Why the nose is constantly stuffy. Methods of treatment
Everyone has experienced the condition when it is impossible to inhale and exhale through the nose. Some people live with it for years. Why does your nose constantly get stuffy, even if you have no runny nose or other nasal disorders? How can you do something about it at home, or can the condition be alleviated only in a medical facility?
Causes of nasal congestion
The most common causes of the condition in question are as follows:
- A runny nose. Due to the inflammatory process, the nasal mucosa swells and produces a large amount of discharge that is retained in the cavities and nasal passages. In addition to the above symptoms, a cold may be accompanied by sneezing, fever, muscle and joint aches, headaches, and increased drowsiness.
- An allergic reaction to an external stimulus. Dust, fluff or feathers in pillows, fabric softener and other substances that come into contact with the nose at night are often the cause of nasal congestion.
- Vasomotor rhinitis. This pathology is chronic and affects the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. It is caused by problems with blood vessels, the nose becomes stuffy unexpectedly, and it is difficult to predict the occurrence of this condition.
In addition, difficulty breathing through the nose can occur due to
- chronic rhinitis (runny nose)
- progression of malignant or benign tumors in the nasal passages or sinuses;
- overgrown adenoid tissue;
- curved nasal septum;
- polyps that have formed in the nose.
How to get rid of nasal congestion
If the cause of this condition is a runny nose, there are no problems with treatment, as it is enough to take a course of nasal drops with vasoconstrictor and/or anti-inflammatory effects. Before starting treatment of nasal congestion, it is necessary to conduct a detailed examination of the patient to find out the true cause of the condition. It may be necessary to consult with specialized specialists and perform additional examination methods (instrumental and laboratory). When prescribing treatment, doctors adhere to the principles of an individual approach. But you should also remember the general principles of therapy:
- Nasal decongestant drops for children from one year of age should be prescribed only by a pediatrician and an ENT specialist. Often, parents choose a drug for their child on their own, including vasoconstrictor drops, the use of which is strictly prohibited in childhood, as they can cause a sharp narrowing of blood vessels up to a violation of blood flow in them. A neonatologist at the hospital should tell mothers how to treat a baby's nasal congestion. This treatment requires theoretical and practical training.
- What to do if the nose is stuffy because of allergies? It is necessary to find out the allergen in order to avoid it in the future. To quickly improve the condition, use drops with a vasoconstrictor effect.
- How to relieve a child of nasal congestion? The first step is to find out the true cause of the condition. For treatment, you can use not only traditional therapies but also traditional medicine recipes. Kalanchoe juice is an excellent remedy for nasal congestion. You should consult a pediatrician beforehand - many plants cause allergies, and as a result of their use, nasal congestion can only get worse.
Physiotherapeutic procedures, such as nasal warming, give excellent results. This method of treatment has contraindications - nasal congestion caused by a tumor process or purulent contents in the sinuses (for example, in case of sinusitis). However, this treatment, together with the use of drops based on plant extracts and decoctions, is an excellent remedy for nasal congestion during pregnancy, when many medications are prohibited.
Some medications that are used for the above condition should be considered separately. Effective drops for severe nasal congestion are vasoconstrictor drops. When they are used, relief comes almost instantly, and the effect lasts for several hours in a row. But two factors should be taken into account:
- Vasoconstrictor drops do not cure, they only relieve nasal congestion.
- These products are addictive, and after just 7-10 days of constant use, the effect disappears, there is no relief, and their further use becomes inappropriate. Therefore, doctors recommend using vasoconstrictor drops to relieve nasal congestion for no more than 5 days in a row.
You can learn more about why nasal congestion occurs and how to cope with the problem on the pages of our website https://dobrobut.com/.
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