Nasal congestion

Background

In about 85% of cases, nasal congestion leads to mouth breathing rather than nasal breathing. 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."{{cite web |access-date=2020-06-28

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. 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.

Causes

• Allergies, like hay fever, allergic reaction to pollen or grass
• Common cold, influenza or COVID-19
• Rhinitis medicamentosa, 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
• Narrow or collapsing nasal valve
• Pregnancy may cause women to suffer from nasal congestion due to the increased amount of blood flowing through the body.
• Nasal polyps
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (theorized to cause chronic rhinosinusitis – the "airway reflux paradigm")

Nasal obstruction

Nasal obstruction characterized by insufficient airflow through the nose can be a subjective sensation or the result of objective pathology. 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.

Prevalence of kyphosis has been linked to nasal obstruction in a study.

Treatment

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. 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.

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.

References

References

1. "Nasal congestion". A.D.A.M., Inc.
2. (2012). "Principles and Practice of Pedodontics.". Jaypee Brothers Medical Pub.
3. (October 2001). "Are infants really obligatory nasal breathers?". Clinical Pediatrics.
4. (July 2016). "Orofacial-cervical alterations in individuals with upper airway resistance syndrome". Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology.
5. (March 2011). "Orthopedic correction of growing hyperdivergent, retrognathic patients with miniscrew implants". Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
6. "Blocked Nose, Restricted Air Flow.".
7. [https://www.medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003049.htm 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.
8. (April 2011). "Relationship between gastro-oesophageal reflux and airway diseases: the airway reflux paradigm". Archivos de Bronconeumologia.
9. (June 2004). "Control of nasal obstruction in perennial allergic rhinitis". Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
10. (July 2004). "Acoustic rhinometry in nasal allergen challenge study: which dimensional measures are meaningful?". Clinical and Experimental Allergy.
11. (June 2015). "Relationships between Malocclusion, Body Posture, and Nasopharyngeal Pathology in Pre-Orthodontic Children". Medical Science Monitor.
12. Swiner, Carmelita. (2020-01-27). "'How to Treat Nasal Congestion and Sinus Pressure". WebMD.
13. Nair, Satish. (2011-04-12). "Nasal Breathing Exercise and its Effect on Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis". Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.
14. (7 November 2019). "Is Your Nose Working Against You? 5 Signs of a Deviated Septum". [[Cleveland Clinic]].