Nasal congestionis the partial or complete blockage ofnasal passages,leading to impairednasal breathing,usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen frominflammationof blood vessels.[1]
| Nasal congestion | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Nasal blockage, nasal obstruction, blocked nose, stuffy nose, plugged nose |
 | |
| Medical products for diminution of nasal congestion | |
| Specialty | Otorhinolaryngology |
Background
editIn about 85% of cases, nasal congestion leads tomouth breathingrather 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 apneaorupper airway resistance syndrome.[5]In children, nasal congestion from enlargedadenoidshas caused chronic sleep apnea with insufficientoxygenlevels andhypoxia.The problem usually resolves after surgery to remove theadenoidsandtonsils,however the problem often relapses later in life due to craniofacial alterations from chronic nasal congestion.[6]
Causes
edit- Allergies,[7]likehay fever,[7]allergic reaction to pollen or grass
- Common cold,[7]influenzaorCOVID-19
- Rhinitis medicamentosa,[7]a condition ofreboundnasal congestion brought on by extended use oftopical decongestants(e.g.,oxymetazoline,phenylephrine,xylometazoline,andnaphazolinenasal sprays)
- Sinusitisor 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]
Nasal obstruction
editNasal 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 ofkyphosishas been linked to nasal obstruction in a study.[12]
Treatment
editAccording 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 an odd recommendation, crying may also be helpful.[14]
TheCleveland Clinicalso states that congestion may be a sign of adeviated septum,a condition that needs to be addressed by a doctor.[15]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Nasal congestion".MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.A.D.A.M., Inc.
- ^Rao A, ed. (2012).Principles and Practice of Pedodontics(3rd ed.). New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Pub. pp. 169, 170.ISBN9789350258910.
- ^Turowski, Jason (2016-04-29)."Should You Breathe Through Your Mouth or Your Nose?".Cleveland Clinic.Retrieved2020-06-28.
- ^Bergeson PS, Shaw JC (October 2001). "Are infants really obligatory nasal breathers?".Clinical Pediatrics.40(10):567–9.doi:10.1177/000992280104001006.PMID11681824.S2CID44715721.
- ^de Oliveira, Pedro Wey Barbosa; Gregorio, Luciano Lobato; Silva, Rogério Santos; Bittencourt, Lia Rita Azevedo; Tufik, Sergio; Gregório, Luis Carlos (July 2016)."Orofacial-cervical alterations in individuals with upper airway resistance syndrome".Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology.82(4):377–384.doi:10.1016/j.bjorl.2015.05.015.PMC9448996.PMID26671020.
- ^Buschang PH, Carrillo R, Rossouw PE (March 2011)."Orthopedic correction of growing hyperdivergent, retrognathic patients with miniscrew implants".Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.69(3):754–62.doi:10.1016/j.joms.2010.11.013.PMC3046301.PMID21236539.
- ^abcdefgNasal congestionat MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Update Date: 8/2/2011. Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro. Also reviewed by David Zieve.
- ^"Blocked Nose, Restricted Air Flow".Aerin Medical.Archived fromthe originalon 2016-08-26.Retrieved2016-07-12.
- ^Pacheco-Galván A, Hart SP, Morice AH (April 2011). "Relationship between gastro-oesophageal reflux and airway diseases: the airway reflux paradigm".Archivos de Bronconeumologia.47(4):195–203.doi:10.1016/j.arbres.2011.02.001.PMID21459504.
- ^Wang DY, Raza MT, Gordon BR (June 2004). "Control of nasal obstruction in perennial allergic rhinitis".Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology.4(3):165–70.doi:10.1097/00130832-200406000-00005.PMID15126936.S2CID20608574.
- ^Wang DY, Raza MT, Goh DY, Lee BW, Chan YH (July 2004). "Acoustic rhinometry in nasal allergen challenge study: which dimensional measures are meaningful?".Clinical and Experimental Allergy.34(7):1093–8.doi:10.1111/j.1365-2222.2004.01988.x.PMID15248855.S2CID28523614.
- ^Šidlauskienė M, Smailienė D, Lopatienė K, Čekanauskas E, Pribuišienė R, Šidlauskas M (June 2015)."Relationships between Malocclusion, Body Posture, and Nasopharyngeal Pathology in Pre-Orthodontic Children".Medical Science Monitor.21:1765–73.doi:10.12659/MSM.893395.PMC4484615.PMID26086193.
- ^Swiner, Carmelita (2020-01-27)."'How to Treat Nasal Congestion and Sinus Pressure ".WebMD.Retrieved2020-06-28.
- ^Nair, Satish (2011-04-12)."Nasal Breathing Exercise and its Effect on Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis".Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery.64(2). Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg:172–176.doi:10.1007/s12070-011-0243-5.PMC3392338.PMID23730580.
- ^"Is Your Nose Working Against You? 5 Signs of a Deviated Septum".Cleveland Clinic.7 November 2019.Retrieved2020-06-28.
Further reading
edit- Nestor, James (2020).Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.Riverhead Books.ISBN978-0735213616.