Why do I feel congested all the time?How can I tell if my congestion is due to my pregnancy or to something else?What can I do for relief?Are there any medications I can take?En español Why do I feel congested all the time?Believe it or not, it's pretty common to have a runny or stuffed-up nose during pregnancy.Up to 30 percent of pregnant women have congestion without having allergies or a viral infection like the common cold.This condition even has a name: rhinitis of pregnancy.It can start as early as your second month and tends to worsen later in pregnancy.The congestion should ease up soon after you give birth and be gone completely within two weeks after delivery.Higher amounts of estrogen during pregnancy can contribute to swelling in the mucous membranes lining the nose and even cause you to make more mucus.What's more, the amount of blood in your body increases during pregnancy, which may cause swelling in the tiny blood vessels in the lining of your nose and congestion in the surrounding tissue.

Other hormones may also play a role.How can I tell if my congestion is due to my pregnancy or to something else?If you have no other symptoms, it's probably rhinitis of pregnancy.log vaporizer for saleIf your stuffy nose is accompanied by sneezing, coughing, a sore throat, mild aches and pains, or possibly swollen glands or a fever, you probably do have a cold or another infection.By the way, sinus infections are more common in pregnancy.da kube vaporizer ebayIf you have symptoms of sinusitis, such as fever, headache, green or yellow mucus, facial pain or pressure (which may feel worse when you bend forward), an upper jaw ache, or a decreased sense of smell, call your caregiver.On the other hand, if you have a stuffy or runny nose with watery mucus, along with sneezing and itchy eyes, nose, throat, or ears, then allergies are a likely culprit.vaporizer lenteng agung

Allergies during pregnancy are unpredictable: They may improve or get worse, or you may find that you're sensitive to allergens and other irritants that never bothered you before.Of course, you won't always be able to tell what's causing your congestion, and it's possible that there's more than one cause.vaporizer mundgeruchFor example, you could be suffering from allergies as well as rhinitis of pregnancy.What can I do for relief?Drink plenty of fluids and keep your head elevated at night.atmos ole vaporizer problemsThese measures can also be helpful:Steam can temporarily relieve congestion and it's often very soothing.mister vaporizer myrtle beach scTake a warm shower and hang out for a while afterward in the steamy bathroom.

Or moisten a washcloth with hot water, hold it up to your face, and breathe.Try saline nose drops or a buffered saline nasal spray, available over the counter at the drugstore.Spritz or drip a bit into each nostril and within five or ten minutes you should be able to blow your nose more easily.Use a humidifier or vaporizer to put more moisture into the air and keep it near your head at night.Be sure to follow the cleaning instructions that came with your humidifier.Change the water daily since it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.You'll need to replace the filter often as well.Use extra pillows to elevate your head when lying down to rest or sleep.(This can help relieve heartburn, too.)Exercise sometimes helps to ease a stuffy nose.Avoid exercising outdoors on days when there's a lot of air pollution, which may irritate your nasal passages and make your congestion worse.Avoid potential irritants, such as cigarette smoke, alcohol, paint and chemical fumes (all of which you should be avoiding anyway!), as well as anything that triggers your symptoms.Are there any medications I can take?If your congestion continues to make you miserable, tell your practitioner about your symptoms and ask which medications are safe for you to try.

It's generally best to avoid taking any medications during your first trimester, when your baby's organs are forming, unless it's really necessary (for example, to control asthma) and has been prescribed by your caregiver.If your practitioner says it's okay, you can try a decongestant.Avoid overusing decongestant nasal sprays, though, because they can cause rebound inflammation and make your congestion much worse.Show sources Dykewicz MS, et al.Joint task force summary statements on diagnosis and management of rhinitis.Annals of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology 81(Pt II):474-7.Funk E, et al.ENT complaints in pregnancy: Sinonasal disease./home/article/ent-complaints-in-pregnancy-sinonasal-disease/941e800fde93fbbfb3281c2636081a08.html [Accessed March 2016]Loock JW.Allergic rhinitis and pregnancy -- A review of the literature, with recommendations for management.Current Allergy & Clinical Immunology 22(1).World Allergy Organization.Allergic disease and asthma in pregnancy./professional/allergic_diseases_center/allergy_in_pregnancy/Yawn B, et al.

Clinical guidelines and primary care: Treating asthma and comorbid allergic rhinitis in pregnancy.Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine 20(3):289-98.Stuffy or runny nose - adult A stuffy or congested nose occurs when the tissues lining it become swollen.The swelling is due to inflamed blood vessels.The problem may also include nasal discharge or "runny nose."If excess mucus runs down the back of your throat (postnasal drip), it may cause a cough or sore throat.A stuffy or runny nose may be caused by:Common coldFluSinus infectionThe congestion typically goes away by itself within a week.Congestion also can be caused by:Hay fever or other allergiesUse of some nasal sprays or drops bought without a prescription for more than 3 days (may make nasal stuffiness worse)Nasal polyps, sac-like growths of inflamed tissue lining the nose or sinusesPregnancyVasomotor rhinitisFinding ways to keep mucus thin will help it drain from your nose and sinuses and relieve your symptoms.Drinking plenty of clear fluids is one way to do this.

You can also: Apply a warm, moist washcloth to your face several times a day.Inhale steam 2 to 4 times a day.One way to do this is to sit in the bathroom with the shower running.Do not inhale hot steam.Use a vaporizer or humidifier.A nasal wash can help remove mucus from your nose.You can buy a saline spray at a drugstore or make one at home.To make one, use 1 cup (240 milliliters) of warm water, 1/2  teaspoon (3 grams) of salt, and a pinch of baking soda.Use gentle saline nasal sprays 3 to 4 times per day.Congestion is often worse when lying down.Keep upright, or at least keep the head elevated.Some stores sell adhesive strips that can be placed on the nose.These help widen the nostrils, making breathing easier.Medicines you can buy at the store without a prescription can help your symptoms.Decongestants are drugs that shrink and dry up your nasal passages.They may help dry up a runny or stuffy nose.Antihistamines are drugs that treat allergy symptoms.Some antihistamines make you drowsy so use with care.Nasal sprays can relieve stuffiness.

Don't use over-the-counter nasal sprays more often than 3 days on and 3 days off, unless told to by your health care provider.Many cough, allergy, and cold medicines you buy have more than one medicine inside.Read the labels carefully to make sure you don't take too much of any 1 medicine.Ask your provider which cold medicines are safe for youIf you have allergies:Your provider may also prescribe nasal sprays that treat allergy symptoms.Learn how to avoid triggers that make allergies worse.Call your provider for any of the following: A stuffy nose with swelling of the forehead, eyes, side of the nose, or cheek, or that occurs with blurred visionMore throat pain, or white or yellow spots on the tonsils or other parts of the throatDischarge from the nose that has a bad smell, comes from only one side, or is a color other than white or yellowCough that lasts longer than 10 days, or produces yellow-green or gray mucusNasal discharge following a head injurySymptoms that last more than 3 weeksNasal discharge with fever Your provider may perform a physical exam that focuses on the ears, nose, throat, and airways.

Tests that may be done include: Allergy skin and blood testsBlood testsSputum culture and throat cultureX-rays of the sinuses and chest x-rayNose - congested; Congested nose; Runny nose; Postnasal drip; Rhinorrhea: nasal congestion Throat anatomy Bachert C, Calus L, Gevaert P. Rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps.In: Adkinson NF, Bochner BS, Burks AW, et al, eds.Middleton's Allergy: Principles and Practice.Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 43.Corren J, Baroody FM, Pawankar R. Allergic and nonallergic rhinitis.Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 42.Enlarged adenoids Obstructive sleep apnea - adults Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director and Director of Didactic Curriculum, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M.Allergy Common Cold Drug Reactions Nose Injuries and Disorders Sinusitis Browse the Encyclopedia