Nasal congestion is a common condition characterized by the blockage or obstruction of the nasal passages due to various factors. The nose plays a vital role in the respiratory system, filtering, warming, and moistening the air we breathe before it reaches the lungs.
Despite being perceived as a minor inconvenience, nasal congestion can severely impact one’s quality of life, making breathing, sleeping, or daily activities difficult. It can also lead to complications such as sinus infections, ear infections, and sleep apnea.
If you are experiencing nasal congestion, Cayra Clinic offers various treatments to alleviate your symptoms and improve your breathing. Contact us to schedule a consultation with our experienced medical professionals.
What Causes Nasal Congestion?
The nose becomes blocked by upper respiratory tract infections, chronic smoking, lousy weather conditions, or short-term allergies. In these cases, the solution is straightforward, involving sprays, allergy medications, salty bicarbonate water, and swimming in the sea.
Long-term nasal congestion is usually caused by the middle pole of curvature (deviation), adenoid enlargement, and nasal polyps(which may be due to allergies or sinusitis). Chronic sinusitis, or a long-term allergic cold (Rhinitis), can also be another cause of chronic nasal congestion. These issues are usually problems that can be solved with simple, short operations.
What Are the Symptoms of Nasal Congestion?
A person who cannot breathe through the nose uses his mouth to exchange breaths. Snoring is observed at night, accompanied by sleeping with the mouth open. Poor-quality sleep is standard, as is constant fatigue and weakness.
Dry mouth and throat infections due to air that cannot be filtered through the nose are some symptoms that can be experienced. Nasal congestion is often accompanied by dryness, itching, and sneezing.
When Does Nasal Congestion Threaten My Health?
Nasal congestion that persists for many years increases heart and lung problems. The nose is so essential for the health of all our organs because it is the organ that delivers oxygen, the primary substance for our cells to live, to our body in a healthy way. Nasal congestion that cannot be treated for a long time threatens our health. We have to solve this problem both with medication and surgically.
Nasal Congestion in Infants and Children
Babies and children prefer nasal breathing. If a problem develops in the nose, such as a blocked nose, they are forced to breathe through the mouth, and respiratory muscles activated by mouth breathing can cause posture disorders in infants.
Some babies may not know how to breathe through the mouth, they may not be able to, and this might cause severe breathing difficulties. In such a situation, it is essential to contact your doctor urgently.
The most common cause of nasal obstruction in infants and children is an abnormality of nasal flesh or nose development. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to eliminate the problem.
What are the Symptoms of Nasal Congestion in Children?
Infants and young children are not yet old enough to express the symptoms of various conditions. Therefore, parents can have an idea about whether nasal congestion is present in their children by following multiple symptoms:
- Lack of Appetite
- Anxiety
- Cough with phlegm
- Difficulty breathing
- Frequent waking up from sleep
- Difficulty falling asleep
What are the Biggest Complaints of Nasal Congestion?
Common symptoms include nasal congestion, the inability to breathe through the nose, headaches, snoring, and waking up exhausted in the morning. As a result, the main complaints are decreased work performance during the day and chronic fatigue.
What Health Problems Can Nasal Congestion Cause?
Because of the constant mouth breathing, frequent recurrent throat infections and chronic pharyngitis may develop.
- Snoring and sleep disorders develop.
- As a result of stopping breathing during sleep, blood pressure and heart rhythm disorders may develop.
- Sexual dysfunctions.
- Psychological problems.
- The sound quality declines
- Children may have problems sweating at night
- Chronic fatigue syndrome may develop.
- It can trigger migraines, leading to chronic headache problems.
How Long Does Nasal Congestion Normally Last?
A complaint of nasal congestion that develops due to common upper respiratory tract infections such as flu or colds is usually a condition that is expected to regress within 1-2 weeks, along with other symptoms.
On the other hand, Nasal congestion due to bacterial infection may persist for 10-14 days, depending on the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy. It is important not to stop the antibiotic and complete the prescribed dose.
Complaints of nasal congestion of allergic origin persist as long as the patient is exposed to this substance.
Complaints of nasal congestion caused by anatomical problems such as septum deviation tend to stay if not treated.
How is Nasal Congestion Treated in Turkey?
Treatment of nasal congestion is possible by treating the leading underlying cause.
In cases of nasal congestion caused by common infectious conditions such as the upper respiratory tract, using decongestant nasal sprays deemed appropriate and prescribed by the physician for no more than a few days may benefit.
Apart from this application, methods such as steam inhalation, warm compress applications, antihistamine medication use within the knowledge and prescription of physicians for allergic nasal discharge, humidification of the environment, or increasing fluid consumption may also benefit.
Surgical intervention can also treat this problem in anatomically caused nasal congestion.
When is the Operation Necessary? How Is It Decided? What kind of Operation is Performed?
If we cannot solve nasal congestion due to nasal flesh growth despite drug treatment, we shrink the nasal flesh with radio frequency or laser and open the respiratory tract.
Blockages due to chronic sinusitis that do not respond to medical therapy can be treated with balloon, laser, and endoscopic navigated operation methods.
Unfortunately, medical treatment does not work in cases of nasal congestion in cartilage obliques, which we call nasal deviation. We can perform surgical treatment using endoscopic or classical methods to open the respiratory tract.
Patients discharged the same day after surgery can resume their jobs within a few days.
Why Choose Us?
In Cayra Clinic, with proper technique performed by our specialist doctors, who have access to the modern equipment needed for the best possible outcome, it is nearly painless with a quick recovery.
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