Living with a nose that is always stuffy and blocked is a pain. Ask those who suffer from such nasal congestion how it is to live with it all the time. It not only affects the breathing, but many other daily activities too. When you can’t breathe right, you start feeling uncomfortable and giddy, you may also start having a headache, you may not be able to focus on the tasks you are doing. All in all, a stuffy nose, or nasal congestion as is medically called, leads to a lot of discomfort. If you are an individual attacked by this symptom, you may be wondering about why you have it all the time, and how you can get rid of it. So, here we are to help you understand all the what, why, and how of nasal congestion.
- What is nasal congestion?
- Why is nasal congestion caused?
- How to treat nasal congestion?
What is nasal congestion?
As we mentioned above, nasal congestion is when the nose is stuffed and blocked, leading to discomfort in breathing. The nasal passages are blocked due to the membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflamed blood vessels. This may then interfere with breathing pathways, hearing, sleep, mild facial and head pain, insufficient oxygen levels, and at the worst, right-sided heart failure!
Why is nasal congestion caused?
So, what causes the nasal passages from being blocked? Or rather, what causes inflammation of the blood vessels? The reasons that may cause nasal congestion include cold, sinus, allergies, and flu. All these ailments irritate the lining, and the nasal and adjacent tissues and blood vessels get swollen with the excessive fluid secretion.
How to treat nasal congestion?
- When the nasal congestion is just initial or temporary, it can be treated with nasal decongestants like nasal sprays, inhalers, or oral pills.
- Other treatments may include home remedies like spices containing medicinal benefits, which include cloves, pepper, and ginger.
- You may also keep the nasal passage moist with hot water and balm, which will release the congestion and allow you to breathe better.
- You must also drink lots of fluids as they will help in thinning the mucus while preventing blocked sinuses.
- Completely avoid intake of alcohol and tobacco, and any other elements that may trigger your allergy like smoke or dust.
The above remedies may generally help to treat nasal congestion, but if the condition is severe, you may need professional medical help. It your nasal congestion stays for more than 5-7 days even after all the above remedies, it is time that you need medical help. This is when you need to visit a doctor. Also, if along with the congestion, you experience fever and body pain, or if the nasal discharge is yellow or green in colour, you need to visit a doctor. Any observance of blood or blood clots in the nasal discharge also calls for medical help. An ENT doctor should be the best person you need to see. After all, an ENT specialist can treat all problems specific to the ear, nose, and throat. However, if the reason behind your nasal congestion is a dangerous one, like tumours, you will need a quick appointment and treatment from an ENT surgeon in Kota! Maitri Hospital is the best place you can get one. The ENT surgeon here is specialized to treat all kinds of ENT problems like sinus repair, common cold, thyroid gland, ear wax, and tonsils.
