9:14 AM
Having a stuffy nose is not fun at all!
In the early stages nasal congestion is temporary and
reversible, and will improve if the primary cause is corrected. You must however first determine what the
primary cause is. That being said, if
the condition remains unattended for a long enough period of time, the blood
vessels may lose their capacity to constrict and you can cause major irritation
and even damage.
The blood vessels fill up when the patient in question lies
down and when he/she lies on one side, the lower side becomes congested. The reason the lower side gets
congested is
that the fluid in the sinus cavity start to fill up. The congestion often interferes with
sleep. With that being said, it is
useful for stuffy patients to sleep with the head of the bed elevated two to
four inches above their torso. If things
become very progressed surgery may offer dramatic and long time relief.
Nasal Congestion Relief
Anatomy of Nasal Passages
Many over-the-counter medicines can be used to relieve nasal
congestion:
Antihistamines
reduce the amount of mucus, but should be used with care as drowsiness is a
side-effect.
Decongestants
shrink the blood vessels in the nasal lining, but these medications will only
relieve the feeling of stuffiness, not a runny nose or any other symptoms. It
is important to only use decongestants for a period of three days because they
can worsen the congestion over a longer period of time.
There are also some relief home treatments as well such as:
Inhale steam from
the show or a humidifier
Drink plenty of
liquids, such as water, juice or tea, to help thin mucus. Avoid drinks
containing caffeine which can cause dehydration and aggravate your symptoms.
Chicken soup speeds
the movement of mucus through the nasal passages, which helps to relieve the
congestion and limits the amount of time viruses are in contact with the nasal
lining.
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