How to fix a stuffy nose

Nasal congestion is a symptom that may be caused by diseases such as chronic hypertrophic rhinitis and nasal polyps, which can be treated with medication and surgery as prescribed by the doctor. Different diseases are treated differently and cannot be dealt with only by symptoms. 1. Chronic hypertrophic rhinitis: nasal congestion caused by hypertrophy of nasal soft tissues. It is necessary to find out the systemic, local and environmental causes of the disease, and timely treatment or exclusion. (1) Drug treatment: nasal decongestant (furosemide nasal drops) and nasal glucocorticoid (budesonide) can be chosen to improve the symptoms of nasal congestion. Inferior turbinate sclerosing agent injection: commonly used sclerosing agents include 80% glycerol, 5% glycerol carbolic acid, 5% sodium cod liver oil and 50% dextrose. YAG laser treatment: YAG laser can be inserted under the mucosa of inferior turbinate for irradiation. (2) If there is no obvious response to vasoconstrictors or the above treatments fail to work, surgery is appropriate. If the mucous membrane of the inferior turbinate is hypertrophied, partial resection of the inferior turbinate will be performed; if the inferior turbinate is bony, subperiosteal resection of the mucous membrane of the inferior turbinate will be performed; CO₂ laser, radiofrequency will be used to gasify or ablate the hypertrophied mucous membrane of the inferior turbinate or submucosal tissues. 2. Nasal polyps: polyps block the nasal airway causing nasal congestion. Nasal glucocorticoids (fluticasone propionate nasal spray) can be used to relieve the symptoms, or nasal endoscopic surgical resection can be chosen, while treating sinusitis, immunology and anti-allergy treatment can be carried out in order to minimize the recurrence. The deviated septum should be corrected at the same time. Nasal congestion may also be caused by other reasons, such as nasal foreign bodies, patients need to actively seek medical attention and systematic examination to clarify the diagnosis, and comply with the doctor’s instructions to standardize the treatment.