Congestion

[Kingmonkey]

I have regular congestion in my nose, this causes pressure in my head, as well as affecting my sense of smell and taste.  It is not something I have all the time, though it can be a weekly occurrence.  If I blow my nose it seems that the pressure increases and brings a strange smell or sensation to my nose.  I cannot explain this as it seems to be a pressure related smell, but not like when you normally react to a smell - hence me wondering if it is a sensation caused by the pressure.  Some people have mentioned that it could be sinusitis, though they weren't medical people.  It first occurred a few years ago - or so my memory tells me - and seemed to come regularly on Mondays.  This led me to wonder if it was going out on a weekend that did it, drinks, smokey atmosphere, though I don't go clubbing anymore and it seems to have got worse lately, to the point where I can't remember a day in the last 2-3 weeks where I haven't suffered. etc.  Any information would be greatly appreciated, I would like to know what causes this.

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

The nasal congestion could be due to a sinus infection, a cold or a chronic allergy. It could also be due to a deviated nasal septum. Sinus infections can cause stuffiness of the nose with nasal blockage, which can make breathing through the nose difficult. It can also cause post nasal drip and lead to an irritation in the throat. In the meantime practice good breathing exercises, humidify your room and do steam inhalations.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[Luna9]

Have you tried using a Nedi pot with a saline solution to help clear your nasal passages? You can probably pick one up at a local health food store if you want to try it. Yeah, it's sort of gross and a bit tough to get used to, but it did wondesr to clear congestion for me.