If the nose is not breathing well. Dry nasal congestion in a child

03.09.2016 1940

Every person has faced the problem of nasal congestion. Its main manifestation is hard breathing through the nose. Breathing is especially difficult during sleep. , a person involuntarily breathes through his mouth, which opens the gate for pathogenic microorganisms that float in the air, and along with inhalation enter the bronchi and lungs. In addition to cleaning, our nose also performs the function of heating and moisturizing. Therefore, if his work decreases due to swelling of the mucous membrane, then the person becomes prone to a dozen serious diseases.

If the nose does not breathe, then a person's working capacity decreases tenfold. This is due to insufficient oxygen saturation of the brain and contributes to the fact that we feel overwhelmed, tired and constantly sleepy.

Why is it hard to breathe

Nasal congestion is a painful condition that a person experiences with inflammation and swelling of the nasal passages. By the nature of the disease, a distinction is made between "dry" and with abundant mucus.

Severe nasal congestion without mucous discharge is a rather dangerous condition and requires urgent medical advice. This is one of the signs of complex ENT diseases.

A condition is considered normal when the nose is stuffed up and mucous discharge occurs. This indicates the struggle of human immunity with the penetrated viruses or bacteria. This condition of the sick person is explained by two reactions of the body to the onset of the disease:

1. Inflammation. Immune cells effectively deal with viral or bacterial particles in inflamed tissues. This causes swelling of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavities, which increase in volume and close the passages, which clogs the nose. At the same time, the sensations are pressing, it becomes difficult for a person to breathe.
2. An increase in the amount of mucus secreted. This manifests itself as a profuse coryza. So the body is cleansed of bacteria and removes them from the nasal passages. In this case, the mucous secretions contain immune cells (leukocytes) and the remains of bacteria or viruses.

Breathing through the nose is normal if the air moves freely during inhalation and exhalation. At the same time, a person does not have a desire to breathe into a full chest through his mouth, breathing is clean without whistling and unnecessary noise. If one of these factors is observed, then they boldly talk about the causes of difficulty breathing through the nose.

Causes of mucosal edema

If this is not a pathology, then symptoms with nasal congestion appear in the season when the incidence of respiratory or allergic ailments increases. A stuffy nose develops into chronic diseases and carries serious complications (sinusitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis). Therefore, difficulty in nasal breathing requires some treatment.

If this is noticed for more than one week, then it is recommended to consult a doctor, find out recommendations and examinations, as this leads to mental retardation.

Otolaryngologists consider difficulty in nasal breathing, disturbing for a month, a chronic course of the disease.

Among the reasons why the nose is very stuffy, there are the following:

1. inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavities, which happens with an infectious, allergic condition;
2. neoplasms;
3. sudden changes in ambient temperature;
4. enlargement of the adenoids;
5. a foreign body in the nasal passages is one of the reasons that a child has a very stuffy nose;
6. hormonal changes;
7. smoking, drug addiction;
8. overdried indoor air;
9. side effects from certain medications;
10. congenital or traumatic changes in the nasal septum (occurs in 68% of cases).

If the child's nose is not breathing, then the parents should immediately consult a doctor. The consequences of constantly breathing air through the mouth are changes in the formation of the normal development of the jaws. In children, nasal breathing is associated with overgrown adenoids. When the diagnosis is confirmed, the situation is resolved quickly and after two to three days, the normal state returns. Stuff up the nose in a child under three years old, maybe from foreign body, which the baby himself stuck into the nasal passage. Children do this unconsciously, and the subject may not bother them for a while. But the situation requires an urgent solution.

The nose also causes difficulty breathing through the nose. We are talking about vasoconstrictor drugs, which so make it easier for us to breathe in acute respiratory diseases... People take them uncontrollably, at the first symptoms of congestion. This leads to tachyphylaxis - a condition in which the body becomes so accustomed to the drug that the opposite effect occurs - atrophy of blood vessels and nasal mucosa. therefore vasoconstrictor drops it is recommended to take no more than five days, and their use is prohibited for pregnant women.

Vasoconstrictor drops can help determine the cause of the disease at home. To do this, dig in and focus on the reaction of the mucous membrane:

• breathing became easier - acute respiratory disease;
• changes and relief did not occur - polyps or neoplasms are possible, urgent consultation with a doctor is recommended.

A pregnant woman suffers from a stuffy nose, but this type of rhinitis is not associated with the disease. This is a manifestation of the action of hormones in the body. Such a rhinitis is called vasomotor. Some women experience difficulty breathing for 9 months.

The difficulty in determining the true cause of nasal congestion is that its symptoms are almost always the same. And dozens of factors can provoke heavy breathing through the nose. Only an otolaryngologist can determine the exact cause of this ailment, and he prescribes treatment. Corrects some situations related to the nasopharynx and does not respond drug treatment, rhinosurgeon.

Treatment methods

Treatment of obstructed nasal breathing directly depends on the cause of this condition. The doctor will be able to find out correctly after a detailed examination. Therefore, if the nose is blocked for more than 7 days, it is recommended to consult a doctor for advice. to serious and sometimes irreversible consequences that worsen the quality of life and become dangerous for humans. Nasal congestion can be treated with medication and folk remedies... Their main goal is to alleviate the patient's condition and get rid of the cause of mucosal edema.

Methods will help improve well-being traditional medicine:

• repeated drinking of tea with raspberries, currants, lemon and honey;
• steaming legs before going to bed (prohibited for women in position);
• on the face;
• instillation of the nose with diluted carrot juice in equal amounts with water;
• inhalation (not done when elevated temperature) with the use of essential oils and herbal supplements (chamomile, linden, thyme).

The latter type of procedure is used not only for difficult nasal breathing. Inhalation helps if, indicating laryngitis or pharyngitis. Ventilate the room and do wet cleaning in it. This will help keep the humidity in the room within the desired range, and will not overdry the mucous membrane.

Pharmacy medicines are added to the methods of traditional medicine, which help to treat the nose and are divided into three groups:

• drops that have different directions (Nazivin, Otrivin, Galazolin - vasoconstrictor; Aquamaris - moisturizing, Pinosol - treatment with essential oils);
• tablet or powder preparations (Coldrex, Teraflu, GrippGo);
• solutions for the washing procedure (used with caution if the nose hurts).

Correct and effective treatment is selected by an otolaryngologist who will conduct a comprehensive examination and find out the cause of the difficult breathing.

AT childhood nasal congestion is not uncommon. Most often, it indicates that the child has a cold. In this case, the disease can occur without well-known signs, such as an increase in body temperature, sneezing, mucous discharge. A problem detected in time and a competently prescribed therapy will help prevent a lot of problems associated with respiratory organs.

Why is the stuffy nose

There are several known reasons why a child's nose is not breathing well, but there is no snot. One of them, which most often occurs in babies aged 2-3 years and older, is the drying of mucus in the nasal cavity. Excess dry mucus clogs airways, while there is no runny nose, and the nose begins to block. Sometimes the overdried mucous membrane cracks, becomes inflamed and swells, which also causes congestion.

There are other reasons why the child does not breathe through the nose:

1. Injury to the nose due to trauma.
2. Ingress of foreign bodies.
3. Inflammation of the oropharynx, nasopharynx.
4. Rhinitis medication.
5. Allergic reactions while taking medications.

The doctor is not always able to immediately determine the true cause, since the symptoms at the initial stage of the development of pathology are approximately the same. In addition, there may be several reasons.

If the child's nose is not breathing, but there is no snot, it is necessary to show it to a specialist. During the examination, you should inform the doctor as much information as possible. For instance:

• What new products were introduced into the child's diet, what medications were taken - to eliminate food and drug allergies, side effects.
• Social circle - perhaps the cause of dry congestion is a viral infection.
• Recent illnesses - vasoconstrictor drugs dry out the mucous membrane, provoking congestion.
• The duration of the development of pathology.
• Does any of the parents have congenital anomalies of the nasal passages, since they can be inherited.

These and other nuances will help the doctor make the correct diagnosis and guide the parents how to treat the child.

Physiological congestion

Occurs in newborns during adaptation respiratory system to new environmental conditions. Since the nasal passages are narrow, the child can connect the mouth to the breathing process, especially at night, which is quite normal. With sufficient nasal hydration, the congestion disappears during the first months of a newborn's life. Otherwise, the adaptation process is delayed and accompanied by complications.

Please note: with physiological congestion, nasal breathing is only partially blocked. If the nose is completely blocked, and the infant does not have snot, a pediatrician consultation is required.

Drying of the nasal mucosa

Any disease that causes a runny nose can be the cause. The child has a fever, no appetite, general malaise, a clogged nose. When blown out of the nose, pieces of dried mucus may come out.

The clinical picture is as follows:

• The child develops a runny nose, sometimes sinusitis. Due to swelling of the mucous membrane, the nose does not breathe, there is a lot of snot.
• Parents wrap up the baby, warm up the room, lowering the humidity in the room and worsening the condition of the child.
• The mucous membrane dries out completely or partially, making secretion difficult and forming congestion. The swelling remains.

Please note: during dry congestion, the infection is destroyed much more slowly than with a normal rhinitis. Complications (otitis media, laryngitis, tracheitis), as well as cracks in the mucous membrane and repeated inflammation are possible.

To improve the situation, it is necessary:

• to maintain in the room where the child is located, sufficient humidity (more than 50%) and temperature (no more than 22 0 С);
• drinking plenty of fluids, and at the end of the acute phase - frequent and long walks (regardless of the baby's age);
• or an equivalent agent;
• for babies over 2 years old, bury oil drops (for example, at night). You can cancel them when snot appears.

If a child has a stuffy nose for 4-5 days, but the snot does not flow, a specialist consultation is required. In addition, the doctor must eliminate the causes of inflammation.

Nose injuries

One of the reasons for dry congestion in children under 5 years old, because they often fall and hit, injuring the mucous membrane. Older age is characterized by fights, which also injure the nose.

The process is accompanied by swelling of the mucous membrane, but the snot does not flow. There are bleeding from the nose, swelling and bruising, crusts in the nasal cavity.

Ease the situation:

• cold applied to the nose;
• vertical position of the child (in a horizontal position, bleeding will increase);
• wound healing ointment (for cases when the mucous membrane is shallowly damaged).

With prolonged bleeding (7-10 minutes), take the child to the hospital. Nasal congestion will resolve itself after tissue repair.

Foreign body

Promotes the development of a coryza with profuse discharge of pus. Without snot, congestion is possible when:

• the nostril is completely blocked;
• the room has low humidity - there is swelling, and the snot dries out and does not have time to flow;
• foreign object stuck deep - mucus flows down the throat, nasal passages are dry.

Ignoring the situation leads to hearing impairment, chronic breathing problems, inhibition of speech and mental development.

It can be identified by examining a foreign object in the nasal cavity. Endoscopy of the nose is required.

Inflammation of the oropharynx

Pharyngitis, tonsillitis and other diseases of the oropharynx entail swelling of the mucous membrane without the release of snot. The process is accompanied by an increase in temperature, a sore throat. The child's condition becomes more complicated, but the swelling will subside after the inflammation is eliminated. Treatment is prescribed by a doctor.

Rhinitis medication

In this case, the child's nose does not breathe if vasoconstrictor drugs are often dripped. Leads to complications such as deterioration of smell, chronic rhinitis, changes in the mucous membrane. Eliminate this cause by stopping the use of vasoconstrictor drops. Within a week, the functioning of the mucous membrane will return to normal and the congestion will decline.

Side effects

It occurs as a result of taking medication. The functions of the mucosa are preserved, but inflammation is present. What should parents do? Consult with a specialist about the complete cancellation of medications or replacing them with analogues.

Important: if a child has a stuffy nose, and without the release of snot, first of all, an examination and consultation with a doctor is necessary. The specialist will determine the cause of the edema and prescribe competent treatment. If this is not required, the doctor will warn parents against drug abuse.

23.09.2010, 08:26

Good afternoon: bc: I ask for help, please help !!! Rested 1.5 months ago in Turkey. I came home and began to choke, everything happens the same: stuffs my nose, ears and it becomes very difficult to breathe through my mouth, especially exhaling. This is definitely not the heart, thyroid, asthma. It is the nose and throat, a slight swelling of the root of the tongue, one nostril swells in the nose, then the other, then both, the arches are hyperemic. Neither rinsing with chamomile, soda, furacilin, etc. nor arbidol, bronchimmunal, immudon, pharyngosept, nor three courses of antibiotics help. The temperature is 37.2-37.5 1.5 months, the analyzes are all ideal, the X-ray of the lungs is without pathologies, as well as the sinuses. ENT doctors in my clinic determined only the curvature of the septum, chronic vasomotor rhinitis, chronic pharyngitis and fungal sore throat, allegedly due to antibiotics that were prescribed to me for three weeks, and one ENT wrote chronic tonsillitis. She is being treated with fluconazole, while she has only taken one tablet, and with nazonex, she was sent for an operation to correct the septum. But 1.5 months ago I was completely healthy! Yesterday my husband fell ill, the same signs, stuffy nose so that there was snoring in a dream and began to choke, hard to exhale with his mouth. I do not understand what it is, for 1.5 months on sick leave and no results, now my husband is also sick :( :( :( They don’t put on the examination, there is no reason, but every day I get worse and worse, walk 10 meters and I do not smoke, I do not drink, I am 22. I no longer have any hope of recovery ..

23.09.2010, 21:42

Hello!
With vasomotor rhinitis, there may be nasal congestion and difficulty in nasal breathing. How many days have you been using nazonex?

23.09.2010, 22:30

Hello!
Are you constantly choking or "fits"?
If in waves, then observe at what moments it starts.

24.09.2010, 14:37

And with what disease are you being kept on sick leave for 1.5 months?

24.09.2010, 17:37

Hello, thanks for your responsiveness.
I have been using Nazonex for two weeks.
I suffocate in fits, in the car with the oven on, wake up at night, after hot tea, if I walk down the street and go into the room.
Sick leave is extended, every three days, the temperature is measured and sent home, along the way prescribing some pills. Of the specialists I got only to the ENT and the neurologist, the neurologist did not find anything, the ENT says that this is some kind of infection or fungus, maybe he himself does not know what to do or what to do either)))) These are the specialists in my clinic))) ) Today it was suggested that I have "air-conditioning pneumonia"))) I don't know if there is one, but in our clinic its presence cannot be detected. In theory, a VC was supposed to be in a month, but only the ENT and the manager watched me, there was no one else.
Dear doctors, please answer: can a nasal septum cause such a sharp vasomotor rhinitis if for 22 years my nose has not bothered me. What could have been the impetus? And is there any option that after the operation all these symptoms will disappear? I have never used drops. Breathing was never disturbed. And how can you determine the presence of a virus, infection or fungus if general analysis blood does not show anything?
To date, the temperature is 37 - 37.3, there is no sense of smell, ears are blocked, the submandibular lymph nodes are enlarged, they do not hurt, the nose does not breathe periodically.
Thanks again to everyone.

24.09.2010, 21:20

Post, please, the results of all the studies that you did.

24.09.2010, 21:52

I suffocate in fits, in the car with the oven on, wake up at night, after hot tea, if I walk down the street and go into the room.
Are there no exceptions in these situations?

25.09.2010, 08:15

Complete blood count: WBC 7.30 10e9 / L 4.00-11.0
RBC 5.00 10e12 / L 3.90-6.50
HGB 139.g / L 120.-175.
HCT 42.8% 36.0-54.0
MCV 85.7 fL 80.0-97.0
MCH 27.8 pg 27.0-33.0
MCHC 325.g / L 320.-360.
RDW 13.1% CV 11.6-15.0
PLT 250.10e9 / L 142.-424.
MPV 7.76 fL 0.00-99.9
PCT .194% 0.00-9.99
PWD 18.1 (GSD) 0.00-99.9
ESR 15 mm / g

Hormones: TSH 1.876 NORM 0.47-4.64, AUTO ANTIBODY 2.6 NORM 0-12, T3 FREE 2.36 NORM 1.8-4.2

Ultrasound of the heart: The chamber of the heart is not enlarged, prolapse of the anterior mitral valve leaflet with minimal regurgitation, additional notochord in the LV, myocardial contractility is preserved.

Rengen lungs, no pathology.
X-ray of the sinuses of the nose without pathology, the nasal septum is curved to the right, the ridge.
Smear on Bl from pharynx and nose was found nothing.
Blood for sterility, blood culture, a thick drop, nothing was revealed.

25.09.2010, 08:30

Please tell me what you mean by “choking”? You just can't breathe through your nose or you can't breathe in / out? How do you feel about it? What other sensations arise?

I apologize for my broken Chinese, it is difficult to explain so that you would understand correctly: my nose completely stops breathing, my ears also clog up, I start breathing through my mouth. The feeling that the density of the air increases and the mouth is very dry, the tongue sticks to the palate, it is difficult to swallow saliva. No cough.
At one of these moments, an ambulance was called, the air enters the lungs in full, there is no laryngeal edema, a slightly swollen root of the tongue and a completely swollen nose.
I myself understand that all the problems are due to the nose, but I can’t find the reason for which it suddenly starts to paw: o I repeat, this has never happened before.
Especially the nose does not breathe if I lie on my back.

25.09.2010, 08:38

Are there no exceptions in these situations?

It depends on how long I drive, walk down the street or how long I lie on my back, the longer, the worse. But everything passes quickly.

25.09.2010, 09:26

Vasomotor rhinitis is characterized by a violation of nasal breathing, which appears / disappears under the influence of some factors. As a rule, steroids (nazonex) are effective if the effect is not achieved, it is shown surgery... Including the correction of the septum, if necessary.

25.09.2010, 09:44

Maria Evgenievna, nazonex is effective, but how much to use it? If I quit, will my nose get stuck again? And what could have been the source, bacteria, infection, virus or something else?

25.09.2010, 10:02

So do you have the attacks of shortness of breath described by you against the background of nasonex or not?
A large number of factors could be the source.

25.09.2010, 10:10

What exactly are the factors and how to determine them? Maybe it makes no sense to do the operation, they will operate on me and come back again to the same. Nazonex began to act only a couple of days ago, despite the fact that I have been using it for a long time, now it seems to be easier.

25.09.2010, 10:26

Topical steroids (nazonex) may not work immediately. If it has started to work now, well, it is worth continuing to use it.

25.09.2010, 15:52

It is not entirely clear: during an attack of shortness of breath, is it hard to breathe only through the nose or through the mouth too (as written in the first message)? How long do these attacks last? How was bronchial asthma ruled out? With what diagnosis are you on sick leave for 1.5 months? Well, 1.5 months ago, how did it all start? What do you associate the occurrence of this disease?

25.09.2010, 19:01

It is hard both through the nose and through the mouth. I will clarify: breathing is difficult, but oxygen passes into the lungs in full volume. The attack can last 1-2 hours, maybe 5 minutes if, for example, go outside. At first, the nose, ears, and immediately dry up in the mouth, it is difficult to swallow saliva, the tongue seems to stick to the palate. Asthma was ruled out by the therapist, says the symptoms are not similar, but just in case I tried salbutomol during an attack, it does not work))
Regarding the sick leave: different diagnoses, acute laryngitis, pharyngitis, laryngotracheitis, tonsillitis, etc. in fact I have red back wall throats, swollen arches and, as I was told, swelling of the root of the tongue (I can't see it myself, I can't say). I don't know where the diagnoses come from.
About the onset of my disease, I can say that the nose stopped breathing abroad, I did not treat it for two weeks, and a week later, these attacks began in Russia. It looks like some kind of ENT disease or allergy, I took a course of Kestin, Erius and even Tavegil, nothing has changed. Today the attack was repeated in the car, I turned on the warm stove and after half an hour my nose got stuffy, it became hard to breathe, I went out into the street after 5 minutes. Everything is in order when the stove is off.
If this is true vasomotor rhinitis, then in my understanding you need to look for the cause of its occurrence, and the operation is just elimination of the consequences. I'm not sure that the partition will be fixed and that the attacks will end there. My septum has been crooked for 22 years and I have never experienced a stuffy nose in these 22 years. And to the question of how to identify the cause: infection, fungus, virus or what else it may be, unfortunately no one answered me (((
What analysis shows the presence of allergies? And the presence of infection and fungus?

25.09.2010, 20:27

Yes, indeed, nasal congestion can persist with adequate treatment of vasomotor rhinitis. There can be many reasons for vasomotor rhinitis; it makes no sense to treat a viral, fungal or bacterial infection. If nasonex helps you, use it.

25.09.2010, 20:39

25.09.2010, 20:44

Did the psychotherapist watch you?
In addition to ENT diseases, which you discuss with our ENT doctors, there seems to be an alarming component.
I would recommend using a fast-acting tranquilizer (phenazepam, alprazolam) at the time of an attack, which should be prescribed by a doctor, preferably a psychotherapist. If a tranquilizer relieves your condition, good. It will be necessary to add a psychotherapist's treatment.
Also follow these links, take the tests, report the results to us.
Hospital scale of depression and anxiety ([Links can only be seen by registered and activated users])
Beck scale ([Links can only be seen by registered and activated users])
Individual-typological questionnaire ([Links can only be seen by registered and activated users])
Panic Attack Checklist ([Links can only be seen by registered and activated users])

25.09.2010, 21:06

Tell us what your emotional state was like when you got sick abroad; what was the emotional state when it started again at home.
Do you have chronic persistent difficulties in relationships, work, ...?
Do you tend to react with bodily symptoms to troubles, difficulties, other stress?

It's not about the emotional state, in my opinion, I was on vacation, the mood was great, I got sick because of the air conditioner, apparently it blew, it was +52 on the street, so they did not turn it off all day and night.
In Russia, my vacation continued, so there was no particular stress, almost. I went with my friends to the cinema and during the session I felt that there was not enough air, then yes, I was very scared. An ambulance was called at home, the paramedic poured Corvalol, immediately fell asleep. But the next day everything happened again. I went to the hospital, and there they didn't even understand, VSD and that's it, they prescribed valerian and magnesium B6, so I got to the ENT only a week later, when the temperature was almost 38 and with a red throat.
I don't remember the last time I was sick how many years ago. I have no troubles, except for this incomprehensible disease. The year was difficult, but not harder than everyone else. In general, I do not want to drink any pills, any normal person will feel anxiety if he gets to our clinic) 09/25/2010, 21:35

Thanks a lot to everyone who took the time and answered me.