Why Is My Nose Always Stuffy? Explaining Causes and Treatments for Nasal Congestion

Whether from an infection, allergies, or various particles in the air, anything that irritates the inside of the nostrils can cause you to suffer from a stuffy nose. Normally, the human body produces mucus to coat your nasal lining, along with your upper sinuses and throat, which helps keep the area moist to trap irritant particles and fight infection. Under healthy circumstances, the mucus slides down your throat and is flushed out of the body. However, sometimes this process doesn’t work as it should, thus leading to a chronically stuffy nose. Below we detail why your nose may always be stuffy and what you can do to find relief.

Causes of a Chronically Stuffy Nose

Everyone encounters nasal congestion from time to time, especially during the cold and flu seasons. Besides just a stuffy nose, other symptoms of nasal congestion include sneezing, coughing, a headache, and much more. Normally, once the infection or irritant passes, the stuffy nose should clear so that you can breathe easily once again. However, some people struggle with ongoing nasal congestion which can stem from multiple causes, including:

• Allergic Rhinitis: Also referred to as Hay Fever, Allergic Rhinitis occurs when your body is reacting to allergens. Inhaling microscopic particles from pollen, dust mites, mold, pet dander, and much more can result in Allergic Rhinitis.
• Nonallergic Rhinitis: Being a bit more difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of your stuffy nose, Nonallergic Rhinitis occurs when inflammation results in fluid buildup and swelling in your nasal tissues. Triggers that cause Nonallergic Rhinitis can be stemmed from environmental factors, medications, hormonal imbalances, various infections, enlarged adenoids (nasal glands), and much more.
• Stress: Stress and anxiety can cause the body to respond in a vast number of negative ways.
• Deviated Septum: A crooked nose and displaced nasal passages can block breathing on one side.
• Nasal Polyps: Soft growths that arise in the nasal cavity. Click here to read our article on Nasal Polyps.

Treating a Chronically Stuffy Nose

Fortunately, for most stuffy nose sufferers, there are simple ways to relieve your symptoms, such as:

• Drain Your Sinuses: Neti pots provide a perfect way to flush mucus and other fluids out from your nasal passages.
• Use a Humidifier: Breathing in moist air from a humidifier can soothe irritated nasal tissue and relieve swollen blood vessels in your sinuses.
• Take a Warm Shower: Similar to the humidifier, steam from a shower usually helps thin mucus and reduce inflammation.
• Drink Water: Staying hydrated helps thin mucus, flush nasal passages, and decreases sinus pressure.
• Medications: Decongestants, Antihistamines, or other allergy medication can improve stuffy nose symptoms.
• Saline Spray: Using a saline saltwater solution can increase moisture in your nostrils, which often relieves congestion.

If you’ve utilized the above techniques and your stuffy nose still hasn’t resolved after a few weeks, contact your primary care service to target what exactly is causing your uncomfortable symptoms.

Prevent a Stuffy Nose with O2 Nose Filters 

O2 Nose Filters has been proven in controlled studies to help protect wearers from inhaling harmful airborne particles such as pollen, bacteria, viruses, dust, and other pollutants. Independent laboratory tests demonstrate that our Advanced Electret Media in O2 Nose Filters block 90% of particulates at PM10 and 65% of particulates at PM2.5. Additionally, O2 Nose Filters are comfortable to wear due to their latex-free design and medical-grade Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) materials.

Our patented AEM™ (Advanced Electret Media) filter technology relies on the principles of electrostatic attraction. The high capture ratios and extended breathability attributed to O2’s AEM™ material allows airborne particles to be captured within the filter. Rather than using a ‘screen’ approach to block the passage of particles, the charged fibers act as ‘magnets’ to retain particles while still allowing air to pass through, making O2 Nose Filters both breathable and effective.

O2 Nose Filters provides inexpensive and effective security to protect people from harmful airborne diseases. While our nasal passageways try their best when it comes to filtering harmful particulate matter, they aren’t perfect. That’s why O2 Nose Filters are such an effective solution when it comes to improving our mental and physical health. Nose filters are a discreet, effective option to protect against airborne viruses and bacteria. The O2 Nose Filter uses our patented AEM™ electrostatic technology to capture allergens, viruses, and other particulates, making them a valuable tool for anyone who wants to drastically limit the pollutants and pollens they breathe in daily.