It only takes a mild case of nasal congestion to make you feel miserable, and, all too often, a stuffy nose turns into a chronic problem that stops responding to decongestants. The board-certified physicians at ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA have extensive experience easing symptoms and using today’s most advanced techniques to give long-lasting relief. If you’re ready to stop nasal congestion, call the office in Sewickley, Beaver/Vanport Township, Seven Fields, or Ohio Valley in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, or book an appointment online today.
Nasal congestion occurs when tissues and blood vessels inside your nose become swollen. The swelling blocks the flow of air through the nasal passages, giving you a congested nose.
You can also get a stuffy nose when your body produces excess mucus or structures inside the nose enlarge.
The conditions that most often result in nasal congestion include:
Rhinitis occurs when the mucus membranes inside your nose become inflamed and swollen. The condition often develops due to the common cold, flu, and seasonal allergies.
When the mucus membranes lining the inside of your sinuses become inflamed, you have sinusitis. Like rhinitis, the condition arises from colds and allergies.
Polyps are noncancerous growths that develop inside your nasal passages. Most polyps arise from frequent infections, allergies, and chronic inflammation.
A thin piece of cartilage called the septum separates your two nostrils. Normally, the septum runs down the center of your nose (or close to the center). When it gets pushed to one side or is crooked, you have a deviated septum.
When you have nasal congestion, you can also have symptoms such as:
Sinusitis also causes facial pressure and pain.
When a virus from the flu or a cold causes nasal congestion, your physician recommends ways to soothe your symptoms while waiting for the viral infection to run its course. If you develop a bacterial infection, your physician may prescribe an antibiotic.
Some problems, such as polyps and a deviated septum, require surgery from ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA to either remove the growth or rebuild the septum.
When rhinitis or sinusitis turn into a chronic problem, our physicians may recommend minimally invasive treatments such as:
For people with chronic sinusitis, balloon sinuplasty opens clogged sinus passages and restores normal mucus drainage.
VivAer uses radiofrequency energy to reshape the structures blocking your nasal passages.
The nerves that control the membranes and blood vessels in your nose can become oversensitive. When that happens, they constantly send signals that enlarge the tissues and cause congestion.
When nerves contribute to your chronic rhinitis, your physician recommends RhinAer or ClariFix. Both of these minimally invasive procedures block the nerve signals. However, RhinAer disrupts the signals using radiofrequency energy, while ClariFix freezes the nerves.
Don’t put up with nasal congestion when help is available at ENT and Allergy Specialists of Western PA. Call or schedule an appointment online today.
