More commonly known as a “stuffy nose” or "head congestion," nasal congestion results from nasal tissues becoming swollen with excess fluid. Nasal discharge, or “runny nose,” may or may not result from nasal congestion. While nasal congestion is usually just a nuisance that doesn’t warrant a visit to the doctor, there are certain circumstances that may require treatment.
When to See Your Doctor
There are steps you can take at home to try to relieve symptoms. These include:
- For babies and small children, use a soft, rubber-bulb syringe to remove nasal secretions
- Drink plenty of water
- Try nasal saline spray or rinses
- Sniffing, swallowing, and gently blowing your nose
- Use a humidifier
- Avoid irritants such as sudden temperature changes and cigarette smoke
If you try these methods and still cannot find relief, you might need to call your doctor. Sometimes nasal congestion could be a sign of a more serious problem, and it can be dangerous for infants. If any of the following happens, you should make an appointment with your doctor:
- Your child is younger than two months old and is running a fever
- Your child’s nasal congestion is causing difficulties with breathing or problems with nursing
- You have a high fever that lasts more than three days
- You have blood in your nasal discharge
- You have persistent clear nasal discharge after suffering from a head injury
- Your symptoms last longer than ten days
- You have asthma or emphysema
- You are taking immune-suppressing medications
- Your nasal discharge is green or yellow and accompanied by sinus pain
Nasal Congestion Treatments
Once your doctor is able to determine the cause of your nasal congestion, he or she will be able to recommend a treatment plan. Common treatments include:
- Antihistamines: If your runny nose is watery discharge and accompanied by sneezing and itchy or watery eyes, your symptoms may be allergy-related. If this is the case, an oral antihistamine may help to relieve your symptoms. Some common antihistamines include loratadine (Claritin), cetirizine (Zyrtec), and diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
- Nasal sprays: There are also antihistamine nasal sprays, such as azelastine (Astelin). Nasal steroids might also be beneficial, with medications such as mometasone (Asmanex Twisthaler) or fluticasone (Flovent).
- Antibiotics: If you have a bacterial infection, such as sinusitis, you may need antibiotics to treat the infection. Though most cases of nasal congestion are due to viruses, if the symptoms last for more than ten days it is likely the result of a bacterial infection.
- Decongestants: There are both over-the-counter and prescription strength decongestants. One of the most commonly used is pseudophedrine (Sudafed).
If your nasal congestion is due to nasal polyps or tumors in your sinuses or nasal passages, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the polyps or tumors and allow mucus to drain out easier, which will improve your symptoms.
Though symptoms of nasal congestion usually clear up as soon as treatment begins, there are some potential complications that could arise from nasal congestion. This is especially true for infants and small children who are having trouble breathing from nasal congestion.
