Runny nose in the morning: causes and methods of treating an unpleasant symptom - Your Doctor

Causes of morning runny nose

Why do you have a runny nose in the morning? Medical specialists identify the following reasons for this clinical phenomenon:

• Hypothermia of the body at night.
• Allergy.
• Chronic rhinitis.
• Colds.
• Polyps localized in the nasal cavity.
• Drying of the nasal mucous membranes.

In children, a runny nose in the morning after waking up is a sign indicating the manifestation of infectious processes. In addition, we may be talking about vasomator rhinitis, provoked by excessive dry air in the room where the baby sleeps.

If every morning you experience sneezing and mucous nasal discharge, this indicates the presence of certain health problems. In this case, it is strongly recommended to seek advice from a qualified specialist who will determine the exact causes of morning runny nose and prescribe the appropriate therapeutic course!

What to do if your nose is stuffy in the morning

Nasal congestion in the morning bothers both adults and children. This ailment can occur from time to time, but it also happens that it causes inconvenience every morning. A person has difficulty breathing through his nose in the morning; other symptoms may not occur. In this regard, the question arises about why the nose is stuffy in the morning, what reasons contribute to this and how to get rid of the malaise.

Causes of morning runny nose

Swelling in the nasal cavity makes it difficult to breathe through the nose. This condition can occur for various reasons. Malaise has a different nature:

• vasomotor;
• infectious;
• allergic.

Sometimes the cause of a runny nose is an anatomical feature of the nasal cavity, for example, a deviated septum. Polyps and adenoids contribute to difficulty breathing through the nose.

At night, a person is in a horizontal position, so blood begins to flow more strongly to the head. The blood vessels of the nasal mucosa are filled, which leads to its swelling. As a result, all existing symptoms worsen, and nasal congestion intensifies in the morning hours.

The cause of morning nasal congestion can be excessively dry air in the bedroom.

The signs of vasomotor and allergic rhinitis are similar, and yet, these are ailments of different nature.

Vasomotor rhinitis

Not all the causes that cause vasomotor rhinitis have been fully studied. Most often, vasomotor rhinitis appears due to the following reasons:

• stress;
• pungent odors;
• polluted environment;
• dust;
• hormonal changes;
• climate change.

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Due to the fact that a person often has to breathe through his mouth, he may experience complications. Possible formation of polyps and sinusitis.

Vasomotor runny nose is not a sign of a cold or infectious disease. It is caused by a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system, resulting in disruptions in vascular tone. Concomitant diseases can contribute to the development of this disease:

• hypotension;
• endocrine diseases;
• cardiopsychoneurosis.

Sometimes a chronic runny nose appears under the influence of strong emotional stress or after the use of medications.

The cause of vasomotor rhinitis in a child can be adenoids. It is also necessary to check whether the child has a deviated nasal septum. Children have poorly developed protective functions. Perhaps a runny nose in the morning indicates an infection that has entered the nasal passages.

If a child's feet are cold at night, then in the morning he may have a stuffy nose.

Vasomotor rhinitis can cause difficulty breathing in the morning. To get rid of this ailment, you need to undergo examination at a medical institution and find the cause of the disease. After it is eliminated, the runny nose will go away.

Allergic runny nose

An allergic runny nose can bother you not only in the morning. But if this illness occurs only in the morning, then you should look for the allergen in the bedroom. Perhaps the reason for this is the filling of the pillow and blanket. Allergies can be caused by indoor plants, house dust or something else. It has been proven that cockroaches and bedbugs, as well as their remains, provoke an allergic reaction.

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The following symptoms are typical for an allergic reaction:

• redness of the eyes;
• tearfulness;
• clear mucus comes out;
• body temperature remains normal.

Skin tests and provocative nasal tests will help find the source of the allergy.

How to make breathing easier through your nose

To alleviate your health condition and get rid of morning nasal congestion, you can take some actions on your own.

First of all, it is necessary to increase the air humidity in the room. To do this, you need to ventilate the room before going to bed. The ideal room temperature for sleeping is 18 degrees. Air humidity should be about 60%. In order to achieve this, use a humidifier.

In the morning you should rinse your nose; it is better to use sea water for the procedure. Pharmacies have special sprays that are used to irrigate the nasal mucosa. They will help clear the nose of dry crusts, moisturize the mucous membrane and wash away harmful microbes. For the same purpose, you can carry out inhalations with mineral water or medicinal herbs.

You can try changing your sleeping conditions, perhaps in a different place, in a different apartment your nose won’t get stuffy. In this case, nasal congestion may be due to an allergic reaction, then you will need to find the component in the bedroom that is the allergen.

From the video you will learn how to relieve nasal congestion without drops:

If you are unable to resolve the problem on your own, you should seek help from a doctor. Your doctor will help you determine the cause of your nasal congestion. He will check to see if the nasal septum is deviated and if there are inflamed adenoids and tonsils.

It will also be interesting: How to treat severe nasal congestion when drops do not help?

Usually, no treatment is required to eliminate morning runny nose. The main thing in this case is to find the cause that causes the disease and eliminate it. The use of vasoconstrictor drugs in this case is not recommended. They can only complicate the situation and disrupt vascular regulation. Instead of these drugs, it is better to use barrier agents - drugs that create a protective gel layer on the mucous membrane. These medications are prescribed by a doctor.

If the cause of a runny nose is rhinitis, you need to consult a doctor to prescribe therapy. Treatment of chronic rhinitis varies in duration. To achieve the desired results, you need to follow the doctor’s advice and recommendations and complete the full course of therapy prescribed by the doctor. Treatment is usually carried out using medications and physiotherapeutic methods.

Prevention of a runny nose

In order to prevent a runny nose, it is important to monitor your health and avoid hypothermia. It is necessary to carry out nasal rinsing procedures. Before going to bed, the bedroom should be ventilated and the air in it should be humidified.

In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system and take restorative medications.

Additional signs

You can determine the reasons why a runny nose and sneezing attacks appear in the morning by paying attention to the characteristic symptoms accompanying this phenomenon. Allergic rhinitis can develop as a result of allergic reactions to dust, pet hair or pollen. Morning runny nose of allergic origin is accompanied by the following characteristic clinical signs and manifestations:

• Tearing.
• Redness of the eyes.
• Swelling.
• The appearance of skin rashes of an allergic type.
• Sore throat.
• Difficulty in nasal breathing.

If a runny nose occurs as a result of colds, then patients may experience the following symptoms:

• Cough.
• Headache.
• Increased body temperature.
• Joint and muscle pain.
• Copious mucous nasal discharge.
• Nasal congestion.

Constant nasal congestion: causes

“Nasal congestion for no reason” - we guiltily make excuses to our loved ones for our nasal voice and irritability. Of course, there are reasons, and we will try to help you identify them.

Nasal congestion: causes and treatment

A cold begins. If you are worried about nasal congestion without a runny nose, you feel weak throughout your body - get ready to drink raspberry teas and sweat under the blanket.

• Epigalin No. 60

Allergy. One of the manifestations of an allergic reaction of the body is swelling of the mucous membranes, including the nasal mucosa. As a result, the nose is constantly stuffy, but there is no runny nose. You have to identify the allergen (fur, pollen, food, medicine), eliminate the irritant and take an antihistamine course.

Hormonal disbalance. The most harmless hormonal surge in this regard is during pregnancy, because after childbirth, swelling of the nasal mucosa goes away on its own.

Hyperestrogenism and thyroid problems can also cause nasal congestion “for no reason.” How long has it been since you saw your gynecologist? What about an endocrinologist?

Dry air. If your nose is constantly clogged during the heating season, it’s time to get a humidifier. You can get by with a regular flower spray. It will be easier for everyone in the household to breathe!

Bad ecology. The air in industrial areas is so polluted that our noses simply cannot cope with their work! If you are in an environmentally unfavorable region, wear a protective bandage, rinse your nose, close the windows tightly at home and arrange a green filter from indoor flowers.

Deviation of the nasal septum. May be congenital or after injury. In this case, chronic nasal congestion can form several years after a fall or blow. Examine your nose in the mirror; the curvature is usually visible to the naked eye. If your child constantly has a stuffy nose, be sure to examine the nasal septum, because the baby could hit you without you noticing or hide the injury.

Nasal polyps. If your nose is constantly clogged, most likely your polyps are several years old, it's time to say goodbye! An otolaryngologist will confirm the diagnosis and help solve the problem.

Alcohol, smoking. Another argument against bad habits! As a result of frequent alcohol consumption, our body suffers from dehydration, and the mucous tissues of the nose are especially sensitive to this. Nasal congestion without a runny nose is also familiar to many smokers.

Medicines. Are you taking a new drug? Read the instructions carefully, your nose may be suffering from side effects of the medicine.

In what cases should you consult a doctor?

Consultation with a qualified specialist is necessary for any manifestations of chronic morning rhinitis. However, if the following alarming symptoms appear, you should seek medical help immediately:

• Attacks of dizziness.
• General weakness, increased fatigue.
• Nausea.
• Attacks of vomiting.
• Development of shortness of breath.
• Severe joint pain.
• Feverish condition.
• Swelling of the mucous membranes, localized in the nose, eyes or oropharynx.
• Tachycardia.

How to deal with morning rhinitis?

Chronic runny nose in the morning requires competent, adequate therapy, which will be prescribed by a qualified medical specialist after a preliminary diagnosis. The patient’s condition can be improved with the help of vasoconstrictor medications (they can be used for no more than 3 days in a row), rinsing the nasal sinuses, heating and inhalations using decoctions of medicinal herbs and essential oils.

Chronic nasal congestion: treatment

How to get rid of nasal congestion? The solution to the problem of constant nasal congestion depends on the diagnosis, the formulation of which, of course, should be entrusted to a specialist.

If a deviated septum or polyps prevent you from breathing normally through your nose, surgical intervention is indicated.

Hormonal imbalances are treated with topical corticosteroids (a very strong drug, the doctor must weigh the pros and cons of such treatment).

• Swelling legs: cause and treatment

Treatment of nasal congestion often begins with an antihistamine course. This will help relieve the condition while you find and eliminate the allergen causing the swelling of the paranasal sinuses.

Decongestants also provide relief from a stuffy nose. But only for 2-3 days, while you plan a trip to the doctor to make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.

Using vasoconstrictor drops for more than seven days causes relaxation of the vessel walls, and we again get the swelling that we tried to get rid of with the drops!

If nasal congestion has not gone away for several days, and for one reason or another you cannot see a doctor, try to ease your breathing with the help of “Zvezdochka”, “Doctor Mom” ointments, and Fleming’s ointment.

When a cold begins, lozenges such as Strepsils, Travisil, etc. will be useful.

Inhalations with mineral water or saline have a good effect. Other bases for inhalation - only as prescribed by a doctor.

Treatment of allergic morning runny nose

In the event that a runny nose upon awakening is provoked by the manifestation of allergic reactions, first of all, it is necessary to take care of eliminating the provoking factor - the allergen. After conducting special allergy tests, the doctor prescribes the patient a therapeutic course using antihistamine medications. In particularly complex clinical cases, hormonal therapy may be required. For a runny nose and sneezing, patients are prescribed nasal sprays and hormonal aerosols.

In addition, it is important to take care to create extremely favorable conditions for the patient during night sleep. To achieve these goals, medical experts advise using the following recommendations:

1. Wash and rinse the laundry thoroughly, using detergents without fragrances or allergenic components.
2. It is obligatory to take a shower before going to bed and change clean underwear.
3. Carry out regular wet cleaning of the room to avoid dust accumulation.
4. During the flowering period of plants that can provoke the development of allergic reactions, close the window at night, ventilating the room before going to bed.
5. In the summer, before going to bed, it is recommended to curtain the windows with a damp gauze cloth, which will protect the room from the penetration of dust and allergenic pollen.

If attacks of allergic rhinitis are seasonal, care should be taken in advance to prevent the manifestation of allergic symptoms. To achieve these goals, patients are prescribed courses of immunostimulating therapy aimed at strengthening the immune system.

Treatment of colds

A runny nose and sneezing attacks in the morning can be a manifestation of diseases of a viral, infectious, cold or respiratory origin.

Treatment in this case includes drug therapy. Depending on the condition and form of the disease, patients are prescribed painkillers, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic drugs. The dosage and duration of the therapeutic course is determined by a specialist exclusively on an individual basis!

A good therapeutic effect is obtained by rinsing the nose with soda or saline solution. To carry out this therapeutic procedure, both special nasal aspirators and an ordinary small rubber bulb are used. The best results are obtained by rinsing the nasal cavity with a saline solution, which is characterized by the presence of disinfectant and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as helping to restore the normal functional state of the nasal mucous membranes.

For colds, you can also use steam inhalation. To carry out this physiotherapeutic procedure, hot boiled potatoes, mint and eucalyptus essential oils, decoctions of sage and chamomile are used. It should be emphasized that inhalations are contraindicated in cases of increased body temperature and acute respiratory diseases.

If you sneeze intensely, you can rinse your nasal cavity using the following means:

1. Furacilin.
2. Potassium permanganate.
3. Freshly squeezed berry juice.
4. Herbal infusion.

Rinsing will help eliminate swelling and inflammatory processes, clear the cavity from accumulation of mucus and pathogens that provoke sneezing.

Chronic runny nose in the morning: causes and treatment

You can alleviate the condition and improve nasal breathing using the following medications. Each of them is prescribed taking into account the symptoms of the disease, the patient’s age and allergic predisposition:

• vasoconstrictor nasal drops. They are used to temporarily relieve a runny nose and are not considered a therapeutic agent when used alone. With prolonged use, they can cause addiction, dry mucous membranes, and the appearance of crusts and blood streaks. Among the vasoconstrictors, we highlight Lazorin, Tizin, Xymelin and Otrivin. The maximum course of use is 5 days, after which the drug is replaced;
• saline solutions for washing - Salin, No-salt, Delufen. They allow you to clean and moisturize the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. Can be used over a long period of time;

• antihistamine nasal drops - Cromohexal, Fenistil reduce the severity of local allergy symptoms;
• hormonal agents in the form of nasal drops - Avamis. Prescribed in severe cases when other medications are not effective. They can be addictive, so they are used as a last resort;
• antibacterial drugs - Bioparox, Isofra. Prescribed for a confirmed bacterial process;
• immunomodulators - IRS-19 (strengthen local protection, prevent infection).

People's help

Snot in the morning can be cured with the help of folk recipes that are based on herbs, the use of bee products and vegetables. Here are a few proven remedies:

1. It is necessary to peel the onion, cut it in half and divide it into layers. You need to remove the film from each side and apply it to the nasal mucosa, but not too deeply. The film should be changed every 1.5 hours during the day. At night, the mucous membrane should rest;
2. The onion should be peeled, finely chopped and squeezed out the juice through a gauze cloth. The juice is diluted with water (1:1) and 2 drops are instilled into each nasal passage twice a day. You can also use garlic juice, but its dilution should be twice as large;
3. garlic can be used for inhalation. Simply chop the garlic cloves and wrap them in gauze. Inhale for 10 minutes three times a day;
4. Horseradish must be grated and placed in a container. Every 15 minutes you need to open the jar and deeply inhale the vapor through your nose for a minute;
5. 0.05 l vegetable oil should be heated in a water bath for 40 minutes. Then you need to chop 4 garlic cloves and half a small onion. Add the ingredients to the cooled oil, wait 2 hours, filter and lubricate the nasal mucosa with oil;
6. Rhinitis can be quickly cured with healing ointment. To prepare it you will need 120 ml of vegetable oil, half a glass of liquid honey, 2 g of beeswax, propolis, 2 tablets of streptocide, as well as mumiyo, 30 ml of Kalanchoe. Oil and wax need to be heated over low heat until liquid, add honey, mix and remove from heat. We crush the tablets, grind them with propolis and fill them with a warm mixture with oil. Lastly add aloe juice. After mixing thoroughly, it can be used to lubricate the nose twice a day;
7. fresh St. John's wort flowers in a volume of 30 g must be crushed, poured with vegetable oil (230 ml) and left for 20 days in a dark place, shaking the container periodically. Then, after filtering, you can begin to instill 4 drops on each side of your nose twice a day. Keep refrigerated;
8. Peeled and chopped burdock root should be poured into a dark glass container. It is filled with vegetable oil on top, closed tightly and infused for 15 days. The product is used to moisten cotton wool, which must be inserted into each nasal passage for 10 minutes three times a day. Before each use of the medicine, shake the container.

Mornings with rhinitis should begin with a massage. It allows you to activate local blood circulation.

The points are located:

1. in the middle between the eyebrows;
2. on the temples (just below the outer edge of the eyebrows);
3. at the top of the nose on both sides (at eye level);
4. from the wings of the nose 2 centimeters in the direction of the ears.

These points should be massaged for a minute. Do not forget that treatment should be carried out against the background of a plentiful drinking regimen. To do this, you can use herbal decoctions (chamomile, sage), tea with honey, raspberries, fruit juice, compote or still water.

The diet must be enriched with fresh vegetables, dairy products, fruits and herbs. You should not have contact with sick people, especially during epidemic periods. Knowing which provoking factor is an allergen for a person, you need to avoid its influence.

Only an integrated approach will allow you to quickly cope with the symptoms of the disease and reduce the frequency of runny nose.

There are many causes of chronic runny nose. This may be the lack of treatment for a runny nose, after which the disease becomes chronic, deformation of the nasal septum, long-term exposure of the mucous membrane to irritating factors, and much more.

Chronic rhinitis cannot be left to chance. It is necessary to take it seriously, since chronic forms of rhinitis in an adult are accompanied by: sinusitis, sinusitis, sluggish tonsillitis, adenoiditis. The chronic form of rhinitis in adults often appears with allergies, kidney dysfunction, nervous system diseases, endocrine system disorders and alcoholism.

In addition to the listed disorders, the nasal mucosa is negatively affected by vasodilating medications, which are often used for a long time for hypertension. How to treat chronic runny nose? First you need to understand the reason for its occurrence.

Chronic (protracted) runny nose is an infectious disease. When an infection enters the nasal cavity, it quickly gains the upper hand and soon the person infected with it begins to produce copious nasal discharge (snot).

The main reasons for the spread of microbes are considered to be: too humid climatic living conditions, a polluted environment, smoking, huge crowds of people (schools, kindergartens, medical institutions, and so on).

Allergies can also be the cause of chronic runny nose. Most often this is: household dust, pets, some types of medications, flowering plants. How to cure a chronic runny nose, what methods and methods are more effective?

The ability to distinguish chronic runny nose by signs will help the patient to correctly navigate treatment methods with medications or traditional methods, but it is best to seek advice from your doctor and undergo an examination.

Types of chronic runny nose:

1. Catarrhal. Characterized by difficulty breathing, intense snot discharge, and decreased sense of smell.
2. Allergic: watery, profuse discharge, accompanied by itching, redness of the eyes, and bouts of sneezing.
3. Vasomotor: sneezing, secretion of clear nasal mucus in large quantities, especially when the air temperature changes, for example, street - indoors. Severe congestion in one of the nostrils in the morning (on the side of the body on which the patient just slept).
4. Atrophic: the formation of a large amount of dry crust inside the nasal passages, any attempt to clean them is accompanied by blood discharge (the mucous membrane is very sensitive, tearing off the crust from its surface injures the mucous membrane, accompanied by this unpleasant phenomenon).
5. Hypertrophic: difficulty breathing (constant). There may be difficulty only when inhaling, or only exhaling. With severe swelling of the mucous membrane of the anterior sections, tearing may occur, but there is no itching. May be accompanied by conjunctivitis.

A prolonged runny nose is an inflammatory process in the nasal mucosa, characterized by alternating congestion of the nostrils, which impairs breathing through the nose. In addition, due to inflammation, large thickenings are observed that close the lumen of the nasal passages, which is why the patient is forced to breathe through the mouth.

1. If the diagnosis excludes such reasons for the manifestation of rhinitis as ARVI, infection, allergy - this is a vasomotor form with an episodic deepening. The causes of this disease are regulatory disorders of blood vessels. The use of nasal drops with a vasoconstrictor effect will alleviate the symptoms, but the disease itself can only worsen.
2. The use of non-traditional treatment methods, lifestyle changes. Temper your body (this is a wonderful and beneficial load on the blood vessels), take a contrast shower (alternately hot and cold), walk barefoot, and in winter - wipe yourself with snow. The main thing is to increase the load on the body gradually, and constantly listen to the sensations, do not overcool.
3. Another effective method to cure chronic runny nose is to change your diet. There are a lot of products containing bioflavonoids that help improve the metabolism of vascular walls. For example, grapes, salad greens, lingonberries, cabbage, blueberries, tomatoes, chokeberries, beets, buckwheat, as well as foods containing a lot of protein.
4. Chronic runny nose is treated with nasal drops prepared personally from thuja oil. Pharmacy analogues are addictive. Thuja oil can also relieve this side effect by instilling 2-3 drops per day.

If the patient suffers from varicose veins, it is not recommended to take bioflavonoids.

• Antiviral drugs are used in the early stages of the disease, most often they are used as a prophylactic agent. The action of this group of medications destroys the development of viruses, eliminating the cause of the disease. Available in capsules, suppositories and drops.
• Herbal remedies are used to reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa. This group of medications affects the general condition of the body as an immunostimulating, antiviral, and anti-swelling agent.
• Antibacterial medications are used for complex forms of the disease caused by infection. The product destroys microbes, treats the cause of the disease, providing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. The remedies do not apply to the entire body; they act locally. The drugs can be taken by mothers during lactation.

Irrigation therapy - washing the nasal turbinates. For this we use:

1. Saline solution at the rate of 0.5 tbsp. l salt (can be sea) for 0.5 cups of warm boiled water.
2. Eucalyptus solution: a teaspoon of eucalyptus oil per glass of boiling water (chilled).

• vasoconstrictor nasal drops. They are used to temporarily relieve a runny nose and are not considered a therapeutic agent when used alone. With prolonged use, they can cause addiction, dry mucous membranes, and the appearance of crusts and blood streaks. Among the vasoconstrictors, we highlight Lazorin, Tizin, Xymelin and Otrivin. The maximum course of use is 5 days, after which the drug is replaced;
• saline solutions for washing - Salin, No-salt, Delufen. They allow you to clean and moisturize the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. Can be used over a long period of time;
• antihistamine nasal drops - Cromohexal, Fenistil reduce the severity of local allergy symptoms;
• hormonal agents in the form of nasal drops - Avamis. Prescribed in severe cases when other medications are not effective. They can be addictive, so they are used as a last resort;
• antibacterial drugs - Bioparox, Isofra. Prescribed for a confirmed bacterial process;
• immunomodulators - IRS-19 (strengthen local protection, prevent infection).

Why is it necessary to treat morning type rhinitis?

Rhinitis is a physiological process that, if left untreated, becomes chronic, fraught with the development of the following very dangerous complications:

• Otitis.
• Headache.
• Difficulty in nasal breathing.
• Impaired functioning of the immune system.
• Chronic infectious processes localized in the respiratory tract and nasopharynx.
• Impaired olfactory function.

Prevention measures

Following these extremely simple recommendations will help prevent a runny nose and sneezing in the morning:

1. Ventilate the room regularly before going to bed.
2. Do wet cleaning at least twice a week.
3. Use special air humidifiers or vessels with water to increase air humidity and create a favorable microclimate.
4. Do not suppress sneezing as this may damage your eardrum.
5. During the period of exacerbation of infectious and respiratory diseases, take vitamin-mineral complexes and immunostimulating drugs for preventive purposes, which help activate the body’s own defenses.

A runny nose in the morning is an alarming symptom that indicates the presence of certain health problems in the patient. Consultation with a qualified specialist will help identify provoking factors and develop the most effective therapeutic course!