What Are the Most Common Causes of Severe Nasal Congestion?

Nasal congestion is one of the common symptoms. The most common causes include rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal polyps, deviated nasal septum, nasal sinuses, and adenoid hypertrophy. In theory, nasal congestion can be solved by different treatment methods.

Basic Information

English name: nasal obstruction
Visiting department: Otorhinolaryngology
Common locations: nose

Common causes: Rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal polyps, nasal septum deviation, nasal sinus tumors, adenoid hypertrophy
Contagious: no

Causes of nasal congestion

The most common causes include rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis.

Clinical manifestations of nasal congestion

Different causes can cause different clinical manifestations, such as:

Acute rhinitis

The nasal congestion of acute rhinitis develops quickly, usually reaching an orgasm within a few days, and can resolve on its own in about a week, with systemic symptoms such as fever and dizziness.

2. Chronic simple rhinitis

Mostly paroxysmal or alternating, day and night light, often affected by the receptor position, nose congestion is heavier when lying. Nasal congestion and nasal congestion can be improved for a long time after administering nasal net and ephedrine solution.

3. Chronic hypertrophic rhinitis

Most of them are persistent nasal congestion, which is not sensitive to ephedrine and nasal drops, or the nasal congestion improves only a few minutes after use, and then it quickly appears. Hypertrophic rhinitis may be considered surgical treatment if necessary, or using microwave, laser, etc. to reduce the turbinate.

4. Drug-induced rhinitis

For general rhinitis, it is often caused by ephedrine, which is manifested as insensitivity to nasal drops or a shorter duration of improvement of nasal congestion. Stop using these drugs as soon as possible.

5. Allergic rhinitis

It is often accompanied by sneezing, running water, and itchy nose, which can occur all year round or seasonally. Patients with allergic rhinitis can be accompanied by asthma, especially in children.

6. Atrophic rhinitis

May be accompanied by dry nasal mucous membranes, bloody nasal discharge, and more crusts.

7. Chronic sinusitis

Nasal congestion can cause nasal discharge, yellow purulent snot, which can be accompanied by headache, dizziness, memory loss, etc., and can occur after a cold for a long time. Sinusitis can coexist with nasal polyps.

8. Nasal polyps

Nasal congestion is usually a progressive aggravation, which can be unilateral or bilateral. There may be symptoms of allergic rhinitis.

9. Sinus Cyst

The nasal congestion caused by sinus cysts is mostly progressive, and the symptoms of yellow watery discharge in the nasal cavity can appear. Dizziness can also occur.

10. Sinus tumor

Sinus tumors caused by nasal congestion are mostly progressive, unilateral or bilateral, and other complications can occur, such as simultaneous nosebleeds, and the possibility of malignant tumors, such as ear muffs, neck mass, and blood in the posterior nasal discharge. Also pay attention to the possibility of nasopharyngeal cancer, but it can only be determined after a hospital examination.

11. Nasal Septum Deviation

The nasal congestion caused is mostly unilateral or bilateral, which is more common in young people. Mostly manifested as persistent nasal congestion, which may have symptoms of sinusitis, and can also be accompanied by other rhinitis such as allergic rhinitis.

12. Congenital nasal congestion

Congenital nasal congestion considers nostril closure.

13. Other

In some patients, nasal congestion may be caused by nasal valve stenosis and nasal collapse; children with open mouth breathing and sleep snoring may be adenoidal hypertrophy. Unilateral nasal congestion or purulent snot should be checked for foreign bodies in the nasal cavity.