What’s more dreadful than waking up to a blaring alarm? Waking up with a stuffy nose, of course. It’s uncomfortable and unpleasant. But, why does it happen? Is it normal or due to allergies? Do I need to visit an allergy center? Here are the things to know about it.

Causes Of A Stuffy Nose In The Morning

Allergies

One of the most common causes of waking up with a stuffy nose and being unable to breathe normally, is allergies. Allergies can happen when your body comes in contact with a trigger. Triggers can be anything in nature that can lead to severe allergic reactions and one of the major symptoms of allergies is a stuffy nose and inability to breathe.

So, if you’re prone to allergies and are waking up with a stuffy nose, you can put two and two together.

Sinusitis

Sinusitis is the inflammation of the sinus. The effects are the worst in the morning and you have to take in gulps of air by the mouth because your nose is blocked to the point of not being able to smell anything.

Sinusitis also leads to pressure and pain under the eyes, on your forehead, near the temples, and the area around your nose. It is usually triggered by either allergies or you can develop it later on in life.

Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps is a condition in which there is growth of small bumps on the walls of the nose and this causes blockage in breathing. The symptoms can be the worst in the morning when you wake up, but it’s pretty much there all the time.

You can have small or large polyps inside the nose, but the bigger they are, the harder it is for you to breathe. Nasal polyps can also lead to a sinus infection if the bumps are left unnoticed, so you want to consult with a doctor as soon as possible.

Cold Or Flu

If you’ve been feeling under the weather lately, then your nose will be very stuffy. This is something that comes with the effects of a cold or flu and the first couple of days are a nightmare for your nose. You’re constantly sneezing, you can’t breathe from your nose and its overall very uncomfortable. It’s the worst feeling in the world.

Pregnancy

Every woman has different experiences in pregnancy, but a stuffy nose is something that almost all mothers-to-be deal with. It can either be because of a rapid change in hormones or it can also be chalked up to the fact that your body is changing and you’re constantly feeling sick.

This is completely normal and it does go away naturally, but for the time when your nose is congested, it can be really hard to deal with it, especially on top of everything else that you’re going through while being pregnant. It’s not a breeze, to put it lightly.

Rhinitis

Rhinitis is also known as hay fever but it can or cannot be allergic. Rhinitis also causes your nose to get congested and stuffy and there might also be congestion in your throat. Your nose might feel congested either because of the bad weather, staying in cooped-up places like rooms with air conditioning for too long, or even bad health.

Allergic rhinitis, on the other hand, is caused by allergens. So, there are a lot of reasons why your nose could be stuffy and if you’re experiencing this for a long time, then you want to see an allergy doctor Germantown right away.

Symptoms Of A Stuffy Nose

Now that you know the causes of a stuffy nose, here are some symptoms of it, so that you know exactly what you’re up against:

• First things first, your nose will feel congested. It will feel like there’s something in your nose and you can’t get it out, no matter how hard you breathe.
• You will have a hard time breathing. This can happen right when you wake up and it will take a couple of hours until your nose is finally free of any obstruction.
• There will be pressure on the sides of your nose, along the cheeks, and even on the forehead.
• If you blow on your nose, green mucus will come out, signaling that the fluid has been obstructing your nasal airways all along.

Treatment For A Stuffy Nose

A stuffy nose can be a hard thing to deal with, but there are a lot of things that you can do to prevent it and treat it so that you won’t fall victim to it again and again. Here are some things you can try.

Avoid The Allergen

If your stuffy nose is driven by allergies, then the best way to alleviate that is to avoid the triggers. Allergens or triggers are anything that can cause allergic reactions in the body and therefore lead to one of the symptoms, a stuffy nose. You want to ensure that you’re staying away from pollen, hay, dust, pet dander, and anything that can flare up an allergic reaction.

Healthy Diet

A healthy diet will also speak volumes. Sometimes, a stuffy nose can occur because you’re not taking care of yourself and always falling sick. Having a good and balanced diet will help you out in this. Try to eat a mix of leafy greens, protein-rich foods, fatty acids, carbohydrates, and fiber and you’ll see the difference for yourself. A healthy diet will heal your body from the inside out.

Proper Ventilation

Keep your room aerated at all times. Ventilation can make the room breezy and nice and it won’t be all cooped up. If you like your windows to be closed, then open them up for a bit to let some fresh air in. Also, keep the fan on, so that the air can circulate.

Keep Your Head Elevated When You Sleep

As you’re sleeping, the mucus can go down to the base of your nasal passages and it can be really hard to breathe once you wake up. So, if you use one pillow for sleeping, consider taking two and see the difference.

Inhaling Steam

Inhaling steam can also do wonders for your nose. Bonus points if you can add in a few drops of soothing essential oils like tea tree, eucalyptus, and even peppermint oil. These oils are minty and fresh and they will open up your nose in no time.

Nasal Sprays

Nasal medication and sprays also work wonders for your congested nose. You can take them once a day and your nose will go from congested to normal within no time at all.

Use A Humidifier

If you can, get a humidifier for your room. A humidifier will moisten the air you breathe, making it not only a breeze to fall asleep, but it will help your irritated nose too. You can fire up the humidifier when it’s time to go to sleep and you’ll see the difference for yourself.

Conclusion

A stuffy nose can be due to a lot of reasons, and now you know them. Once you can identify why it happens, you can get to treating it so that you don’t have to struggle to breathe in the morning. Get an appointment of an allergy specialist Manassas if you have a history of allergy.