10 days. Seasonal allergies can often be prevented with the remedies listed above. But what is causing the persistent congestion?
Reasons to see your doctor about a stuffy nose include:
- Lasts more than eight weeks
- The condition did not improve after a month of continued use of antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays.
- It is accompanied by symptoms of an acute sinus infection, such as facial pressure, fever, and decreased sense of smell.
“Your doctor will gather information about your symptoms: what you’re experiencing, how you’re feeling, and when they occur,” said Dr. Wang, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Houston Methodist Hospital. “We are looking for the cause because we need accurate diagnosis to effectively treat nasal congestion.”
Possible causes of chronic congestion They range from untreated seasonal allergies to more complex problems such as deviated septum, chronic sinusitis, and vasomotor rhinitis.
“If nasal congestion is consistently worse on one side, we will start to consider anatomical causes of the obstruction, such as a deviated septum,” Dr. Wang explains. “Vasomotor rhinitis becomes more common as we age and occurs when the nerves in the nose become less sensitive and trigger mucus secretion when unnecessary.”
These more complex causes of nasal congestion require the expertise of an ENT specialist.
“Sometimes it’s an allergy, sometimes it’s not,” Dr. Wang emphasized. “Once we identify the unidentified cause of congestion, we can begin to consider various treatments, such as oral medications, immunotherapy, surgery, and more.”
More information for patients:
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