How to get rid of nasal congestion during pregnancy

General concepts

In medicine, the period of bearing a child is divided into periods of 3 months, in each of which certain changes occur.
The first trimester is counted from the moment the egg is fertilized until the 13th week of pregnancy. It is characterized by the formation of a functional mother-placenta-fetus system. The period is considered critical for the reason that the establishment of this connection is not stable.

At the early stage of fetal development, the first protective organs are formed, internal sexual characteristics are formed, and the development of the brain begins. Large blood vessels are being formed and the digestive system is developing. Fingers form on the hands and feet, and the fetus begins to move for the first time. The placenta develops and will produce hormones. The female body rebuilds its own metabolism to provide the child with the necessary amount of nutrients.

At this time, a woman may develop toxicosis - a condition accompanied by nausea and vomiting. It occurs if a pregnant woman’s body does not keep up with metabolic processes. In the first trimester, a woman carrying a baby experiences an increased basal temperature; it can be 37.2-38 °C.

The condition of nasal congestion disrupts the circulation of oxygen in the respiratory organs and leads to the development of hypoxia in the tissues of the nasopharynx.

Against the background of rhinitis, the brain is poorly supplied with oxygen, which causes headaches and fatigue. A stuffy nose disrupts proper sleep, and as a result, the general condition of a pregnant woman noticeably worsens.

There are vasomotor, allergic and infectious rhinitis. In order to properly treat a runny nose during pregnancy in the 1st trimester, it is necessary to find out its origin.

Treatment regimen in early and late pregnancy

As soon as the first signs of difficulty breathing through the nose appear, the expectant mother should immediately inform her gynecologist or ENT specialist about this. The doctor will determine the cause of the illness and select medications that will eliminate the problem and will not harm the baby. Treatment regimens differ in early and late pregnancy due to different causes of nasal congestion.

Nasal congestion and runny nose in the first trimester in most cases have nothing to do with pregnancy and are caused by infection. It is dangerous to use medications uncontrollably, because during this period the baby’s organs are being formed. Drops and tablets that are used without taking into account the state of pregnancy can cause irreparable harm to the child. Doctors categorically prohibit exposing the expectant mother’s body to heat, for example, you cannot put mustard plasters on, or soar your legs!

Treatment of an infectious disease will be comprehensive and include:

Antiviral or antibacterial drugs prescribed taking into account the patient's condition.
Moisturizing the nasal mucosa with saline solutions.
Drink plenty of fluids.

During late pregnancy, the most common cause of difficulty breathing is hormonal changes. The likelihood of harming the developing fetus is much less, even when taking pills. There remains a danger of the consequences of oxygen starvation, so the expectant mother needs to relieve nasal congestion as quickly as possible. But rhinitis in pregnant women, caused by physiological reasons, completely disappears immediately after childbirth. No drug treatment required!

Vasomotor rhinitis

This is impaired nasal breathing, which occurs as a hypertrophied vascular reaction to physical irritation. With this type of rhinitis, the nostrils become blocked alternately, repeated bouts of sneezing are repeated, and mucus is released profusely. There may be itching in the nose and eyelids, and a dry cough. Vasomotor rhinitis differs from infectious rhinitis in the absence of high fever, headache, and redness of the throat. The condition is caused by a hormonal imbalance that disrupts the permeability of blood vessels in the nasal mucosa.

Treatment of allergic rhinitis during pregnancy

To cure allergic rhinitis during pregnancy, the doctor will tell you after an examination. The expectant mother needs to remember that changes in hormonal levels lead to nasal congestion, runny nose, problems with other organs and exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Allergic rhinitis should be treated immediately, but the therapeutic process will be slightly different. For any type of allergy, antihistamines are prescribed, but not all drugs are approved for use during pregnancy. But you can resort to traditional methods.

When a pregnant woman constantly has a stuffy nose, a regular solution based on sea salt will help. It has no side effects or contraindications. You can buy it at the pharmacy or make it yourself. The procedure should be performed about six times a day.

You can also perform inhalations with herbs in the form of sage, calendula and thyme. Instead of herbs, you can use menthol or sea buckthorn oil. To carry out the manipulations, just tilt your head over the pan or plate and cover yourself with a towel. You need to breathe the steam for at least five minutes. To feel improvement and relieve nasal congestion, you need to do several of these procedures. Inhalation during pregnancy is not recommended at elevated body temperatures.

Therapy for pathology

How to treat a runny nose during pregnancy? Doctors do not recommend using nasal medications that constrict blood vessels. Traditional drops can interfere with blood flow, which can negatively affect fetal development.

To relieve symptoms, it is recommended to rinse the nose using saline solutions and a nebulizer - a device that helps disperse medicinal substances.

Inhalation should be carried out no earlier than 2 hours after eating. The duration of the procedure should not exceed 10 minutes, and when using essential oil - 5 minutes. After inhalation, it is not recommended to eat, drink or go outside for one hour.

You can restore breathing when you have a runny nose in the early stages of pregnancy with the help of special gymnastics. Breathing exercises should be performed in a comfortable position 3 times a day. The following movements can be used:

The index finger is placed on the bridge of the nose, the thumb is on the right wing of the nose, and the middle finger covers the left nostril. After exhaling, close the right nostril and slowly take in air with the left. Next, both are clamped, the breath is held for 5-8 seconds, after which the air is slowly released through the right nostril. The exercise is repeated 10 times alternately on each side. It is necessary that the exhalation is 2 times longer than the inhalation.
The exercise is based on ri, counting by pulse beats. Take a comfortable position and begin to slowly draw in air through your nose, stretching the inhalation for 5-10 pulse beats (pulse beats). This is followed by a delay of 5-10 y. p., then slowly exhale, spread over 5-10 pulsations. Breathing exercises should be performed for 5 minutes 5-7 times a day.

How to relieve nasal congestion during pregnancy

In order not to progress the disease and not to risk the health of the baby, a pregnant woman should seek qualified medical help for a prolonged runny nose and nasal congestion.

A pregnant woman undergoes rhinoscopy to make an accurate diagnosis of nasal congestion.

The doctor will use palpation to identify painful foci of infection, and will also refer you for rhinoscopy - examination of the nasal cavity using special mirrors.

In rare cases, an x-ray may be required, and before the 12th week of pregnancy such examination is generally prohibited. The puncture is also not recommended for pregnant women.

After conducting the necessary studies, the pregnant woman is diagnosed and gentle therapy is prescribed.

Traditional treatment for congestion

Drug therapy involves the use of sprays and nasal drops, as well as a course of inhalations. Since vasoconstrictor drops are prohibited during pregnancy due to their negative effects on the placenta, they should only be used as a last resort. If alternative methods of dealing with nasal congestion do not help, the doctor prescribes drugs that are used to treat children or even newborns - Otrivin, Nazivin. In advanced forms of the runny nose, a decision is made to take Vibrocil or Tizin. It is advisable to drip this medicine into the nose once before going to bed, and the maximum period of therapy is three days.

Photo gallery: nasal drops during pregnancy

Otrivin for newborns is also suitable for expectant mothers

Nazivin for babies can also be used during pregnancy

Vibrocil will help cope with allergic rhinitis

Tizin during pregnancy should be used only as prescribed by a doctor.

Other methods for relieving nasal congestion and swelling in the nasal passages are:

Washing with saline solutions. Medicines based on sea salt - Aquamaris, Nosol, Dolphin - are considered safe for pregnant women.

For crusts, the ENT ordered me to drip oil into my nose - Vitaon, it softens them and restores the mucous membrane, and drip Quix (it is salty, like aquamaris, but more effective due to a different percentage of salt), all the crusts went away in 2 or 3 weeks, and Quix due to swelling I took drops for probably 16 weeks...
Asya Kurchatova
https://eka-mama.ru/forum/part188/topic304624/?PAGEN_1=2

Irrigation of the nasal passages with homeopathic sprays - Pinosol, Delufen. The drugs are designed to relieve inflammation, stop the growth of pathogenic microflora and relieve swelling of the mucous membrane.
Instillation of antibiotics starting from the 14th week of pregnancy - Isofra and Bioparox drops.

Inhalations involve inhalation of the above drugs through a special device - a nebulizer. The duration of each procedure should be no more than 10 minutes, and the course of treatment should not exceed 7 days.

Inhalation through a nebulizer is a modern and effective way to get rid of nasal congestion

Vitamin and mineral complexes suitable for pregnant women are also prescribed to strengthen the immune system. It is also important to adhere to the drinking regime (drink at least five glasses of liquid per day, if there is no swelling), and regular ventilation of the living space, and walks in the fresh air.

Breathing exercises to help the expectant mother

For nasal congestion that is not accompanied by fever and sore throat, it is acceptable to use breathing exercises. Especially when it comes to hormonal rhinitis. Indeed, in this case, the use of medications is inappropriate and can harm the baby’s health.

Breathing exercises help increase blood flow to the fetus during pregnancy

To get rid of an unpleasant symptom, you need to regularly perform the following set of actions:

Pre-clean the nasal cavity with saline solution.
Then sit down and take a comfortable position.
Use your right finger to close your right nostril and inhale through your left nostril.
Close your left nostril and exhale smoothly through your right.
Inhale through both nostrils, hold your breath for 7-10 seconds, and exhale.
Repeat the exercises no more than 10 times, taking a break after each for 5–7 seconds.

There are many breathing techniques that help alleviate the condition of a runny nose.
When performing breathing exercises, it is important to monitor the smoothness of your breathing, and try to take exhalations twice as long as inhalations.

Acupressure for rhinitis in pregnant women

Another way to relieve nasal congestion is acupressure. In addition, massaging special points with nerve endings close to the surface of the skin is considered an additional prevention of colds.

Acupuncture has long been considered an effective method of combating ailments.

To find acupuncture points, you need to lightly press with your fingertips on the area near the wings of the nose, between the eyebrows and near the temporal area. If the technique is followed, a feeling of numbness or aching will appear in these places.

The procedure for performing acupressure is as follows:

We begin to massage parallel points next to the wings of the nose with our index fingers. Duration - no more than two minutes.
Next, massage the area between the upper lip and the tip of the nose.
We move to the area at the tip of the nose directly.
We massage the points above the bridge of the nose and on the temples.

Thus, the procedure takes about 10 minutes, and the frequency is no more than three times a day. After the massage, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids. It’s good if it’s a decoction of chamomile, lemon balm or linden.

IMPORTANT! You should not do acupressure at elevated temperatures, since due to intense blood circulation, hyperthermia may increase.

The best effect from such a procedure is achieved in massage rooms, because acupuncture specialists have extensive experience and know effective massage techniques.

Video: massage for nasal congestion

Folk remedies for nasal congestion

A popular method of treating rhinitis during pregnancy remains the use of medicinal herbs and essential oils, as well as other folk remedies.

Inhalation of potatoes or essential oils is the most famous way to combat a runny nose and nasal congestion.

Thus, the following recipes are popular among expectant mothers:

The juice of one onion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2 and two drops are dropped into the nose three times a day.
The pulp from an aloe leaf is kneaded to a pulp and diluted with water at the rate of 1:3, after which 1-2 drops are dropped into the nose twice a day.
Chamomile or sage flowers are poured into a glass of water, brought to a boil, and after the decoction has cooled, the nose is washed with the product three times a day.

I only had congestion in the third trimester and then I got a cold, runny nose and cough. I washed my nose with sage decoction and lubricated it with oil, and drank Prospan syrup for coughs. I got over my cold in almost a week.
Ulyana
https://www.baby.ru/blogs/post/461765735–413881307/

A teaspoon of natural honey is mixed with butter and applied to the nasal mucosa. A pregnant woman can only do this procedure if she is absolutely sure that she is not allergic to honey.
Lemon juice from half a lemon is mixed with salt on the tip of a knife and diluted with two tablespoons of boiled water. The product should be instilled three times a day for 5 days.

Inhalation over potato steam or a bath with essential oils will also help relieve the condition and relieve swelling in the nasal cavity. Rosehip oil, sea buckthorn oil and peach oil are considered the safest for pregnant women. It should be remembered that a pregnant woman can breathe over the healing steam for no longer than five minutes, and after all the manipulations it is better to stay at home and avoid drafts.

Runny nose due to colds in pregnant women

During the period of gestation, a woman's immunity is reduced, for this reason the expectant mother is susceptible to colds.

A runny nose in the first trimester of pregnancy is a fairly common occurrence. Particularly dangerous are colds of an infectious nature, which can pose a threat to the development of the fetus. If, in addition to a runny nose and nasal congestion, there is a high temperature, redness of the throat and headache, then we are talking about a viral infection. Taking medications is extremely undesirable in the first trimester.

Treatment of colds and accompanying runny nose should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor. To lower the temperature, a specialist can prescribe Paracetamol, which is a safe drug during pregnancy.

Treatment of a runny nose while pregnant includes the use of saline sprays and rinsing the sinuses with saline or saline solution. This procedure helps moisturize the mucous membrane, thins snot and makes breathing easier. Vasodilating nasal drops NazolKids may be prescribed, which should be used after washing the passages.

You can prepare a healing composition for instillation at home. To do this, squeeze the juice from beets or Kalanchoe leaves, filter through gauze and inject 2-3 drops into the nose.

To relieve the symptoms of the pathology, it is recommended to drink a large volume of hot liquid. Tea with chamomile, raspberries, currants, milk with honey is good for colds. During nasal congestion during pregnancy, you can use inhalations.

Rhinitis can be cured using folk recipes. If your nose is stuffy, you need to grate the onion and breathe over this mass. It is recommended to place turundas soaked in a medicinal solution consisting of tea tree and sunflower oils into the nostrils.

A cold in the early stages of pregnancy can negatively affect the functioning of the placenta and the formation of important organs of the child.

Allergies - how to treat them

Allergic manifestations are much more unpleasant than just dry air, since they affect not only nasal breathing, but also other processes. The symptoms are, again, typical:

stuffy nose – this is especially unpleasant during pregnancy;
sneezing, and sometimes coughing - as an attempt by the body to get rid of the allergen;
problems with lack of oxygen - weakness, lethargy, fatigue, poor sleep, decreased cognitive function, general unhealthy appearance;
copious mucus discharge - flowing from the nose, watery and swollen eyes.

The picture can be supplemented by manifestations from the skin, and then the woman will notice that she has a red itchy rash where the skin is most tender and thin. Or it may be supplemented by manifestations from the gastrointestinal tract and then diarrhea, pain after eating, nausea and even vomiting will appear.

Allergy is easy to distinguish from other manifestations, since it is not only accompanied by a set of symptoms, but also stops as soon as contact with the allergen is lost. Allergy to dust? As soon as a woman leaves the house, she feels better. Allergy to pollen? On the contrary, as soon as you go home and close the window, the congestion goes away.

To cope with allergies, it is recommended to combine several remedies:

rinsing - you can carry them out with sea water or pure saline solution from a pharmacy, they will wash away the allergen and moisturize the mucous membranes;
limiting contact with the allergen - in the worst cases, it is recommended to move to another climate zone where allergen plants do not grow;
the use of antihistamines is permissible only with the permission of a doctor, in the later stages, when the likelihood of harming the fetus is low.

Limiting contact is the most effective, since rinsing only gives a temporary effect, and the drugs are addictive. Once a woman gives birth, her body can slowly become accustomed to the allergen, but this requires patience and time.

If allergic congestion is not treated in time, bronchial asthma may develop over time, and the fetus may suffer from a lack of oxygen and related problems.

Causes of nasal congestion during pregnancy: physiology and pathology

The first thing doctors will think about when they hear a future mother complaining about nasal congestion will be a cold. In the first weeks of pregnancy, a woman’s body is especially vulnerable to external factors and irritants. The penetration of a viral infection causes rhinorrhea, lacrimation, sore throat and cough. The doctor will tell you how to treat these signs. Typically, cold symptoms disappear within a week and, with the right tactics, do not cause any complications.

Nasal congestion in pregnant women may be due to pathological conditions of the nose. Vasomotor and hypertrophic rhinitis are accompanied by this symptom. Often, pathologies arise from the inept use of nasal vasoconstrictor medications. After stopping the medications (due to pregnancy), the woman is bothered by congestion. Less commonly, expectant mothers are diagnosed with nasal polyps, which also make breathing difficult. A change in hormonal levels can contribute to the abundant growth of tumors.

Periodically, the expectant mother's nose gets stuffy without a runny nose due to hormonal changes. Women often encounter rhinitis in pregnant women in the early stages and before childbirth.