When a cold does not go away for a month, this is an occasion to seriously worry about your health condition. This problem appears in both adults and children. In addition to the hassle that is accompanied by this symptom, this may also be a reason indicating a more serious ailment. A constantly stuffy nose interferes with free breathing, due to a prolonged runny nose, working capacity and physical activity are reduced. A runny nose is considered prolonged, which does not go away for two weeks. There can be many causes of rhinitis - allergens, viruses, drugs. In this article we will talk about the causes of this disease and how to treat it.
Types of Rhinitis
When a cold does not pass a month, it means that you have one of the varieties of rhinitis. Doctors distinguish several types of this disease. Let's talk about the most common.
Catarrhal rhinitis
It appears as a result of ARVI, is accompanied by an inflammatory process of a viral or microbial nature. This variety of the common cold is characterized by the appearance of a large amount of liquid mucus, lacrimation, a constantly stuffy nose. In this case, as a rule, the patient has a high temperature. The disease should be treated by eliminating pathological factors. If you choose the wrong drugs, rhinitis can develop into a chronic disease. With such a development of events, a runny nose does not pass 2 months or more. Likely complications.
Vasomotor rhinitis
The disease is very common. It is manifested by impaired activity of the nasal mucosa. In this case, tissue structures are violated, and the conductivity of the vessels decreases. This provokes inflammation of the mucosa. This type of rhinitis is characterized by persistent, but not very plentiful secretions, which cause frequent coughing and pain in the larynx. The mucus stagnates, draining along the back wall of the sinuses, which provokes the spread of pathogens.
Hypertrophic rhinitis
This disease is characterized by global disorders that occur in the tissues of the nasal cavity. They arise for a number of reasons. This may be systematic hypothermia, the presence of an allergen, the presence of fungal spores or infections in the body.
As a result, tissues are gradually destroyed. In such a situation, a runny nose does not pass for more than a month. Against the background of the inflammatory process, the lower nasal concha and mucosa change. When the process becomes deep, inflammation spreads to the nasal and middle conchae.
Lymphatic flow and blood flow are reduced, the walls of blood vessels undergo changes. When such a runny nose does not pass for a month, it is fraught with damage to bone tissue. Then pathological enzymes have to be removed during surgery.
Atrophic rhinitis
With this type of disease, dry mouth occurs, yellowish mucus is secreted, and thick crusts appear. It develops a runny nose as a reaction to an irritant. A runny nose does not go away for 3 months or more if bacteria are in the sinuses.
With this type of ailment, patients have a repulsive smell from the nose, which they themselves do not feel. Atrophic rhinitis in some cases may be non-bacterial in nature. In this case, the source of the disease is inhibition of the protective functions of the body, digestive system diseases, damage to the bone tissue of the nose, hormonal changes, autoimmune disorders, and lung diseases.
Drug rhinitis
The disease appears after prolonged treatment with the use of vasoconstrictor drugs. It is also called ricochet rhinitis. Remember that sprays and drops that help overcome swelling are forbidden to use for more than five days.
A runny nose does not pass a month and because of other drugs - stimulating or antiviral. With drug rhinitis, nasal mucus appears sporadically, resembling a liquid in its structure. A classic symptom is a stuffy nose. The condition may improve from time to time. This usually happens at night.
During pregnancy
Often you have to face the fact that a runny nose does not pass a month in an adult woman during pregnancy. Specialists distinguish this type of rhinitis separately, considering this condition to be characteristic during the period of formation and growth of the fetus.
In this case, a prolonged runny nose appears due to a change in the level of hormones in the blood. It is worth noting that, as a rule, he does not cause serious concern. It is not recommended to treat it during pregnancy, only if the patient begins to experience severe discomfort from the discharge.
In other situations, you should refrain from using medications that can harm the fetus.
Causes
If a runny nose does not pass more than a month in an adult, the reasons for this may be different. This is the first sign that rhinitis has entered a chronic stage. Its bright manifestations are a temporary improvement in well-being, during which the discharge from the nose disappears, but the mucous membrane becomes dry, and crusts appear in the passages themselves.
Due to congestion in the mucous membrane, a runny nose and cough do not go away for a month, accompanied by expectoration of mucus of a yellowish color. In this case, the discharge along the back wall flows into the trachea.
The reasons for a prolonged runny nose can be adverse working conditions, climate, regular cleaning in the house. The main factors causing this ailment are as follows:
- Household dust.
- The operation of heating systems in the winter.
- Congenital pathologies leading to septum curvature.
- Production factors.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Natural allergens.
Symptoms
Signs of protracted rhinitis may vary, depending on what causes it. With viral or bacterial inflammation, this is:
- Weakness.
- Swelling of the nasopharynx.
- Hyperthermia.
- Drowsiness.
- Nasal mucus of different consistency, which is secreted constantly.
- Lack of appetite.
- Decreased activity.
- Lack of smell.
In allergic rhinitis, the symptoms are as follows:
- Lacrimation.
- Burning them with inflammation of the eye mucosa.
- Sneezing.
- Systematic abundant discharge of fluid from the nose.
Vasomotor rhinitis, which appears due to problems with the vessels, is characterized by the following symptoms:
- The color of nasal mucus changes from white to green-yellow.
- Stagnation in the nasal cavity.
- Increased secretion in case of nervous tension and stress.
- Heaviness in the head.
- Irritability for no reason.
- The nose is blocked only on one side.
Complications
It is very important to pay attention to a prolonged runny nose in a timely manner, since otherwise unpleasant complications can occur. As a rule, they are associated with changes in breathing. In the cold, this can lead to inflammation of the upper respiratory tract or throat. In extreme cases, swelling in the ear canals may appear.
Fear is worth the following dangerous ailments:
- Pharyngitis.
- Laryngitis.
- Sinusitis.
- Otitis.
- Bronchitis, tracheitis, bronchopneumonia.
- Adenoids.
- Sinusitis
With the formation of an inflammatory process in the nasal mucosa, the disease can spread to the eyes, causing inflammation of the lacrimal sacs and tear channels.
In the most severe form, it is worth fearing atrophic or hypertrophic damage to the tissues of the nose. In this case, the tissue dies over time or grows pathologically.
With prolonged runny nose, a transformation of the structure of tissues occurs, due to which polyps can form. These are benign neoplasms that actually completely block the nasal passages. In this case, hyposmia may develop. This is called the temporary loss of smell. Often a prolonged runny nose is accompanied by snoring, which provokes disturbances in the activity of the heart and blood vessels.
Diagnostics
Before you begin treatment, it is important to determine what type of rhinitis you are suffering from. You can find out by rhinoscopy of the nose and its cavities. It is also recommended to send the patient for a general blood test. If an inflammatory process occurs in the body, then the level of leukocytes will be exceeded.
Viruses in the body are determined by the cells of the nasal mucosa, and radiography helps to detect the formation of pus and congestion.
Urine and blood tests are performed for rhinitis, which is accompanied by fever. Skin tests will establish the allergen that served as the main causative agent of this ailment.
Treatment methods
After establishing the specific cause of rhinitis, the doctor prescribes medication. An effective way to deal with a protracted rhinitis is to treat the nasal mucosa with sea salt sprays. This is Dolphin, Aqua Maris, Salin, Quicks.
It quickly cures bacterial and viral rhinitis. This must be done comprehensively. First, sprays and vasoconstrictive drops should be used for three days to alleviate the patient's condition. At the time of treatment, drugs with essential phytocomponents are prescribed. These are "Cameton", "Vit-asset", "Pinosol". They relieve swelling of the nose, reduce the amount of mucous secretion and soothe the mucous membrane. The healing process can be accelerated with the help of physiotherapy and inhalation.
In case of an allergic rhinitis, the irritant that provokes this disease should be eliminated. For this, histamine blockers are used. Suprastin, Loratadine and Cetirizine are sold in tablet form, while Desrinit, Avamis and Flixonase are in the form of sprays.
Perhaps the most difficult to deal with vasomotor rhinitis. The minimum course of treatment is about one month. In this case, the nose should be washed with saline, taking drugs that restore the structure of necrotic and affected tissues, corticosteroids.
When chronic rhinitis is complicated by adenoids or polyps, then it can be cured only with the help of surgical intervention. Pathological tissues are excised, breathing can be quickly restored.
Disease in children
Parents should seriously worry if the child has a runny nose for 2 months does not pass. Pediatricians explain why this is happening. They emphasize that the matter is in the mucus that forms in the nasal passages. In fact, these are dead cells of the mucous membranes, as well as viscous healing mucin, which destroy bacteria and viruses, delaying their penetration into the body.
The viscosity of this mucus is determined by mucin. Its number in inflammatory diseases is individual. Therefore, even among relatives, infectious rhinitis can occur in different ways. In some, the discharge will be thick, while in others it will be liquid.
Pediatric Tips
According to the recommendations of doctors, when a child does not have a runny nose for a month, the humidity and temperature in the apartment should be adjusted. Often the air in the house is overheated and overdried, which causes problems with the mucous membranes of the sinuses.
Preferably, in the room where the sick child is located, the air temperature was from 18 to 20 degrees, and humidity from 50 to 60 percent. In such conditions, the patient's condition is guaranteed to improve. The easiest way to increase the humidity in the apartment is regular wet cleaning.
If a child does not have a runny nose for a month, you can use the old proven method. Thick nasal discharge should be softened with drops of warm water or a weak tea leaves, and then make the child blow his nose thoroughly (first sitting with a straight back, and then with his head bowed). Only after this procedure, instillation of sprays or drops into the nose will be effective.
If a child does not have a runny nose for more than a month, it is important not to make a mistake trying to use fleece, suction, or tourniquets to clear the nostrils. This should not be done, since there will be practically no effect, and you can easily injure the mucous membrane.