Nasal congestion
Other names: Nasal blockage, nasal obstruction, blocked nose, stuffy nose, plugged nose
Specialty	Otorhinolaryngology

Nasal congestion is the blockage ofnasal breathing usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen frominflamed blood vessels.^[1]

Background

In about 85% of cases, nasal congestion leads tomouth breathing rather thannasal breathing.^[2] According to Jason Turowski, MD of theCleveland Clinic, "we are designed to breathe through our noses from birth—it's the way humans have evolved."^[3] This is referred to as "obligate nasal breathing."^[4]

Nasal congestion can interfere with hearing and speech. Significant congestion may interfere with sleep, causesnoring, and can be associated withsleep apnea orupper airway resistance syndrome.^[5] In children, nasal congestion from enlargedadenoids has caused chronic sleep apnea with insufficientoxygen levels andhypoxia, as well as right-sidedheart failure. The problem usually resolves after surgery to remove theadenoids andtonsils, however the problem often relapses later in life due to craniofacial alterations from chronic nasal congestion.^[6]

Causes

• Allergies,^[7] likehay fever,^[7] allergic reaction to pollen or grass
• Common cold^[7] orinfluenza
• Rhinitis medicamentosa,^[7] a condition ofrebound nasal congestion brought on by extended use oftopical decongestants (e.g.,oxymetazoline,phenylephrine,xylometazoline, andnaphazolinenasal sprays)
• Sinusitis or sinus infection^[7]
• Narrow or collapsing nasal valve^[8]
• Pregnancy may cause women to suffer from nasal congestion due to the increased amount of blood flowing through the body.^[7]
• Nasal polyps^[7]
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (theorized to cause chronic rhinosinusitis- the "airway reflux paradigm")^[9]
• COVID-19

Nasal obstruction

Nasal obstruction characterized by insufficient airflow through the nose can be a subjective sensation or the result of objective pathology.^[10] It is difficult to quantify by subjective complaints or clinical examinations alone, hence both clinicians and researchers depend both on concurrent subjective assessment and on objective measurement of the nasal airway.^[11]

Prevalence ofkyphosis has been linked to nasal obstruction in a study.^[12]

Treatment

According toWebMD, congestion can be addressed through the use of ahumidifier, warm showers, drinking fluids, using aneti pot, using a nasal saline spray, and sleeping with one's head elevated. It also recommends a number of over the counter decongestants and antihistamines.^[13] A 2012 study concluded that combining nasal sprays with "nasal breathing exercises" (NBE) led to improvement of symptoms. Though it may seem weird, crying can also be helpful.^[14]

TheCleveland Clinic also states that congestion may be a sign of adeviated septum, a condition that needs to be addressed by a doctor.^[15]

See also

• Decongestant
• Honeymoon rhinitis
• Inhaler

References

Further reading

• Nestor, James (2020).Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.Riverhead Books.ISBN 978-0735213616.

External links

• Pages with script errors
• Webarchive template wayback links
• Articles with hatnote templates targeting a nonexistent page
• Nose
• Symptoms and signs: Respiratory system