Getting a stuffy nose is not the kind of thing that interrupts your routine, requiring you to rush to the hospital. But the discomfort of not being able to breathe properly has great potential to disrupt entire nights of sleep. And days too. Despite not having serious consequences, the stuffy nose leaves the mouth dry, causing that discomfort that compromises the good performance in any activity.
According to Dr. Pedro Luiz Mangabeira Albernaz, otorhinolaryngologist at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, the nose is stuffy due to edema (swelling due to excess blood) in the nasal mucosa.
And the causes can be many, explains Dr. Albernaz. Because the nasal mucosa is intended to warm and humidify the air we breathe, it is highly vascularized and various circumstances can disrupt the proper functioning of this system. Such as infections, allergies, sudden changes in temperature and use of medicines for hypertension.
There may also be some mechanical problems, such as deviated nasal septum and nasal concha hypertrophy. "In children, pharyngeal tonsil hypertrophy, commonly known as adenoid, is very common." And to end this problem once and for all, Dr. Albernaz has some golden tips, check out below.
1. Humidify your environments
Hot, humid air can help open the nose cavities, making air pass more easily. A hot bath, for example, may be a good idea. As well as the use of humidifying appliances. If you have one of these nearby, be sure to do regular cleaning as directed by the manufacturer. Breathing clean air is as important as breathing moist air.
2. Wash the nose
Rinsing the nose with distilled water may relieve discomfort for a moment. Just be careful not to use tap water as it may contain some bacteria that may end up developing even more annoying infections than a stuffy nose.
3. Use nasal vasoconstrictors
There are several types of nasal vasoconstrictors in pharmacies. They relieve discomfort by unclogging the nose for some time. But care must be taken when using them because of the rebound effect.
According to Dr. Albernaz, when the effect wears off, the nose ends up clogging even more. "These drugs can be used during a flu, but for a maximum of one week," he warns. If used longer than this, they can end up causing what is called "rhinitis medicament", and the nose gets worse and worse.
Still according to the expert, addiction to a nasal vasoconstrictor has serious side effects, such as increased blood pressure and increased pulse and insomnia.
4. Identify the causes
"The best way to deal with the problem is to identify and treat the causes," advises the otolaryngologist. What pulls the next tip:
5. Find a doctor
If you have tried using a nasal vasoconstrictor for a week and the medicine has not yet had the expected effect, it may be time to seek an otolaryngologist. He will be able to identify the cause or causes of your case and indicate the most appropriate treatment.
If a stuffy nose is a frequent condition, most certainly a doctor should be consulted.
How To Clear A Stuffy Nose Instantly (April 2024)
- Prevention and Treatment
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