Anyone who has a stuffy nose and thus obstructed nasal breathing does not necessarily have a cold. The cause may also lie elsewhere – for example, in a malformation of the nasal septum, polyps or an allergy, as a result of which the nose swells shut.
What is a stuffy nose?
Prolonged obstructed nasal breathing can result in numerous health consequences. What is clear, however, is that a stuffy nose, in turn, can become the cause of disease. A long-lasting obstructed nasal breathing can have numerous consequences for health. Thus, a blocked nose is a nose that allows little or no normal nasal breathing. Obstructed nasal breathing can result from a variety of causes. The blocked nose makes you breathe through the mouth as a substitute. This makes the organism more susceptible to infections. Therefore, obstructed nasal breathing is usually treated in acute cases. Anyone who has a stuffy nose and obstructed nasal breathing for more than 14 days should see an ENT specialist.
Causes
Numerous causes can result in a stuffy nose and obstructed nasal breathing. The simplest is a cold. Due to various circumstances, this can lead to sinusitis and bronchitis. One can additionally have middle ear discomfort. A stuffy nose can also occur together with laryngitis. If there is a general susceptibility to infections, the stuffy nose can become a permanent condition. It can lead to snoring with or without breathing pauses or affect the sense of smell and taste. As a result, it can gradually lead to high blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation. Obstructed nasal breathing may lead to a lack of oxygen to the brain. A blocked nose can also occur with polyps. Headaches, impaired memory or impotence may result. Crooked nasal septums, allergies or poorly healed nasal bone fractures can result in obstructed nasal breathing. Rarely, enlarged adenoids and tumors in the nasal region also cause a blocked nose. In young children, obstructed nasal breathing and nasal congestion may be due to objects accidentally inhaled or placed in the nostril.
Diseases with this symptom
- Nasal polyps
- Allergy
- Nasal septum curvature
- Sinusitis
- Bronchitis
- Hay fever
- Otitis media
- Laryngitis
- Wegener’s disease
Diagnosis and course
In order to obtain a diagnosis for obstructed nasal breathing and nasal congestion in the case of a disorder not due to a cold, it is necessary to visit an ENT specialist. He or she will use specific instruments to examine the inside of the nose and can then outline a likely course of the condition. The blocked nose is usually clearly due to a cause that can be treated with medication or surgery. It is important that the obstructed nasal breathing be corrected in the long term. The diagnosis for the blocked nose determines the therapy. Obstructed nasal breathing can usually be resolved quickly during the course of treatment. If the stuffy nose is due to chronic rhinitis or allergies, it is possible to relieve the symptoms at least temporarily.
Complications
A stuffy nose is caused by various causes, which can lead to different complications. Often, this occurs in the context of a cold or a cold. Due to the swelling of the nasal mucosa, the passages to the paranasal sinuses are also partially completely blocked. This allows the pathogen to spread unhindered in these and can infect them, a sinusitis can be the result. Furthermore, the pathogen can also spread towards the middle ear and cause an inflammation there (otitis media). Sinusitis in itself also causes a blocked nose. If left untreated, the disease can return again and again and take a chronic course. In some cases, the disease can spread through the throat into the respiratory tract, causing bronchitis or laryngitis. Inflammation of the frontal sinus can break through the bone and thus spread to the eye.Impaired vision and eye movement are possible, which can even lead to blindness. In addition, the disease can also spread to the brain and meninges, causing inflammation (encephalitis or meningitis). The affected person usually suffers from neck stiffness and migraine. In addition, paralysis and epileptic seizures can be triggered. If pus forms, an abscess can form in the brain and worsen the symptoms.
When should you see a doctor?
With a stuffy nose, of course, it is not necessary to see a doctor immediately. As a rule, a significant improvement already occurs after three to four days. However, a stuffy nose can very quickly develop into a flu-like infection, which may require medication. A blocked nose is caused by bacteria and viruses that settle in the mucous membranes of the nose. In some circumstances, these pathogens can spread throughout the body, resulting in other accompanying symptoms. These include an increased temperature, dizziness, nausea or even vomiting. As soon as the first signs of these accompanying symptoms appear, a doctor should be consulted as soon as possible. Appropriate medication can effectively alleviate the individual symptoms. However, anyone who forgoes treatment by a doctor at this point is taking a risk. It is highly likely that the individual symptoms will worsen considerably, resulting in a serious flu illness. Therefore: A blocked nose is definitely not a clinical picture that must be treated by a doctor. However, if there is no significant improvement after a few days, then a drug treatment is advisable.
Treatment and therapy
Often, treatment of a stuffy nose consists of the use of nasal sprays. Most nasal sprays are harmful if used continuously, and some are addictive. A better way to treat the stuffy nose is with seawater sprays, salt water inhalations, or homeopathic nasal sprays. If the obstructed nasal breathing is due to an allergy, the stuffy nose can be relieved with antihistamines or cortisone. Laser therapy can be used to treat a stuffy nose that is due to enlarged turbinates. Septoplasty or sinus surgery also resolves a stuffy nose. Obstructed nasal breathing can also be cured by sinuplasty nowadays. Pharyngeal tonsils, infantile adenoids and adult nasal polyps must be removed if they result in obstructed nasal breathing. Acute nasal congestion should always be distinguished from chronic obstructed nasal breathing.
Outlook and prognosis
A blocked nose usually masks an infection that should usually be cured within a week. Accompanying a stuffy nose in many cases are other cold symptoms, such as fever, chills, dry cough and a general feeling of malaise. Anyone who completely forgoes treatment must expect a considerable worsening of the individual symptoms. Breathing through the nose will be immensely restricted. The entire healing process may turn out to be very lengthy and difficult without appropriate treatment. However, those who initiate countermeasures at the first signs of a blocked nose can achieve a quick and effective improvement with the right medication. Those who resort to taking a nasal spray should be careful when doing so. Under certain circumstances, a medical nasal spray can dry out the nasal mucous membranes immensely, so that the skin becomes very irritated. Thus, such a spray can delay full recovery in some cases. Alternatively, a purely herbal nasal spray can be used in this context. Especially nasal sprays that are mixed with sea salt also provide for an early improvement. Thus, a stuffy nose should have subsided within three to four days.
Prevention
As preventive measures against a stuffy nose caused by colds, one can train the immune system by hardening it. One should always keep the nose warm and moist, because it can then fend off cold viruses more easily. Impeded nasal breathing due to other circumstances can hardly be prevented – except by not dragging out a cold. Acute sinusitis is painful and can be prevented in advance.However, if the stuffy nose is due to chronic sinusitis, the obstructed nasal breathing must be treated by a physician.
What you can do yourself
A stuffy nose is usually harmless and should disappear on its own after a few days. If the symptoms persist over a longer period of time, a doctor should be consulted. Accompanying this, the nasal cavity can be cleared of mucus and bacterial pathogens with some home remedies. First of all, it is recommended to drink enough and to humidify the air in the room, because the mucous membranes need moisture to remove deposits and pathogens. Nasal rinses and sprays are an easy way to flush out the nasal cavity without overstimulating the sensitive mucous membranes. Alternatively, the nose can also be cleansed with essential oils or medicinal herbs from nature. Appropriate preparations with eucalyptus or lavender can be inhaled or applied to the chest in the form of an ointment or lotion. A remedy from the kitchen is a raw onion, the juice of which can also be easily inhaled. Other home remedies for a stuffy nose include horseradish poultices, Manuka honey and a mustard flour foot bath. In addition, measures such as bed rest, an elevated sleeping position and the consumption of herbal teas and hot meals apply. Chronic constipation can sometimes be relieved by acupuncture or acupressure.
