Runny nose (rhinitis) is an inflammatory process in the nasal mucosa. The disease gives a lot of unpleasant sensations - the nose swells from constant friction, tears flow from the eyes, the voice changes. A constantly stuffy nose disrupts normal breathing, interferes with eating, reduces physical and mental activity, and leads to fatigue. What to do if a runny nose does not go away, try to figure it out.
Common types of rhinitis
Depending on the nature of the occurrence, there are the following common varieties of rhinitis:
- Catarrhal - caused by viruses and bacteria, is a companion of many infectious diseases. Inflammation of the mucous membrane occurs, nasal breathing is difficult, the sense of smell is reduced, tearing and headache occur.
- Vasomotor - begins with a violation of the tone of blood vessels. It is manifested by nasal congestion, not very plentiful, but constant discharge that flows down the back of the throat, causing coughing and perspiration.
- Medication - congestion and runny nose appear after prolonged use of vasoconstrictor drugs, which are not recommended for more than five days.
What to do if a runny nose does not go away? Depending on the type of runny nose that only a doctor can determine, a specific treatment is prescribed. Do not self-medicate if rhinitis does not go away for a long time.
Types of the common cold, rarely diagnosed
The following types of rhinitis are not so common:
- Hypertrophic - mucosal hypertrophy occurs due to a prolonged inflammatory process in the nasal cavity. Shortness of breath, loss of smell and taste, nasal voice, mucous or purulent discharge from the nose.
- Atrophic - causes a structural change in the mucosa. An agonizing dryness and viscous discharge are felt in the nose, dense crusts form, problems with smell occur, nasal breathing is disturbed.
To treat each of them, their own course of therapy is prescribed.
Symptoms of a prolonged runny nose
A runny nose for a child is always an unpleasant phenomenon, and if it is delayed for a long time, then this is already a serious problem. The kid constantly complains of nasal congestion, inability to smell. In addition, instead of transparent discharge, yellow-green thick snot appears, accompanied by headache, itching and burning in the throat.
Parents note drowsiness, lethargy and fatigue of the baby. And naturally they have a question - what to do, the child does not have a runny nose? In this case, you should consult a doctor so that he prescribes the correct treatment.
Diagnosis of the disease
To establish a diagnosis, the doctor must conduct a conversation with parents, figuring out all the details of the course of the disease. After a visual examination, the following studies are prescribed:
- General analysis of urine and blood.
- Inspection of the nasal passages, throat and auricles using special ENT tools.
- X-ray of the paranasal sinuses.
- If necessary, allergic and immunological studies are carried out.
After making an accurate diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the necessary therapy and mandatory prevention.
Causes of a Chronic Runny Nose
If a runny nose does not go away for a week, what should I do? This is normal, you just need to continue treatment further. But if acute rhinitis lasts more than 10 days and does not go away, then most likely the chronic form of the disease begins. For her, periodic disappearance of secretions with the manifestation of dry mucosa and the formation of crusts is possible. And after some period, the runny nose returns again and causes a lot of inconvenience. The main causes of chronic runny nose are:
- Often recurring acute rhinitis.
- Dry air indoors - especially in winter. Drying of the mucosa occurs, and it begins to produce too much secretion.
- Household dust - an allergic reaction to dust mites is accompanied by increased mucus production.
- Air pollution - the release of a significant amount of reagents by industrial enterprises.
- Congenital abnormalities in the structure of the nose when mucus production function is impaired.
- Natural allergens - plant pollen, animal hair.
What to do if a runny nose does not go away? In each case, it is necessary to identify the cause and try to eliminate it. At the same time strengthen the body in order to prevent rhinitis.
Vasomotor rhinitis
Vasomotor rhinitis is a runny nose in which the vessels of the nasal mucosa dilate to various irritants - cold air, steam, a pungent odor, and cause swelling. Sometimes runny nose attacks can occur for no reason, while blocking the nose, frequent sneezing begins, copious mucous secretions appear, and tears flow. Sometimes the condition is complicated by infectious rhinitis, which turns into sinusitis, nasal discharge becomes yellowish-green, and a runny nose does not go away for a long time.
"What to do?" - the only question that excites and requires an answer. After all, the patient also lacks oxygen, weakness, fatigue, headaches, loses appetite, sleeps poorly. In severe cases, excess fluid accumulates in the lungs, and sometimes asthma attacks occur.
The disease is treated with drugs, but often they are ineffective. Therefore, photodynamic therapy is used, irrigating the mucosa with particles of minerals. Organotherapy is a good result in improving lymph flow and local immunity. In complex cases, surgery is used to correct the nasal mucosa with a laser.
Treatment methods
With a prolonged runny nose, treatment is necessarily prescribed taking into account the cause that caused it. What to do, the child does not have a runny nose? Experts recommend:
- Flush nasal passages regularly. Such manipulation frees the nasal cavity from viruses, bacteria and allergens. The most effective are preparations containing sea salt.
- For the treatment of rhinitis caused by viruses or bacteria, phytopreparations are used that have a complex effect. They include substances with antiseptic, deodorizing and mucolytic properties, which helps to facilitate breathing.
- Herbal inhalations with the addition of essential oils give a good result in the treatment of rhinitis caused by viruses and bacteria.
- An allergic rhinitis usually has a lingering character. It is necessary to eliminate the allergen. To do this, do wet cleaning daily, change the diet. The doctor prescribes antihistamines.
What to do to quickly run a runny nose in a child? In addition to performing medical procedures, observe the temperature regime in the apartment, monitor air humidity, carry out frequent ventilation, strengthen immunity.
Why does a runny nose last more than a month?
One of the diseases of the nasal cavity, when a painful runny nose does not go away for a long period, is sinusitis. His reasons:
- untreated caries and periodontal disease;
- acute and chronic rhinitis;
- tonsillitis;
- pharyngitis;
- complication after SARS;
- curvature of the nasal septum.
If the infection gets into the maxillary sinus, inflammation occurs. In connection with the blockage of the sinus opening as a result of edema, pus accumulates in its cavity. The patient has a feeling of congestion and bursting in the nasal cavity. Painful sensations intensify with the head tilted down. Body temperature rises, general weakness is observed. Discharge from the nose becomes yellow-green or absent.
If such a runny nose does not pass a month, what should I do? To eliminate the ailment, the doctor prescribes drugs depending on the cause of the inflammation: antifungal, antiviral agents or antibiotics. For mild to moderate diseases, drainage is performed using vasoconstrictors. In severe sinusitis, drugs containing cyclamen are used. They act on the trigeminal nerve, stimulating the passage of mucus and relieving swelling. And nose washing with saline is also actively used. If therapy is unsuccessful, they resort to a surgical method - they do a puncture of the maxillary sinuses.
Runny nose does not pass a year: what to do?
A runny nose, which lasts a whole year, is most likely a sign of allergic rhinitis, when inflammation of the nasal mucosa is caused by allergens. It is manifested by swelling, congestion, itching and transparent discharge from the nose. A characteristic feature of this type of runny nose is a repeated, repeated sneezing. Some people only suffer from it in spring and summer when various plants bloom, while others suffer year-round.
To eliminate the symptoms, antihistamines and specialized sprays are prescribed, which form a protective film on the nasal mucosa, and the allergen cannot come into contact with it.
In severe conditions, hormonal agents are used. In the case when there is no effect from the drugs, allergen-specific immunotherapy is carried out - this is the introduction of gradually increasing doses of the allergen, to create stable immunity to it.
To prevent allergic rhinitis, wet cleaning is done daily, and any penetration of the allergen into the apartment is limited.
Rhinitis after a viral infection does not go away for a long time
Each person has a viral infection several times a year, which, as a rule, is accompanied by a runny nose. Usually the disease disappears within seven days and the symptoms of the common cold disappear. But if the runny nose does not go away for 3 weeks, what to do in this case? Most likely, the treatment was carried out incorrectly, or one of the following situations arose:
- A bacterial infection has joined. Pathogenic bacteria got into the body, weakened by the virus, and the nasal mucosa was inflamed again. In this case, you need to see a doctor so that he prescribes the necessary treatment, antibiotics may be required. And of course, one must always rinse the nose constantly to prevent rhinitis from becoming chronic.
- A complication after SARS is inflammation of the sinuses: sinusitis or frontal sinusitis. Sputum due to severe inflammation and swelling is not able to get out of the sinuses and it is impossible to wash them. For effective treatment, antibiotics are required.
- Vasomotor rhinitis is a special form of the common cold associated with the tone of the vessels of the nose. They begin to respond to cold or hot air and any allergens, causing inflammation of the mucosa. For treatment, washing of the nasal passages, antihistamines and hormones are used.
- Structural and morphological changes. This may be the growth of polyps, adenoids, curvature of the nasal septum. A prolonged runny nose is most often eliminated by surgery.
For preventive purposes, it is necessary to conduct hardening and sports, use vitamin complexes.
Prolonged runny nose
In medical practice, there are many cases where a runny nose that has arisen with a catarrhal disease does not have time to pass in two weeks of treatment. Do not panic about this. The causes of a prolonged runny nose can be:
- severe course of the underlying disease;
- chronic respiratory tract infection;
- allergy;
- the occurrence of vasomotor rhinitis;
- damage to the nasal septum.
And most often, the protracted nature of the common cold is associated with a weakened immune system in patients with chronic diseases, elderly, exhausted people.
If a runny nose does not go away for 2 weeks, what should I do? First of all, establish the cause of the situation, and for this visit the attending physician. After diagnosis, continue the prescribed therapy. In each case, it may be different. But the range of measures includes increasing the body's defenses, treatment of chronic ENT diseases, the use of medications against the common cold, physiotherapeutic procedures, and elimination of allergy symptoms. All drugs and procedures are prescribed by the attending physician.
General advice for the treatment of the common cold
What to do to get a runny nose? To do this, follow simple recommendations:
- Create optimal conditions in the room where the patient is located - increase air humidity, do frequent ventilation, make sure that the air temperature does not exceed 24 degrees.
- Do not eat spicy food.
- Observe drinking regimen.
- Exclude contact with allergens.
Start treatment immediately when the first symptoms appear. Take a hot foot bath, put mustard plasters on your legs, drink tea with raspberries and lemon, rinse your nose.
Conclusion
So what if the runny nose does not go away? A protracted illness lasting for two or three weeks should not cause the patient to panic. But at the same time, treatment must be continued to prevent complications and the transition of the disease into a chronic form. To do this, be sure to carry out all therapy under the supervision of a physician. If nevertheless a complication has occurred or a runny nose has turned into an allergic or vasomotor form of the disease, it is necessary to consult with appropriate specialists, undergo a diagnosis and a course of therapy.