Ashford Clinic Blog
How to Breathe Easier with a Stuffy Nose
A stuffy nose is tiring, distracting, and makes sleeping oh so difficult. At the very least it’s certainly uncomfortable. Still, while you can’t actually suffocate from a stuffy nose it certainly feels harder to breathe when you’re all stuffed up.
So why do your nasal passages swell and get stuffy? There are various causes for your nasal passages to swell, causing that stuffy sensation. Some of these include the following:
- Common colds
- Flu
- Allergies
- Weather changes
- Sinus infections
- Deviated septum
- Nasal polyps
So how do you actually start to breathe a little easier? There are some things that you can try at home to reduce the stuffiness and bring you some relief.
- Nasal saline sprays
- Steam
- A humidifier
- Decongestants
- Sleeping with your head elevated
- Nasal steroid sprays
- Eating more garlic, or other herbal remedies
These are all common at-home remedies for a range of sinus and nasal ailments. Depending on what is actually causing the stuffiness, they can certainly help you start to feel better. However, if your stuffy nose doesn’t improve in over a week then it’s time to see a doctor.
While it can be difficult to self-diagnose what’s causing your stuffiness, a skilled ENT will be able to identify the root cause and determine a treatment plan to help you really start to breathe normally again. They might even suggest balloon sinuplasty if the breathing issues are chronic.
What is balloon sinuplasty? It’s a minimally invasive procedure that is performed in-office and in a matter of minutes. Recovery time is minimal, and relief comes almost instantly. It’s also very safe and causes very little discomfort. If you’d like to find relief from ongoing stuffiness, call us at (706) 248-6860.
