Why does my nose get stuffy?

 

We all know the feeling of having a stuffy nose! When your nose is stuffy, the inside of it may feel swollen or heavy, and it may even be difficult to breathe out of your nostrils! Let’s find out why it happens…

Some stuffy noses are caused by a blockage in the nose. For example, the septum, which divides the two sides of the nose, may be closer to one side rather than right in the middle. As a result, one nasal passage is smaller, causing difficulty breathing through the nose, as well as a stuffy nose! 

Other stuffy noses are caused by allergies, or your body’s response to a substance such as food, dust or pollen. One of these responses is, you guessed it—a stuffy nose!

Sometimes stuffy noses are a result of infection. For example, when you get a cold, your body responds by trying to fight the virus! As a part of this response, the lining of the nose may become swollen, as do the blood vessels inside of the nose. There is increased blood flow to the nose, as well as more fluid (mucus) than usual. This extra mucus and the swollen nose create that stuffy feeling you experience.  

Sometimes medicine can help a stuffy nose, but at other times, such as when you’re sick with a virus, your body may ultimately need time to heal. Then before you know it, your nose is clear and you’re breathing freely again! Always check with a doctor when deciding the best way to treat a stuffy nose.