Stuffy nose? It could be a cold, but it could also be the flu, a sinus infection, allergies, pregnancy, your body wash, and about a dozen other things. That’s what makes a congested nose one of the most common complaints doctors see.
Colds and flu
A dramatically stuffed nose is a hallmark symptom of both colds and the flu, which are caused by viruses. There’s no cure for either and they usually go away on their own. However, if you don’t take care, you could get a secondary infection from bacteria that grow in your “stagnant mucus,” says Lisa Liberatore, MD, an ENT specialist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, which could be even more serious.
Acute sinusitis
Your sinuses are the cavities in your skull that help drain mucus out of your system. If the sinuses become infected or inflamed, you could end up with congestion and a blocked nose.
Chronic sinusitis
When inflamed or infected sinuses don’t get better, you might have chronic sinusitis. “All cavities have drainage pathways, and when they become obstructed, there’s usually a vicious cycle,” explains Dr. Thacker. “Mucus gets trapped in the lining, the lining gets more inflamed, and the symptoms persist. You end up with pressure in your face and a stuffy nose.”
Deviated septum
Sometimes a stuffy nose is caused not by outside invaders but by internal structural problems. The most common is a deviated septum. That’s when the cartilage-and-bone divider between the nostrils warps out of shape, usually because of an injury such as a broken nose. One sign of a deviated septum is only being able to breathe out of one side of your nose. “If [the septum] is bent over to one side, it’s only going to cause problems on that one side,” explains Dr. Chang.
Pregnancy
Certain things you expect with pregnancy: a protruding belly, morning sickness, swollen feet. A stuffy nose when you’re expecting may take you by surprise. It’s called rhinitis of pregnancy and is due to more blood flowing into the soft tissue of the nose, says Dr. Liberatore. Some women escape the problem, but if you do develop a blocked nose, it can last the entire nine months.
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