Causes of Nasal Congestion and When You Need to Seek Professional Help

Anything that irritates and inflames the nasal tissues can cause nasal congestion (a stuffy nose). Allergies and infections like colds, flu, or sinusitis are the most common culprits. If the congestion is illness-related, it should improve within a week. However, if it lasts longer than that, it is likely a symptom of some underlying health issue, and you should seek professional help.

Examples of underlying health issues include hay fever, nasal polyps, allergies, environmental or chemical irritants, chronic sinusitis (a long-lasting sinus infection) and a deviated septum. Also, women in their first trimester of pregnancy may experience nasal congestion due to hormonal fluctuations that increase blood supply, which inflames the nasal membranes or even causes them to become dry and bleed.

Nasal Congestion Symptoms and Hazards

Nasal congestion symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose (or both), mucus buildup, swollen nasal tissue, and sinus pain. Home remedies might not be enough to relieve the congestion symptoms, leaving you in pain that interferes with your daily activities. Furthermore, some conditions are dangerous if left untreated.

For example, recurring chronic sinusitis can damage the lining of the sinuses. If you begin to experience tension headaches or pressure or pain in your face that do not respond to painkillers, it may be due to damaged sinuses. At this point, especially, you must seek professional care to avoid further damage.

Finding the Root Cause

There is a root cause when sinuses become congested, with the reason varying depending on the condition. Hence, you may need professional help for a diagnosis to gain adequate relief. Unfortunately, many medications do not work against several common recurring sinus problems because they must fit their purpose. In addition, even when medicine does provide some relief, it may not be addressing all the contributing health issues responsible for your congestion.

Fortunately, City Sinus Care can provide you with an individualized treatment plan that addresses your sinus congestion issue(s) specifically. Without knowing so, you may have multiple conditions affecting your health and, therefore, need to have a combination of treatments performed to address your symptoms. Visit Dr. Greg Levitin and allow him to determine what is causing your nasal problems so that you can finally breathe easy again!