Nasal congestion
| Nasal congestion | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Nasal blockage, nasal obstruction, blocked nose, stuffy nose, plugged nose |
 | |
| Medical products for the diminution of nasal congestion | |
| Specialty | Otorhinolaryngology |
Nasal congestion is the partial or complete blockage of nasal passages, leading to impaired nasal breathing, usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflammation of blood vessels.[1]
Background
[edit]In about 85% of cases, nasal congestion leads to mouth breathing rather than nasal breathing.[2] According to Jason Turowski, MD of the Cleveland 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, cause snoring, and can be associated with sleep apnea or upper airway resistance syndrome.[5] In children, nasal congestion from enlarged adenoids has caused chronic sleep apnea with insufficient oxygen levels and hypoxia. The problem usually resolves after surgery to remove the adenoids and tonsils; however, the problem often relapses later in life due to craniofacial alterations from chronic nasal congestion.[6]
Causes
[edit]- Allergies,[7] like hay fever,[7] allergic reaction to pollen or grass
- Common cold,[7] influenza or COVID-19
- Rhinitis medicamentosa,[7] a condition of rebound nasal congestion brought on by extended use of topical decongestants (e.g., oxymetazoline, phenylephrine, xylometazoline, and naphazoline nasal sprays)
- Sinusitis or 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
[edit]Nasal 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 of kyphosis has been linked to nasal obstruction in a study.[12]
Treatment
[edit]According to WebMD, congestion can be addressed through the use of a humidifier, warm showers, drinking fluids, using a neti pot, using a nasal saline spray, and sleeping with one's head elevated. It also recommends several 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]
The Cleveland Clinic also states that congestion may be a sign of a deviated septum, a condition that needs to be addressed by a doctor.[15]
See also
[edit]References
[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. ISBN 9789350258910.
- ^ Turowski, Jason (2016-04-29). "Should You Breathe Through Your Mouth or Your Nose?". Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^ Bergeson PS, Shaw JC (October 2001). "Are infants really obligatory nasal breathers?". Clinical Pediatrics. 40 (10): 567–9. doi:10.1177/000992280104001006. PMID 11681824. S2CID 44715721.
- ^ 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. PMC 9448996. PMID 26671020.
- ^ 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. PMC 3046301. PMID 21236539.
- ^ a b c d e f g Nasal congestion at 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 from the original on 2016-08-26. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
- ^ 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. PMID 21459504.
- ^ 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. PMID 15126936. S2CID 20608574.
- ^ 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. PMID 15248855. S2CID 28523614.
- ^ 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. PMC 4484615. PMID 26086193.
- ^ Swiner, Carmelita (2020-01-27). "'How to Treat Nasal Congestion and Sinus Pressure". WebMD. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
- ^ 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. PMC 3392338. PMID 23730580.
- ^ "Is Your Nose Working Against You? 5 Signs of a Deviated Septum". Cleveland Clinic. 7 November 2019. Retrieved 2020-06-28.
Further reading
[edit]- Nestor, James (2020). Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. Riverhead Books. ISBN 978-0735213616.