Treatment
The treatment of nasal congestion frequently depends on the underlying cause.
Alpha-adrenergic agonists are the first treatment of choice. They relieve congestion by constricting the blood vessels in the nasal cavity, thus resulting in relieved symptoms. Examples include oxymetazoline and phenylephrine.
Both influenza and the common cold are self limiting conditions that improve with time; however, drugs such as acetaminophen (paracetamol), aspirin, and ibuprofen may help with the discomfort.
A cause of nasal congestion may also be due to an allergic reaction caused by hay fever, so avoiding allergens is a common remedy if this becomes a confirmed diagnosis. Antihistamines and decongestants can provide significant symptom relief although they do not cure hay fever. Antihistamines may be given continuously during pollen season for optimum control of symptoms. Topical decongestants should only be used by patients for a maximum of 3 days in a row, because rebound congestion may occur in the form of rhinitis medicamentosa.
Nasal decongestants target the discomfort directly. These come as nasal sprays like naphazoline (Privine), oxymetazoline (Afrin, Dristan, Duramist), or phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine, Sinex, Rhinall) or as oral pills (Bronkaid, Sudafed, Neo-Synephrine, Sinex, Rhinall). Oral decongestants may be used for up to a week without consulting a doctor, with the exception of Bronkaid and Sudafed, which can be taken as long as needed, but nasal sprays could worsen the congestion if taken for many days; therefore, you should only take nasal sprays when discomfort cannot be remedied by other methods, and never for more than three days.
If an infant is unable to breathe because of a plugged nose, a nasal aspirator may be useful to remove the mucus. The mucus might be thick and sticky, making it difficult to expel from the nostril.
If you suffer from nasal congestion for more than seven days, see your doctor.
The use of nasal irrigation may help reduce nasal congestion. It involves rinsing the nasal cavity with saline to clear out allergy-causing microscopic particles of dust and pollen that cling to the inner nasal membranes.
Read more about this topic: Nasal Congestion
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—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
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—Hippocrates (c. 460–c. 370 B.C.)