What is the cause of your nasal symptoms?
Nasal congestion can be caused by a number of different conditions. These include seasonal allergies, nonallergic rhinitis, a deviated septum, acute sinusitis, chronic sinusitis, or nasal polyps.
Seasonal allergies are common and affect many people. The medical term for seasonal allergies is allergic rhinitis, which means inflammation of the nose due to allergies. This condition can cause trouble breathing through the nose/nasal obstruction, nasal congestion, runny nose, drainage in the throat/postnasal drip, sneezing and nasal itching. In patients with allergic rhinitis, the underlying problem is allergy. Certain things in the environment are causing your immune system to respond vigorously. Treatments for allergic rhinitis are aimed at reducing the allergic response in the nose. This is usually done with nasal steroid sprays, oral antihistamines such as Allegra or Claritin, or allergy shots (immunotherapy). Sometimes these treatments are not enough to alleviate the symptoms. In these cases, a surgical procedure may be the only way to control your symptoms.
Many people don't know there are many causes of nonallergic rhinitis, which is inflammation of the nose that is not due to allergies. These conditions can cause the exact same symptoms as allergic rhinitis, such as trouble breathing through the nose/nasal obstruction, nasal congestion, runny nose, drainage in the throat/postnasal drip, sneezing and nasal itching. The treatment of nonallergic rhinitis can be quite different from treatment of allergic rhinitis. While some of the treatments can be similar, such as nasal steroid sprays, others are less likely to be effective, like oral antihistamines and allergy shots.
Another major cause of nasal congestion or nasal obstruction is a deviated septum. The septum is the middle structure that separates the nose from right and left. Many people have a deviated septum. For lots of people, a deviated septum causes no symptoms. But in some people, a deviated septum may make it much harder to breathe through the nose. Nasal sprays can sometimes improve the nasal breathing enough to avoid any procedures. However, many people continue to experience nasal congestion or obstruction. In these cases, a septoplasty and turbinate reduction can be beneficial.
Before any treatment, it is wise to make sure no other condition such as chronic sinusitis is affecting the nose. You likely need a comprehensive nasal evaluation including a nasal endoscopy – a procedure that uses a camera to look at the inside of your nose where your sinuses drain – which can be done in the clinic to make sure you don't have sinus disease or other nasal conditions before recommending treatments specifically for you. Once you are fully evaluated, I can recommend appropriate medical treatments that might improve your symptoms. In the event that your symptoms do not improve enough, we can discuss surgical options to manage your condition.