Diagnosis
A swollen nasal mucosa, which causes a stuffy nose, can be very annoying. However, it is not always necessary to see a doctor if, for example, it is a common cold that disappears on its own. However, if the symptoms persist over a longer period of time or are very pronounced, a diagnostic clarification by a doctor for ear, nose and throat medicine (ENT specialist) is recommended.
He or she has several possibilities to find out the cause of a swollen nasal mucosa and thus the impeded nasal breathing. He can examine the nose itself as well as the paranasal sinuses with his instruments. In addition, he has various diagnostic test procedures at his disposal, for example to test for certain allergies.
The doctor can also test whether the ability to smell is restricted or even altered. He has the possibility to examine the blood for certain parameters, which can also cause a swollen nasal mucous membrane, such as an underfunction of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism). Furthermore, he can also do an x-ray examination of the skull to see if the paranasal sinuses have been displaced. Even if the causal problem for the swollen nasal mucosa is an anatomical one, such as a crooked nasal septum, which can be present from birth, but can also be caused by trauma (such as a blow to the nose), the ENT physician is the right person to talk to, and for this he must perform a rhinoscopy. This is completely harmless and painless, the ENT physician will look into the nose with the help of an endoscope, and at the same time he can take samples of nasal secretions or the nasal mucous membrane for diagnostic purposes.
Duration
How long a swollen nasal mucosa remains cannot be answered in a generalized way. Much more the time depends on the cause. If, for example, an allergy to pollen is responsible for this, a swollen nasal mucosa can occur under certain circumstances from February to October. If animal hairs or dust are the trigger, then as long as you surround yourself with it. If an underfunction of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) or an autoimmune disease such as Sjögren’s syndrome or an anatomical cause such as a crooked nasal septum are the causes, the swollen nasal mucosa may persist until the cause is eliminated.