More commonly known as a “stuffy nose” or "head congestion," nasal congestion occurs when nasal and other surrounding tissues become swollen with excess fluid. This creates a “stuffy” feeling and may or may not be accompanied by nasal discharge.
Head congestion can be caused by anything that inflames or irritates the nasal tissues. Some of the potential causes include:
- Infections: Common viral and bacterial infections such as the cold or the flu frequently lead to nasal congestion, since excess amounts of mucus are being produced when your body is trying to fight off an infection.
- Allergies: Any kind of allergy can cause nasal congestion when you are exposed to the allergen. Some common allergies that can lead to nasal congestion include dust mite allergy, food allergies, latex allergy, milk allergy, mold allergy, wheat allergy, and pet allergy.
- Irritants: Some things in your environment may cause nasal congestion when you around them. These may include tobacco smoke, perfume, and spicy foods.
- Vasomotor rhinitis (VMR): Some people have chronic nasal congestion, which seems to occur for no apparent reason. This is a condition called vasomotor rhinitis or nonallergic rhinitis.
- Pregnancy: Being pregnant can cause nasal congestion and runny nose, especially during the third trimester. This is due to the severe hormonal changes going on in your body during pregnancy.
- Sinusitis: Acute sinusitis causes the cavities around your nasal passages to become inflamed and swollen. This interferes with drainage and causes mucus to build up in your nasal cavity. Along with nasal congestion, you may experience swelling around your eyes and face and throbbing facial pain or a headache. Chronic sinusitis is when this occurs, but it lasts for at least eight weeks and will not go away despite several different treatment attempts.
- Churg-Strauss syndrome: This is a disorder that is marked by blood vessel inflammation, which can restrict the blood flow to vital organs and tissues, sometimes causing permanent damage. There is a wide range of symptoms for this disorder, but nasal congestion could potentially be a symptom.
- Drug addiction: When someone is using illegal substances such as cocaine, especially if they are snorting them, nasal congestion and runny nose are usually a sign of their addiction.
- Nasal polyps: Nasal polyps are soft and painless noncancerous growths that appear along the lining of your sinuses and nasal cavity. They are usually the result of chronic inflammation due to a condition such as asthma, recurring infections, drug sensitivity, immune disorders, or allergies. Though nasal polyps will generally not cause any serious complications, they could restrict your breathing and cause nasal congestion.
- Medications: Certain over the counter or prescription medications may have nasal congestion as a side effect.
- Cluster headaches: This type of headache occurs in a cyclical pattern or clusters, which is how the condition gets its name. This type of headache is one of the most painful types of headaches and usually causes intense pain in our around one eye or on the side of your head. One of the symptoms of cluster headaches is stuffy or runny nose in the nostril that is on the affected side of your face.
