Chronic congestion has a variety of different causes, including the flu, the common cold, sinus infections, rhinitis and more. Symptoms of chronic congestion include feelings of stuffiness in the nose and chest, fatigue, pain in the chest or head, difficulty breathing and coughing among others. Probably the most common cause of chronic congestion is allergic rhinitis, which is also the most common type of rhinitis. Allergies can be difficult to pinpoint in some cases as they can be caused seasonally by different types of pollen, or they can be triggered largely by indoor irritants like dust, pet dander and mold. It may be hard to identify allergies as the cause, especially if the person has recently suffered from a viral illness like the flu or common cold.
Signs of chronic congestion typically come after the usual run of a viral illness and persist beyond the end of other symptoms. However, in the case of allergies, they may simply begin randomly and persist for days or weeks. Treatments of chronic congestion can include nasal saline wash, antihistamines, decongestants, nasal steroids, antibiotics in the case of bacterial infection, and environmental controls.
1. Rhinitis
Rhinitis is a condition that happens when the mucous membrane in the nasal cavity becomes irritated and inflamed. Symptoms of this condition include stuffy nose, sneezing, post-nasal drip and a runny nose. Rhinitis can be caused by viruses or bacteria, but most commonly it is caused by allergens such as pollen, mold, dust or animal dander. Allergic rhinitis has additional symptoms along with the base symptoms and those include coughing, headache, fatigue, nasal itching, watery eyes or itching eyes and malaise. Inflammation in this case is caused by mast cells in the nose degranulating, which causes histamines to be released. Infectious versions can actually lead to pneumonia of both the viral and bacterial varieties.
Rhinitis is an extremely common condition with as many as 30 percent of American adults being affected every year. There are several types of rhinitis, including infectious, nonallergic, allergic, medicamentosa, chronic atrophic, sicca and polypous. Nonallergic cases can have a variety of causes, including smoking and reactions to alcohol. Medicamentosa is caused by the overuse of various oral medications, while chronic atrophic is caused by the glands and mucous membranes in the nose experiencing atrophy. Rhinitis sicca is caused by chronic mucous membrane dryness and polypous rhinitis is caused by nasal polyps.
2. Common Cold
The common cold is another condition that can lead to signs of chronic congestion. It is very common, as the name suggests, and people can have several within a year. It’s a viral infection that primarily affects the upper respiratory tract and most symptoms are of the nasal variety. Colds usually last on their own for about a week, but can persist longer than that or even cause secondary issues in people with other health problems. Chronic congestion that persists after a cold may be a sign of a secondary infection settling into the chest or sinuses. Cold symptoms include congestion, sneezing, coughing and sore throat among others. Colds by themselves are usually not cause for serious concern.
3. Nasal Polyps
Nasal polyps are growths inside of the nose or sinuses that are not cancerous. They cause various symptoms like chronic congestion, difficulty breathing, loss of smell, post-nasal drip and runny nose. The growths usually appear in both nostrils when a person is affected by this condition. The cause of nasal polyps is not well understood. They may be caused by chronic inflammation, but they happen the most to people who have allergies. Recurrent sinus infections are one of the results from having nasal polyps. Treatment usually starts with topical steroids, but symptoms of chronic congestion often reappear when the steroid use is stopped.
4. Flu
The flu, as it’s commonly known, is a viral infection caused by one of the many strains of influenza virus. Symptoms of the flu can range from fairly mild to very severe. Sometimes symptoms of chronic congestion persist for weeks after the majority of the virus is out of a patient’s system. The flu comes on quickly and symptoms usually start about two days after exposure. The flu is notorious for causing complications and it can turn into viral or bacterial pneumonia, as well as sinus infections. It can be more severe in people with other health problems such as asthma, COPD or heart disease.
5. Deviated Septum
A deviated septum is a nasal disorder that occurs in as much as 80 percent of the population and most do not even realize they have it. Usually only severe cases require treatment and exhibit problematic symptoms. Some serious symptoms include difficulty breathing, sleep apnea and sinus infections. Less serious symptoms include snoring, nosebleeds, face pain and repetitive sneezing. People with this problem may also experience chronic congestion due to poor sinus drainage. In mild cases, doctors usually recommend treating the symptoms with medication. In more serious cases, surgery is recommended. It’s typically a quick surgery with a two day to four week recovery period.
6. Sinus Infections
Sinus infections can be serious signs of chronic congestion and often come about due to the common cold, the flu or even allergies. Symptoms of this condition include thick mucous in the nose, congestion, and pain in the face. Other possible symptoms include headaches, coughing, sore throat and fever. The clinical name for a sinus infection is sinusitis. Most sinus infections are caused by viruses, but they can also be caused by bacterial infections. A doctor may suspect a bacterial infection if the symptoms persist for over ten days or if the patient starts to improve and then gets worse again.
7. Enlarged Adenoids
Adenoids sit at the rear of the nasal passages and trap bacteria in a similar way to how tonsils work. They are important parts for children as they fight infectious material that enters the body. By the time a person is a teenager, they mostly disappear. However, adenoids can also become enlarged when they get infected. Enlarged adenoids can then cause symptoms of chronic congestion, including difficulty breathing, snoring, noisy breathing, sinus pain and more. When a child gets multiple adenoid infections, doctors often recommend removing the adenoids along with tonsils. Treatment for infrequent infections often includes steroids or antibiotics.
Symptoms of chronic congestion that require medical treatment are typically the result of infections such as might occur after the flu or cold. Chronic congestion from other sources may simply need mitigation with antihistamines or decongestant medicine.
