Nasal congestion

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Nasal congestion
Classification and external resources
Specialty Otorhinolaryngology
ICD-9-CM 478.19
MedlinePlus 003049
MeSH D015508

This article concerns nasal congestion as a symptom. For the natural partial congestion of the nose, see nasal cycle.

Medical products for diminution of nasal congestion

Nasal congestion is the blockage of the nasal passages usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflamed blood vessels.[1] It is also known as nasal blockage, nasal obstruction, blocked nose, stuffy nose, or plugged nose.

Nasal decongestants target the discomfort directly. These come as nasal sprays, inhalers, and as oral pills.

Nasal congestion has many causes and can range from a mild annoyance to a life-threatening condition. The newborn infant prefers to breathe through the nose (historically referred to as "obligate nasal breathers").[2] Nasal congestion in an infant in the first few months of life can interfere with breastfeeding and cause life-threatening respiratory distress; in older children and adolescents it is often just an annoyance but can cause other difficulties.




Nasal obstruction[edit]

Nasal obstruction characterized by insufficient airflow through the nose can be a subjective sensation or the result of objective pathology.[7] 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.[8] Often a doctor's assessment of a perfectly patent nasal airway might differ with a patient's complaint of an obstructed nose.


The treatment of nasal congestion frequently depends on the underlying cause.

Alpha-adrenergic agonists are the first treatment of choice. They relieve congestion by constricting the blood vessels in the nasal cavity, thus resulting in relieved symptoms. Examples include oxymetazoline and phenylephrine.

Both influenza and the common cold are self-limiting conditions that improve with time; however, drugs such as acetaminophen (paracetamol), aspirin, and ibuprofen may help with the discomfort.

A cause of nasal congestion may also be due to an allergic reaction caused by hay fever, so avoiding allergens is a common remedy if this becomes a confirmed diagnosis. Antihistamines and decongestants can provide significant symptom relief although they do not cure hay fever. Antihistamines may be given continuously during pollen season for optimum control of symptoms. Topical decongestants should only be used by patients for a maximum of 3 days in a row, because rebound congestion may occur in the form of rhinitis medicamentosa.

Nasal decongestants target the discomfort directly. These come as nasal sprays like naphazoline (Privine), oxymetazoline (Afrin, Dristan, Duramist), as inhalers, or phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine, Sinex, Rhinall) or as oral pills (Bronkaid, Sudafed, Neo-Synephrine, Sinex, Rhinall). Oral decongestants may be used for up to a week without consulting a doctor, with the exception of Bronkaid and Sudafed, which can be taken as long as needed, but nasal sprays can also cause "rebound" (Rhinitis medicamentosa) and worsen the congestion if taken for more than a few days. Therefore, you should only take nasal sprays when discomfort cannot be remedied by other methods, and never for more than three days.[9]

If an infant is unable to breathe because of a plugged nose, a nasal aspirator may be useful to remove the mucus. The mucus might be thick and sticky, making it difficult to expel from the nostril.

See also[edit]


  2. ^ Bergeson, PS; Shaw, JC (October 2001). "Are infants really obligatory nasal breathers?". Clinical pediatrics. 40 (10): 567–9. doi:10.1177/000992280104001006. PMID 11681824. 
  3. ^ Buschang, PH, JC (Mar 2011). "Orthopedic Correction of Growing Hyperdivergent, Retrognathic, Patients with Miniscrew Implants". J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 
  5. ^ "Blocked Nose, Restricted Air Flow.". Aerin Medical. Retrieved 2016-07-12. 
  6. ^ Pacheco-Galván, A; Hart, SP; Morice, AH (Apr 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. 
  7. ^ Wang DY, Raza MT, Gordon BR. Control of nasal obstruction in perennial allergic rhinitis. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2004 Jun;4(3):165-170.
  8. ^ Wang DY, Raza MT, Goh YT, Lee BW, Chan YH. Acoustic rhinometry in nasal allergen challenge study: which dimensional measures are meaningful? Clin Exp Allergy 2004;34:1093-1098
  9. ^ Help for Sinus Pain and Pressure WebMd