If a person has a stuffy nose, a headache , then this can be a symptom of many diseases. And some of them are quite dangerous. Therefore, with stuffy nose and ears, especially if the head hurts, it is imperative to undergo a medical examination.
Paranasal sinuses
The human skull is quite complicated, just one facial, paranasal sinuses, several items. Inflammation can affect any of them. From the sinus, in which inflammation of the mucous membrane began with the release of mucus, the name of the pathology arises. For example, if this happened with the maxillary sinuses, then the disease, respectively, is called sinusitis.
Sinuses are present not only in the paranasal space, but also in the forehead. Inflammation in such places is necessarily accompanied by severe pain in the face.
The treatment of pathologies in the sinuses is performed by the otolaryngologist, or ENT. Therefore, if a person has a stuffy nose and a headache, then this specialist should be consulted first.
Causes of Sinus Disease
Inflammation and swelling of the mucosa in the facial sinuses occurs for a number of reasons. This may be due to an acute respiratory viral disease. It begins with the throat and bronchi, then passes to the paranasal and frontal sinuses.
A person can easily become a victim of pathological microorganisms, such as staphylococci, streptococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella and so on. All of them are transported through the air, when ingested, they can provoke the appearance of pus in the sinuses.
The third reason is allergy. Such a reaction can occur on any substance, from plant pollen and room dust to expensive perfumes. The provocateur of swelling of the mucosa in the sinuses may be the smell of paint or varnish. So if a person has a stuffy nose, a headache, and there is no temperature, then this is most likely an allergy. Worst of all, when there are several causes of swelling of the mucous membrane in the sinuses at once, in this case, treatment can take many months.
Sinusitis
According to the frequency of occurrence, this disease is the leader. It consists in the inflammation of the maxillary sinuses located near the nose in the upper jaw. Chronic rhinitis leads to sinusitis. After all, with a stuffy nose, the outflow of mucus from the sinuses is significantly difficult or even impossible. The accumulated mucus over time begins to turn into pus, which is accompanied by severe pain in the front of the head. Most often, a person with chronic sinusitis has a stuffy nose, a headache, and there is no temperature, with the exception of periods of exacerbation. An increase in the amount of pus in the maxillary sinuses leads to general intoxication of the body, the spread of the disease to the remaining facial sinuses. At this stage, body temperature may rise.
Treatment, as a rule, consists in piercing the sinuses, and then pumping out the accumulated mucus and pus from them. At the same time, the patient is undergoing antibiotic treatment.
Frontite
This disease is the second most common after sinusitis. It arises for the same reason when a chronic runny nose prevents the mucus from coming out of the sinus. And if an infection joins it, then a person has a stuffy nose and a headache, moreover than with sinusitis, since frontal sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses in the frontal part of the skull.
The result of frontal sinusitis is chronic pain in the head, constant nasal congestion and, in the end, general intoxication of the body caused by a large amount of pus in the sinuses.
Sphenoiditis
In this case, inflammation occurs in the sphenoid sinus, and it is located in the area of the temporal bone. Such a location of sinuses causes pain in the head in the area of the nape or temples.
The cause and effect of the development is a stuffy nose and a headache. But sphenoiditis rarely occurs, as part of the fluid leaves through the ducts leading to the throat, and they are usually open. That is, chronic inflammation can be avoided. Accordingly, the disease is treated more easily, since usually enough drug therapy is enough.
Allergy
If a person has a headache, a stuffy nose, then he most likely has allergic rhinitis or rhinoconjunctivitis. In other words, the body’s immune system reacts sharply to a certain substance, when it enters the surface of the mucous membrane, it tries to get rid of it, increasing the secretion of mucus.
The condition is similar to a cold: a headache, a stuffy nose, a breakdown. A person does not feel very well, his eyes may turn red or watery.
A person does not have temperature in this condition, this is just the symptom by which it is usually determined that this is an allergic reaction, and not an infectious disease.
The treatment of allergic rhinitis is quite complicated, it involves the use of hormonal drugs and physiotherapy. That is why it can only be performed by a doctor, that is, a professional, and even then only after a complete diagnosis of the patient, including based on the results of an analysis for hormones.
Polyps
Polyps can completely or partially block the nasal ducts, in order to impede the outflow of mucus from the sinuses. These are neoplasms of a benign nature. In general, the polyp is not dangerous. This is not an oncological formation, therefore it is not able to give metastases. The whole complexity of the situation with polyps lies in blocked ducts.
Unfortunately, a conservative treatment for polyps has not yet been developed. Only surgery can help a person in this situation.
Nasal congestion in children
If a child has a stuffy nose and ears, a headache, this does not always mean that he has a cold. Although in this situation, without a doctor’s examination, treatment is not recommended. We should not forget that the mucous membrane in babies is extremely sensitive, especially in the first months of life. Indeed, during this period, his mucosa did not have time to get used to the changes in temperature, humidity and various irritants in the air.
When a child has a stuffy nose and a headache, it is enough to suck the mucus out of the nose with a small enema, and also bring his room to normal conditions for him. It should be warm and humid. To increase humidity, just put a container of water next to the crib. It is very important to remove irritants from the room, such as pets, plants with a pungent odor. Clothes and bedding should be washed with ordinary household soap without artificial fragrances and dyes. The room needs daily wet cleaning.
All these measures will help the baby breathe calmly.
Diagnosis and treatment of nasal congestion
Many people wonder about when the nose is stuffy and the head hurts, what to do. The answer is obvious - go to an otolaryngologist appointment. Only a specialist can understand the cause of the common cold and prescribe adequate treatment. For this, an external examination of the patient is carried out, a medical history is collected. If necessary, in the laboratory, mucus from the nose and blood from the vein are examined.
Drug treatment is aimed at relieving edema and combating pathogens that have settled in the sinuses.
Vasoconstrictor drugs are presented as follows: “Galazolin”, “Nazol”, “Xylene”, “Rinorus”, “Naftimizin”, “Formazolin” and the like. The course of treatment with such agents should not exceed 10-15 days, as the body gets used to them, and the effectiveness decreases. But the most dangerous thing is that the body will not be able to do without such drugs in the future. There are cases when a person was forced to use a nasal spray for 15-20 years.
Antiviral therapy is performed using Relenza, Tamiflu, or Peramivir. Inflammation is relieved by Paracetamol or Nimesil.
The mucous membrane and ducts in the sinuses are washed with special solutions. Procedures are carried out only in the presence of a doctor and only in his office. Doing self-washing at home is strongly discouraged.
Physiotherapeutic Activities
Physiotherapy takes first place in the treatment of chronic diseases of the sinuses and ducts. For example, using electrophoresis, drugs are delivered directly to the bloodstream, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract.
And inhalations with peppermint, eucalyptus and other aromatic means can be carried out even at home. To change the structure of the mucous membrane, treatment with an electromagnetic field - UHF is used.
Paraffin compresses are highly effective. They not only remove edema from the mucous membrane, but also restore its structure at the molecular level.
Surgery
Surgical treatment of nasal congestion is the most extreme measure. But, unfortunately, in some cases it is the only one left for the patient. The surgeon's task is to free the duct for a normal outflow of mucus. If polyps became the cause of its overlap, then they are easily removed. But, if the prolonged use of nasal sprays and similar drugs led to the nasal septum being deformed, the doctor needs all his skill to restore it and the ducts for air access.
If pus has accumulated in the facial sinuses, then it is removed with a long needle passed through the nasal ducts.
Treatment of nasal congestion with folk remedies
When a person has a stuffy nose and a headache, weakness in his arms and legs, dizziness, only complex treatment prescribed by a specialist can help him.
But if there is a slight runny nose, moreover, non-inflammatory and allergic in nature, then you can try to get rid of it with the help of traditional medicine.
The nose can be instilled with aloe juice. This not only relieves edema, but also reduces the likelihood of an infectious disease.
You can inhale the smell of garlic and onions mashed through a grater. Potato juice helps if mixed with onion juice and honey. This tool should be instilled into the nose at least 2 times a day. It will be useful if you have a headache, a stuffy nose, but no snot.
Prevention of nasal congestion
Since nasal congestion and subsequent pathologies are a direct consequence of a weakened immunity, for the purpose of prevention, it makes sense to strengthen the body's immune system in every way. To do this, you need to temper, regularly play sports and eat foods rich in vitamins and fiber.
In order for a person not to complain that he has a stuffy nose and a headache, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the nose. For example, to be operated on time in case of damage to the septum received after an injury.
Colds should be treated with high quality, as prescribed by a doctor. And if the course of the drug is prescribed for 15 days, then you need to take it all 15 days. And do not stop taking on the third or fourth day.
Of great importance for the condition of the nose is oral hygiene. You need to brush your teeth regularly: in the morning and in the evening, and the resulting caries should be treated immediately, without waiting for the complete destruction of the tooth.
It is very important to stop drinking alcohol and smoking. These habits not only weaken the immune system, but also destroy the respiratory and digestive organs. A person will not have normal breathing if he regularly breathes smoke filled with nicotine, tar, heavy metals and other combustion products.
As for children, it is necessary to carefully monitor that they are not supercooling, that there are no drafts in their room, it is always clean, and the air is of normal humidity.
If a child has a stuffy nose and a headache because of an allergy to the hair of a pet, he does not have to rush to get rid of a four-legged friend. An allergy of this nature can sometimes go away on its own, and at this time the animal needs to restrict access to the baby’s room.