A stuffy nose with a runny nose is normal. With viral or bacterial rhinitis, breathing through the nose is greatly facilitated by 2-3 days, and after a week the congestion disappears completely. But it also happens that the nose does not breathe for more than a month, and the connection with a cold is not traced at all. Why is the nose constantly stuffed up in this case? Swelling, like mucus production, is caused by inflammation, an immune response necessary to attract immune cells.
Thus, inflammation plays a critical role in recovery. However, with some disorders, inflammation of the mucous membrane becomes chronic - it does not benefit the body, but, on the contrary, harms.
Persistent nasal congestion can be associated with edema, accumulation of thick secretions in the nose, impaired patency of the nasal passages (with curvature of the septum, the presence of cysts, etc.)
It is also possible for an inappropriate inflammatory response to develop in response to non-hazardous signals, i.e. allergies.
How to understand why the nose is constantly stuffed up? It is necessary to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms (sneezing, runny nose, etc.) - they will help shed light on the causes of congestion.
Congestion and profuse coryza
Periodically stuffy nose, sneezing, profuse discharge of liquid mucus from the nose are clear signs of rhinitis due to hypersensitivity. This rhinitis is called vasomotor rhinitis. There are 2 forms of it - allergic and actually vasomotor (neurovegetative). Consider these diseases as common causes of persistent nasal congestion.
Allergic rhinitis
Respiratory allergic reactions are caused by hypersensitization of the body to certain allergenic substances that enter the nasopharynx with inhaled air. Once on the mucous membrane, the allergen activates a number of defense mechanisms within 1-5 minutes, including abundant mucus secretion, lacrimation, and sneezing reflex. The expansion of the blood vessels in the nose causes persistent edema to form, which makes it impossible to breathe freely through the nose.
There are seasonal and year-round variants of allergic rhinitis, depending on how often the patient is exposed to the allergen. For example, an allergy to pollen bothers only in spring, while the rest of the time the patient feels great. His allergies are caused by the ubiquitous dust mites, a runny nose and constant sneezing will accompany the patient every day.
Vasomotor rhinitis
Neurovegetative vasomotor rhinitis develops as a result of a violation of the nervous and hormonal regulation of the receptor cells of the soft tissues of the nose. Risk factors for the development of vasomotor rhinitis include mucosal damage (trauma, surgery), as well as the abuse of nasal medications for congestion.
In vasomotor rhinitis, common irritants such as smoke, dry air, steam, strong odors, etc. are perceived by the body as dangerous. In an effort to get rid of the action of an undesirable factor, the mucous membrane triggers a number of reactions that cause edema, sneezing, and the release of mucous or watery secretions.
In patients with neurovegetative rhinitis, hypersensitivity to allergens is not detected - a variety of factors can cause a reaction.
The symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis are as follows:
- often stuffy nose;
- sore throat worries;
- sometimes eyes turn red and watery;
- frequent headaches and fatigue are observed.
A condition very similar to vasomotor rhinitis develops during pregnancy. It is called rhinitis of pregnant women, and its main manifestation is constant nasal congestion. Like vasomotor rhinitis, rhinitis in pregnant women is caused by a sharp change in hormonal levels.
Congestion and scanty discharge
If frequent bouts of a profuse rhinitis do not bother you, and, nevertheless, you constantly have a stuffy nose, you should consider other causes of the ailment. First of all, there may be chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane (rhinitis) - atrophic, hypertrophic, or bacterial.
Atrophic rhinitis
Atrophic rhinitis, also known as dry runny nose, is a fairly common cause of chronic nasal congestion. It usually begins to develop during puberty, with sudden hormonal shifts and frequent emotional stress. Insufficient nutrition, living in unfavorable sanitary conditions, nasal injuries - all this can also initiate a violation of the trophism of the soft tissues of the nose.
How does atrophic rhinitis manifest? It has the following symptoms:
Reducing the amount of mucous secretions in the nose. At first it is hardly noticeable, but over time, the patient begins to be bothered by a pronounced sensation of drying out of the nasal cavity and pharynx.- Accumulation on the mucous membrane of dry crusts formed from dried mucus, dying epithelial cells and dust. The nasal passages can become clogged with such crusts, resulting in irritation of the mucous membrane and repeated sneezing. If the crusts have a strong unpleasant odor, there is an ozena - a fetid rhinitis (a form of atrophic rhinitis caused by the bacterium Klebsiella).
- Violation of nasal breathing.
- Vulnerability of the mucous membrane, frequent nosebleeds with minimal exposure (for example, clearing the nose from crusts).
- Periodically, the patient blows out scanty purulent discharge.
- The sense of smell may be diminished.
Reducing the amount of mucous secretions in the nose. At first it is hardly noticeable, but over time, the patient begins to be bothered by a pronounced sensation of drying out of the nasal cavity and pharynx.Atrophic rhinitis progresses over time. In order to prevent the spread of the atrophic process to the cartilaginous and bone tissue of the nose, it is necessary to consult a doctor without delay.
Hypertrophic rhinitis
Another type of chronic rhinitis accompanied by congestion is hypertrophic rhinitis. Its peculiarity is that the patient's nose does not breathe all the time, even after instilling vasoconstrictor drops into the nasal cavity. The reason for this is the proliferation and thickening of the mucous membrane, as well as cartilaginous tissue, periosteum and nasal bones.
Other signs of the disease:
- dry mouth;
- blowing out a small amount of thick mucus (clear or purulent);
- mucus can drain into the nasopharynx;
- headache;
- sleep disturbance;
- deterioration of smell, taste;
- nasal voice;
- in some cases - frequent ear congestion, hearing loss.
The causes of hypertrophic rhinitis are not fully understood. It is known that a certain role in its pathogenesis is played by long-term infectious diseases of the nasopharynx, continuous intake of medicines for the nose, as well as nasal injuries.
Chronic catarrhal rhinitis
A prerequisite for the development of chronic catarrhal rhinitis is untreated acute rhinitis (most often - a bacterial rhinitis). At the same time, the transition of inflammation to a chronic form is a rare pathology that develops in patients with reduced immunity, as well as in those who live or work in adverse environmental conditions.
Chronically inflamed mucous membrane is constantly edematous. As a result, the nose often clogs up, especially at night. This is due to the horizontal position of the body. A characteristic sign of the disease - in the position on the side, the side of the nose that is below is clogged, but after the transition to the vertical position, the congestion gradually disappears.
In chronic rhinitis, mucus builds up in the nose, but not abundantly. Blowing your nose offers little or no relief, although the nose seems to be clogged.
Congestion without a runny nose in children
It also happens that the nose almost always does not breathe, but no secretions, crusts, etc.in the nose is not formed. In this case, there may be anatomical structures blocking the air flow. For example, among children, such a violation is very common as the proliferation of adenoids - outgrowths of the pharyngeal tonsil.
Due to the adenoids, the child begins to breathe through the mouth, which negatively affects his ability to concentrate, mental and physical activity.
It is also well known about the influence of adenoids on the formation of the facial skeleton - if the overgrown tonsils are not removed in time, the child's face will acquire a characteristic elongated shape.
If nasal congestion is observed in an adult, it is worth making sure that there are no polyps of the nasal mucosa, and also check the nasal septum for curvature. To do this, you need to visit an otolaryngologist and undergo a rhinoscopy. You can independently check whether the nostrils are symmetrical, but this does not at all guarantee the absence of curvature.
