An Overview
Nasal congestion occurs when blood vessels and mucous membranes in the sinuses and nasal passageways swell. While mild congestion often clears on its own, a range of treatments and home remedies can help. Nasal congestion, or “stuffy nose,” is a term that refers to the obstruction to the flow of air in and out of the nose. In contrast, the term “runny nose” refers to a discharge (fluid) coming from the nasal passages.
Nasal congestion most commonly is the result of inflammation and swelling of the lining tissues of the nasal passages and sinuses. Anyone of any age can develop nasal congestion, or a stuffy nose, but it may occur more frequently in some people.
For example, sinusitis, a condition that frequently causes it, tends to occur in children under 15years of age and adults aged 25–64, particularly adult females.
Symptoms for Nasal congestion
- Pain is a common symptom of sinusitis. You have several different sinuses above and below your eyes as well as behind your nose. Any of these can hurt when you have a sinus infection.
- A dry cough
- Unexplained exhaustion
- Coughing up thick mucus from the lungs.
- When you have a sinus infection, you may need to blow your nose often because of nasal discharge, which can be cloudy, green, or yellow. This discharge comes from your infected sinuses and drains into your nasal passages.
- The discharge may also bypass your nose and drain down the back of your throat. You may feel a tickle, an itch, or even a sore throat.
- Your inflamed sinuses may also restrict how well you can breathe through your nose. The infection causes swelling in your sinuses and nasal passages.
- Sinus headaches are often at their worst in the morning because fluids have been collecting all night long. Your headache can also get worse when the barometric pressure of your environment changes suddenly.
- Throat irritation and cough
- Postnasal drip can leave you with a raw and aching throat. Although it may start as an annoying tickle, it can get worse.
Causes of Nasal Congestion
Nasal congestion causes impairment of speech and hearing also. The condition can also be associated with sleep apnea sometimes and causes snoring. Chronic sleep apnea has been observed to occur in children with nasal congestion due to inflamed adenoids, causing insufficient uptake of oxygen and hypoxia as a result. This can sometimes lead to right sided-heart failure also. Nasal congestion occurring due to common cold infection or allergy can cause headaches and slight facial pain also. A medical term for inflammation of the sinuses and nasal cavities is “rhinosinusitis,” and many issues that cause congestion bear this name. They include:
- Infectious rhinosinusitis: Common cold viruses or upper respiratory infections cause infectious rhinosinusitis.
- Bronchiolitis
- Enlarged Adenoid
- Environmental Irritants
- Allergic rhinosinusitis: This inflammation is triggered by an allergen or environmental irritant.
- Seasonal allergic rhinosinusitis: A doctor diagnoses this, also called a seasonal allergy, when the inflammation is a response to pollen from trees, grasses, and weeds that are most abundant in the spring and fall.
- Perennial allergic rhinosinusitis: This involves allergens present all year, such as mold, animal dander, dust mites, and cockroach debris.
- Nonallergic rhinosinusitis: This inflammation stems from airborne irritants, such as smoke, chemicals, and pollution.
- Tumors of the Nasal Passages
- Vasomotor Rhinitis
- Foreign Body in the Nasal Passages
- Injury/ trauma to the Nose or Sinuses
Diagnosis
Doctors diagnose nasal congestion based on your symptoms and a physical exam. Your doctor will examine your nose, ears and throat to determine the cause of the congestion. An otolaryngologist (ENT physician) may examine your nose using a flexible light called an endoscope.
Treatment
Treatment for nasal congestion includes alpha-adrenergic agonists as they work by constricting the blood vessels. These drugs like phenylephrine and oxymetazoline are truly effective in relieving symptoms. Discomfort, headaches and pain in the facial muscles caused due to common cold and influenza can be relieved with drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen (paracetamol). Allergens like pollens and dust cause diseases like hay fever. Treatment of this condition is aimed at the underlying cause of the nasal congestion, and may involve medications, surgery or a combination of both.
- Oral or topical antibiotics, if the cause is a bacterial infection
- Corticosteroid nasal sprays
- Mucus-thinning medications
- Immunotherapy
- Corrective surgery
Home remedies
- Staying hydrated
- Taking a warm shower
- Inhaling steam from a bowl of hot water, with a towel over the head to trap in the steam
- Keeping the head elevated while sleeping
- Taking over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines or decongestants
- Trying nasal rinses
- Taking OTC pain relief medications, if there is sinus pressure or pain
- Applying a cold compress to painful areas of the face
Prevention
- Avoiding things that irritate your nose and sinuses can help decrease sinusitis. Cigarette smoke can make you especially prone to sinusitis. Smoking damages the natural protective elements of your nose, mouth, throat, and respiratory system.
- Ask your doctor if you need help quitting or if interested in quitting. It can be an important step in preventing episodes of both acute and chronic sinusitis.
- Wash your hands frequently, especially during cold and flu season, to keep your sinuses from becoming irritated or infected by viruses or bacteria on your hands.