Stuffy Noses: Causes, Symptoms and Remedies

14 AUG 2018

Inflammation and swelling of nasal mucus membranes, blood vessels and surrounding tissues cause nasal congestion. Mucus membrane swelling is mostly to blame for that plugged-up feeling, but thick mucus stuck in your restricted nasal passages does not help either. 

Symptoms & Causes of a Stuffy Nose

Just a few days ago, you had no complaints — you were feeling fine and ready to go. But then, you woke up with a stuffy nose: that unmistakable sensation that has you wondering exactly what’s going on inside your body. Have you caught a cold? Could it be the flu? Maybe it’s just your allergies acting up again. Even though nasal congestion is a common symptom of numerous aliments, chances are you can figure out what’s behind your stuffy nose simply by taking stock of your other symptoms: 

1. Common cold: You may think that you have a stuffy nose because your body is producing more mucus, but that’s only partly true. Nasal congestion happens when the tissues in your nose become swollen because of inflamed blood vessels. The swelling of the tissues restricts the nasal passages and limit the flow of air. It’s one of the multiple phases of a common cold. There are more than 200 viruses that can cause a cold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which may help explain why most adults come down with two to three colds each year. Common cold symptoms include runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, postnasal drip, a sore throat, mild fever, chest congestion and coughing. Although you may feel more fatigued than usual, you rarely would run a high fever, have a headache or experience body aches.
2. Influenza (the flu): The dreaded flu; once you’ve had it, it’s the last thing you’ll ever want to have again. That’s because the flu typically comes with a high fever that lasts for days, a headache and general aches and pains that can be quite severe, as well as the kind of fatigue that can leave you feeling weak for up to three weeks. Although people with the flu don’t always have significant nasal congestion, having some amount of congestion is relatively common. You may also experience a sore throat, a cough, chest congestion, runny nose, and sneezing. A cold may interfere with your day-to-day life, but the flu is far more likely to knock you off your feet for a while.
3. Allergies: It’s easy to see why it can be hard to distinguish between having a cold and dealing with allergies, as the two have several symptoms. Nasal congestion, with or without a runny nose, is part of most airborne allergies. Sneezing is too, and you may also experience a sore throat and a cough. You know you have allergies, however, when your cold-like symptoms also come with wheezing and watery or itchy eyes. Another major difference between having a cold and dealing with allergies is that a cold takes a few days to develop, while the stuffy nose of an allergic reaction begins shortly after you’ve been exposed to an allergen. 

At-Home Stuffy Nose Remedy Ideas

Whenever you’re feeling under the weather, it’s important to prioritize rest so your immune system is at its best. And no matter what’s causing your stuffy nose, you can find relief by doing any or all of the following: 

1. Drink plenty of fluids to thin your mucus.
2. Apply a warm, moist cloth across your nose to loosen mucus.
3. Run a humidifier or vaporizer as you sleep at night to help get your mucus flowing. Sitting in a steamy bathroom a few times each day will have a similar effect.
4. If you’re fighting an infection, consult your doctor. Your doctor may recommend a nasal decongestant to help dry and shrink your nasal passages.
5. If you have allergies, an antihistamine may help alleviate your symptoms. 

How to Clear a Stuffy Nose

1. Blow your nose to reduce mucus before bed, but do so one nostril at a time.
2. Sleep with your head elevated.
3. Keep your bedroom free of allergens that might trigger nasal congestion.
4. When trying to relieve sinus pressure and nasal congestion, look for a decongestant. Mucinex® Sinus-Max Severe Nasal Congestion Relief Clear & Cool is an over-the-counter medicine for relief of your nasal congestion symptoms

How Nasal Decongestants Work for Stuffy Noses

Although it feels like your nose is packed with mucus when it’s congested, that’s not exactly the case. Nasal congestion happens when your nasal tissues become swollen because the blood vessels inside your nose are inflamed. Add to that the excess mucus your body produces in response to an infection or allergen, and the stage is set for a blocked, stuffed-up nose. Nasal decongestants are a type of medicine that can give you quick, temporary relief. They work by shrinking the inflamed blood vessels inside your nose, which helps mucus flow, reduces pressure and makes it easier to breathe. 

Types of Nasal Decongestants and Proper Use

Over-the-Counter nasal decongestants are available in a variety of forms, including nasal sprays, tablets, capsules, liquids and even flavored powders that dissolve in hot water. Products that contain only nasal decongestant medication are designed to relieve just one symptom: nasal congestion. Multi-symptom medications that help with nasal congestion may also contain pain relievers, fever reducers, cough suppressants or expectorants. When choosing a product, it’s important to avoid those that contain more ingredients than you need. If nasal congestion is your only symptom, Mucinex® Sinus-Max® Severe Nasal Congestion Relief Clear & Cool delivers the relief you need. There’s a range of Mucinex^® Sinus-Max^® products to explore for nasal congestion relief, depending on what other symptoms may or may not be experienced concurrently, such as sinus headache and pressure. For those who prefer a pill over a spray, Maximum Strength Mucinex^® D tablets^* can also provide nasal and chest congestion relief. 

To get the most benefit from a nasal decongestant, follow these simple steps: 

1. Get your doctor’s approval if you have any health conditions or are taking other medications because nasal decongestants can interact with certain drugs, including antidepressants.
2. Choose a product that addresses only the symptoms you have. Those with a single ingredient are specifically made to target nasal congestion.
3. Follow the medicine’s dosing and timing instructions exactly. If symptoms persist, consult a doctor.
4. Don’t rely on decongestant nasal sprays for longer than 3 days at a time. Overusing decongestant sprays can actually make your congestion worse.

Support your efforts to reduce nasal congestion by drinking plenty of water to thin your mucus. A warm compress placed over the bridge of your nose can help ease sinus pressure, while getting plenty of rest can help speed your recovery.

Mucinex^® Sinus-Max^® for Stuffy Nose and Sinus Pressure

Breathe easier

• Mucinex^® Sinus-Max Severe Nasal Congestion Relief Clear & Cool helps relieve nasal congestion, sinus congestion and sinus pressure.
• Mucinex Sinus Max Clear & Cool Nasal Spray combo pack: the oxymetazoline nasal spray relieves severe nasal congestion, helping you breathe easier.

Fast relief

• Mucinex^® Sinus Max nasal spray applies a targeted nasal mist directly to your nasal passages to help clear sinus congestion fast
• Mucinex Sinus Max Clear & Cool Severe Nasal Congestion Relief spray provides fast-acting sinus pressure relief & lasts 12 hours, helping you breathe freely again^*This product is only available behind the counter and with a prescription in Oregon. 

Long-lasting relief

• Mucinex^® Sinus-Max Severe Nasal Congestion Relief Clear & Cool: a cooling menthol sensation that starts working immediately and provides nasal and sinus congestion relief for up to 12 hours

Max. strength

Maximum Strength Mucinex Sinus-Max Severe Congestion & Pain helps relieve pain, headache, nasal congestion, sinus congestion and chest congestion

#1 Pharmacist Recommended Brand^{† †}U.S. News & World Report/Pharmacy Times 2023-2024 Shop all Mucinex® Sinus-Max® products

When to See a Doctor

If your signs and symptoms persist for more than a week or suddenly worsen, it's advisable to see a doctor. Additional symptoms that should prompt a visit to the doctor include intense sinus pain, a high fever, or discharge from your nose that is green, yellow, or foul-smelling, as these may signal a bacterial infection.

• Mucinex^® Sinus-Max Severe Nasal Congestion Relief Clear & Cool: Use as directed, for Adults and children ages 6+ (with adult supervision). Contains Oxymetazoline HCl, a topical nasal decongestant. Take only as directed.
• Maximum Strength Mucinex Sinus-Max Severe Congestion & Pain: It can be used by Adults and Children 12 years of age and over. Take only as Directed.
• Mucinex Sinus Max Clear & Cool Nasal Spray combo pack: Use as directed. For ages 12 years and older.

*This product is only available behind the counter and with a prescription in Oregon.