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nasal congestion
Excessive accumulation of fluid in the vessels & tissues of the nasal passages.
Etiology:
1) rhinitis
a) common cold
b) allergic rhinitis
c) vasomotor rhinitis
d) rhinosinusitis
e) rhinitis medicamentosa
2) nasal septal deviation
3) nasal polyps
4) pregnancy
5) influenza
6) pharmaceutical agents (see below) (see pharmaceutical agents associated with nasal congestion)
Management:
- see rhinitis
- nasal saline irrigation
- decongestants:
- oral pseudoephrine
- topical oxymetazoline
- do not use for > 3-5 days to avoid rebound congestion & rhinitis medicamentosa
- oral phenylephrine no better than placebo [2,5]
- phenylephrine considered effective in a nasal spray [5]
- antihistamine sprays, such as Astepro (nasal azelastine) or NasalCrom (nasal cromolyn sodium) may be effective [5]
- nasal glucocorticoids, sold as Flonase, Nasacort, & Rhinocort
- more effective when used on a regular basis rather than PRN [5]
Related
rhinitis
General
nasal obstruction
congestion
References
- Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams &
Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999
- Meltzer EO et al.
Oral phenylephrine HCl for nasal congestion in seasonal allergic
rhinitis: A randomized, open-label, placebo-controlled study.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2015 Sep/Oct; 3:702
PMID: 26143019
- MedlinePlus: Nasal Congestion
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003049.htm
- Wikipedia: Nasal congestion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nasal_congestion
- Associated Press
FDA Says Decongestant in Many Cold Medicines Doesn't Work. So What Does?
A look at the agency's recent moves on a leading decongestant
MedPage Today. December 26, 2024
https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/generalinfectiousdisease/113526