Diseases of the nose

The common cold (rhinitis), which we all get at least once during one of the cold seasons, is a harmless infection caused by a virus. Mostly it is a virus from the group of rhinoviruses or adenoviruses. SinusitisNasal sinusitis is usually understood to be the bacterial inflammation of the paranasal sinuses.

A deviated septum is a change in the nasal septum (septum nasi). In most cases, the nasal septum is laterally displaced from birth or has been displaced from its normal position by an injury to the nose (e.g. a blow to the nose with a fracture of the nasal bone). A restful night can become a torture for everyone involved due to the loud breathing noise like snoring.

The sawing noises occur in the upper airways. Swinging movements of the palate, the uvula or the base of the tongue or the lower throat produce such sounds when snoring. The popularly named nasal polyps are swollen, bilateral enlargements (hyperplasia) of the nasal mucosa or the mucosa of the paranasal sinuses.

They are called polyps because the enlargement of the mucous membrane looks like a fungus on a tree trunk. The (ozaena) is characterized by a degeneration of the nasal mucosa with loss of the olfactory ability (anosmia). In the nose there is a tough, stinking mucus and numerous incrustations and bark. Nasal furuncle is a bacterial infection of a hair root (hair follicle) at the entrance of the nose. There is a danger if the pus that develops during a nasal furuncle melts into the surrounding tissue.

Nose blocked/nose closed

Once the nose is congested, it becomes noticeable with swollen mucous membranes, increased to excessive mucus production and the typical symptoms of a cold.First and foremost, all these signs are very useful for the body, because any pathogens that may be present can be more effectively removed from the nose with the help of the mucus. The nose is thus blocked when, for example, viruses that cause respiratory tract infections (see rhinitis, common cold) settle in the facial area, but also because of some specific allergens that actually do not pose a danger to the organism, but cause a defensive reaction as if they were harmful and the body should protect itself from them. There are also theories that say that even if we do not consciously notice the process, the mucous membrane of the nose swells regularly; this procedure is normal in up to 80% of the population and is known as the “nasal cycle”.

The mucous membranes on one side of the nose thicken in turn in response to the body’s own signals, so that the airflow then flows increasingly through the other side. Under certain circumstances, this has the advantage that both halves of the nose can alternate in their task of cleaning the air from foreign substances. So far, however, there is no definitive evidence for this theory.

In spite of all the advantages and protective mechanisms for the body, the restriction of breathing, which in most cases is associated with a blocked nose, remains extremely unpleasant. So what can you do if your nose is blocked? The first step is to think about the most likely cause of a blocked nose.

If an allergy is the problem, a thorough and detailed allergy test is recommended, with precise determination of the substances causing the symptoms. These should then be avoided if possible, or at least only be present in the surrounding area to a lesser extent. Beyond that there are different possibilities of the allergy therapy, compare for this also “allergy”.

If a cold is the cause of a blocked nose, there is very little that can be done. Symptoms can be alleviated by inhaling hot water vapour – either with special apparatus with a nasal attachment or over a pot of hot water, which can be mixed with tea tree or chamomile oil – and by humidifying the surrounding air. This can be achieved very well, for example, with wet towels placed over the radiator. Last but not least, there is of course the possibility of using special nasal sprays, which are either mixed with a drug that constricts blood vessels and thus reduces swelling, a sea salt solution or similar. Nasal rinsing is also suitable for short-term, prompt improvement.