The child does not have a runny nose, but his nose is stuffy. Should I clean my baby's nose and how to do it?

Symptoms such as nasal congestion are quite common in children. Basically, this symptom characterizes the onset of a cold. But such a process can also occur for other reasons. Why does a child have a stuffy nose, but no snot? It's worth looking into this a little.

When visiting a doctor, parents very often ask the question of why their child has a stuffy nose, but there is no snot. There are many factors that cause such uncomfortable state. But experts identify several main reasons:

1. Deviations of the nasal septum and features of its structure.
2. The appearance of polyps in the nasal cavity.
3. Manifestation of adenoids.
4. Manifestations of an allergic reaction.
5. Penetration of foreign bodies into the nose.
6. The onset of a cold.
7. Tumor formation in the nasopharynx.
8. The occurrence of a hematoma in the nasal septum.

In order for your baby to be able to breathe fully again, you need to figure out why he has constantly stuffy nose. To do this, you need to seek help from a doctor. He will examine the nasal cavity and prescribe an examination. After diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe appropriate treatment and give several recommendations to parents.

Manifestation of rhinitis

Rhinitis is usually referred to as an inflammatory process that occurs in the nasal mucosa. It can be allergic or infectious.

Infectious rhinitis is characterized by:

1. Raising body temperature to thirty-nine degrees.
2. Nasal congestion.
3. The appearance of mucus in the nasal passages after a few days. At first it has a transparent color and is characterized by increased abundance. After three to four days, the mucus changes character. It stops flowing, becomes thick and acquires a greenish or yellowish tint. This suggests that inflammation subsides and microbes die.
4. Itching, which leads to paroxysmal sneezing.
5. Painful feeling in the head and throat.
6. Deterioration of general condition.

This type of rhinitis occurs as a result of infection entering the respiratory system. As soon as the immune system is weakened, microbes begin to multiply actively.

The average duration of the disease is five to seven days. Treatment must begin at the first manifestations of the disease. If you ignore the symptoms, complications may arise in the form of:

1. Otitis. The inflammatory process spreads to the ear.
2. Sinusitis. A disease that occurs in the paranasal sinuses.
3. Meningitis. Inflammation of the meninges occurs.

Treatment of infectious rhinitis

1. In rinsing the nasal passages with solutions of soda and salt, furatsilin or infusions of medicinal herbs.
2. In the use of warming ointments.
3. Using hot foot baths with mustard.
4. Warming up your feet with warm socks.
5. In carrying out inhalations with medicinal herbs, soda and iodine, essential oils.

It is worth noting that vasoconstrictor drops can only be used in extreme cases, for example, before bed. The duration of their use should not exceed three days. In this case, it is necessary to purchase specifically children's drops, where the concentration of the active substance is half as much.

Allergic rhinitis develops due to exposure to various irritants. They can be pollen from indoor or outdoor plants, house dust, pet hair, medications and food.
To the main features of this disease it is customary to refer to:

1. Extreme fatigue.
2. Swelling of the mucous membrane, resulting in a stuffy nose.
3. Runny nose. In some situations, nasal congestion may be present, but there is no snot.
4. Paroxysmal sneezing.
5. Itching and burning in the nose.
6. Increased tear production.
7. loss olfactory function.

In addition to all this, the child’s temperature will be within normal limits. Before you understand how to treat the disease, you need to find the allergen. There is an opinion that it is enough to remove the irritant and all the symptoms will go away on their own. If it's summer, then perhaps an allergy has manifested itself on Poplar fluff or flower pollen. This process is seasonal and you always need to be prepared. Treatment disease consists of taking antihistamines. If the child is 1 or 2 years old, then the medicine should be given in drops. These include:

1. Fenistil.
2. Zodak.
3. Zyrtec.

Children over three years old can take antihistamines in tablet form. These include Erius, Tavegil, Claritin, Suprastin.

It is also necessary to use hormonal agents in the form of Nasonex.

If irritation and congestion appear as a result of house dust, then it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning daily. You should also give up all soft toys, carpets and downy items. This is where a lot of dust collects.

Presence of adenoids

The most common pathology is the formation of adenoids. This disease is characterized by enlargement of the nasopharyngeal tonsils. As a result, the child's nose is stuffy, but there is no snot.

An increase in the size of the adenoids can occur as a result of persistent colds or as a complication after the flu. Often, this pathology is diagnosed in children at the age of 3, when the child goes to kindergarten for the first time and begins to constantly get sick.

When the nasopharyngeal tonsils are inflamed, the mucus does not come out through the nasal passages, but flows down the back wall of the pharynx.

It is quite easy to identify adenoids. The child snores at night and breathes through his mouth. In this case, other symptoms arise in the form of:

1. Insomnia.
2. Apathy.
3. Lethargy.
4. Loss of appetite.
5. Hearing loss.
6. Painful feeling in the head.

This disease requires consultation and examination by a doctor. Treatment consists of controlling the condition. If the adenoids continue to grow, then surgery is required.

The appearance of polyps

In medicine, polyps are called benign formations, which have a fleshy structure. They arise in the mucous membrane of the nasal passages or in the sinuses. It is worth noting that polyps are not cancerous. They are distinguished by size and color: the formations resemble a bunch of grapes, having a yellowish, brown or pink tint.

The main symptoms of the presence of polyps include:

1. Feeling of nasal congestion.
2. Feeling of a foreign object in the nose.
3. Having a runny nose.
4. Decreased olfactory function.
5. Breathing through the mouth.
6. Feeling of pressure in the frontal or facial area.

This pathology occurs mainly in adults. But if a child has a stuffy nose, snot does not flow and he snores heavily at night, then perhaps he has grown polyps.

Formations can appear even in infants. Then it's violated night sleep, the baby becomes capricious, eats poorly and gains little weight.

Treatment of polyps involves their direct removal surgically.

Deviated nasal septum

The most common problem of nasal congestion without snot in a child is considered to be a deviated nasal septum. It resembles a thin strip, which consists of bone and cartilage tissue. The septum divides the nasal passage into two cavities. If it moves to the side, then it is customary to talk about its curvature.

The main symptoms of this pathology include:

1. Blockage of one or both nostrils.
2. Stuffy nose.
3. Regular bleeding from the nasal passages.
4. The constant emergence of infectious diseases.
5. Manifestation painful sensations in the facial area.
6. Painful feeling in the head.
7. Emergence noisy breathing during sleep.

Deformation of the nasal septum often occurs as a result of injury. There are cases and congenital pathology. This condition can lead to difficulty breathing and the discharge of mucus from the nasal cavity.

What to do in this situation? Often there is no treatment for a deviated nasal septum. The main thing is to follow preventive measures.

In severe cases, the patient undergoes surgery to reduce it.

Finding a foreign body in the nose

If The child has a stuffy nose, but no snot, then perhaps this indicates a hit foreign body into the nose. Often, during games, children stick various small parts into their nasal passages out of curiosity. But they are afraid to tell adults about its presence. This can happen at any age, at two or three years old, and even at six years old. Very often, the disease occurs in children's institutions, where it is difficult to monitor each child. Also, penetration of a foreign body can occur during eating or vomiting.
There is a high risk of a foreign body entering the nose, but it not only enters the respiratory tract, but also leads to suffocation.

Adults should not try to remove small parts on their own, as this may worsen the child’s condition. Only a doctor can solve the problem.

Diagnosis of pathology

If adults notice that the child does not have snot, but his nose is not breathing, you need to consult a doctor. You should not delay visiting a specialist, as the child’s condition may worsen. When breathing through the mouth, the baby does not receive required quantity oxygen, which leads to hypoxia of brain tissue. This condition can adversely affect development. First, the doctor examines the nasal cavity.

And to know how to treat pathology, you need to undergo an examination, which includes:

1. Rhinoscopy.
2. Examination of the posterior nasal cavity.
3. Biopsy. Taking a smear for histology.
4. Fibrorhinopharyngoscopy. The newest method that allows you to completely examine the nasopharynx.
5. Analysis of olfactory function. The patient is offered several strong-smelling objects to determine the state of respiratory function.
6. Radiography.
7. Consultation with an allergist. If a patient develops an allergy, treatment often includes taking hormonal drugs. If local medications do not help, then injections are prescribed. The allergist also recommends conducting test samples to determine the irritant.
8. Consultation with an otolaryngologist.

Every parent should listen to their child's complaints. If he is still very small, then pathology is always indicated by increased moodiness and sleep disturbance.

It happens that, in particular special features colds, ARVI: cough, high temperature. Only a specialist can identify the cause, since difficulty breathing sharply worsens the quality of life and general health baby.

The nasal passages have a special anatomical structure, and congestion without snot discharge is tolerated much worse by children than by adults. Increased sensitivity of the nasal mucosa. Congestion is often accompanied by headache, weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite. This ultimately leads to depletion of the nasal mucosa. The baby begins to sleep with open mouth and of course, worries parents.

Often observed without a runny nose in a child at 1-2 years due to their physiological structural characteristics. It is not necessary that liquid oozes from the nose, but the condition is dangerous, because air flows through the clogged passages with difficulty and in limited quantities. Mucous in childhood is still imperfect, and the child is just adapting to the air environment, so slight swelling is often observed. Congestion can be caused by the structure of the nasal septum, but if measures are not taken, the following may occur:

• development of polyps and adenoids in the nasal cavity;
• curvature of the nasal septum in the event of a foreign body entering, when surgical intervention is no longer possible;
• an outbreak of inflammation due to an infection or an allergic reaction.

These provoking factors can lead to:

• an increase in the mucous membrane in volume;
• formation of polypous growths;
• narrowing of the nasal passage;
• obstruction of the free movement of air in the nasal cavity;
• decreased sense of smell and taste sensitivity.

With adenoid growths, the nasopharyngeal tonsils are subject to inflammation, against which the development of adenoiditis is possible, which is more common in preschool children due to previous measles, scarlet fever or influenza, leading to damage to the mucous membrane of the tonsils.

Children can get stuffy noses in the spring during flowering plants, during contact with animals, when allergic rhinitis develops. Parents need to pay more attention to their children and promptly eliminate provoking factors that can lead to nasal congestion.

Perhaps the reason is a foreign body getting into the nasal passage, because children like to stick foreign objects into their nose. Of course, this is dangerous, because the airways are blocked. Attacks of suffocation may occur, when it is no longer possible to delay calling emergency medical services. help. It is necessary to stop such phenomena in the form of small objects in children from an early age.

Other sources of nasal congestion

Due to uncontrolled use of medications, the development of medicinal rhinitis may occur. Clinical symptoms also appear:

• the nose is stuffy and the baby begins to breathe through the mouth;
• sleep and appetite are disturbed;
• itching, burning and lacrimation appear, which indicates a previously untreated acute respiratory viral infection or acute respiratory infection. All signs may appear suddenly and, of course, require elimination.

Colds, acute respiratory viral infections, and hypothermia often pass without a runny nose, but secretions in the internal parts of the nasal cavity still accumulate and stagnate. This is why it is so important, especially for infants up to one year old, to monitor the air humidity in the room, ventilate the room more often and take more walks with the child.

Children's bodies are fragile and children are just learning to get used to the microclimatic conditions around them. Dry air and high temperature in the room often lead to drying out of the nasal mucosa and blocking of the passages. As a result, it turns out that there is no runny nose. Children are just beginning to explore the world, there are enough different small items, coming to hand, and pulls into the nose, mouth. But they may be swallowed or in the nasal cavity, thereby blocking the access of air and injuring the mucous membrane. Problems can remain with the child for life.

If breathing is difficult and there is no snot, then you should immediately contact a specialist and begin treatment. Otherwise, the inflammatory process will lead to serious pathology.

What should not be done if children have nasal congestion?

1. In case of deep damage to the nasal mucosa, the baby’s head should not be allowed to be thrown back excessively to avoid increased bleeding and blood flow.
2. If you suddenly notice free movement of the nasal septum or bleeding without stopping for more than 5 minutes, then you need to call a doctor at home urgently.
3. You cannot treat or remove a foreign object yourself; incorrect manipulations can only lead to serious damage mucous membrane.
4. If nasal septum is curved or has abnormal development from birth, with decreased hearing, signs of hearing loss and mental retardation, then self-medication is excluded. It is worth contacting a surgeon to eliminate the defects through surgery. The abnormal development of the septum is not always correctable, therefore, in order to avoid complications, the doctor will first develop appropriate treatment.
5. Parents of children need to understand that a deviated nasal septum cannot be eliminated using traditional methods or medications. Only an experienced specialist can correct the situation.
6. If nasal congestion without a runny nose is caused by drug-induced rhinitis against the background of long-term and excessive use of vasoconstrictors, which only lead to atrophic changes in the mucous membrane, then you should not take the drugs for a long time and it is better to consult a doctor for a review therapeutic tactics in order to restore the mucous membrane.
7. Some drops can lead to disruption of functionality and bursting of capillary vessels, atrophy of the nasal mucosa, difficulty breathing, which also poses a danger to the child and requires a visit to a specialist.
8. Some medications are addictive, increasing nasal swelling and watery eyes in children. You should stop using medications and consult your doctor first.
9. If the cause of congestion without a runny nose is an overgrowth lymphoid tissue or adenoids in the nose, which occurs in children under 5-6 years of age, when breathing is difficult and there is no runny nose, then the adenoids require surgical removal only.
10. For sinusitis or inflammation paranasal sinuses Warming up cannot be carried out.
11. The mucous membrane in the nasal passages must not be allowed to dry out, so the cavity must be irrigated constantly, otherwise in the absence of mucus in the nose active substances in the composition will not be able to independently fight the invasion of viruses and microorganisms.

How is the treatment carried out?

First of all, it is necessary to eliminate the root causes that led to such a condition.

1. In case of injury to the nose or a foreign object, as first aid, cold should be applied to the affected area, light massage and, of course, urgently contact a surgeon.

It is recommended to give the baby more fluids to drink and treat the cavity with special ointments. For example, “Rescuer” balm is suitable for children from 1 year of age to lubricate the nasal cavity in case of severe damage to the mucous membrane for restoration. As a result, the congestion will go away on its own.

1. At heavy bleeding You cannot try to solve the problem yourself and you need to call ambulance. Can be used liquid nitrogen for treating the nasal cavity, replacing damaged cells with new ones.
2. Congenital defects in the nose cannot be eliminated using traditional methods at home, although in some cases some remedies help remove pathogenic bacteria, cleanse the sinuses and free up breathing.

Home methods

• instill saline solution into the nose, or lubricate it with special oils for up to 5 days;
• if the problem does not go away, then it is recommended to instill vasoconstrictor drops, but as prescribed by a doctor;
• when primary signs of malaise appear with nasal congestion without a runny nose, treatment with medications is possible, but not more than 3 days in order to avoid atrophy of the mucous membrane and addiction;
• It is recommended to take hot foot baths at home to relieve swelling and ease breathing. You can prepare a weak saline solution and rinse the nasal cavity 2 times a day;
• It is good to use sea salt for rinsing;
• massage the wings of the nose thumbs hands, in order to prevent congestion from moving into the chronic phase;
• Even with minor signs of adenoid proliferation, you should contact an otolaryngologist, because Treatment with medications and vasoconstrictors will be useless.

At home and only with the permission of a doctor, you can use the following methods:

• squeeze the juice from aloe, mix with water in a 1:1 ratio, instill 2-4 drops into each nostril 3 times a day to relieve congestion and inflammation;
• Mix fresh beet juice with plain water (1:1) and instill it up to 3 times a day or use inhalation to restore normal breathing. You can purchase an inhaler at a pharmacy or use the home method by adding hot water a pinch of soda to warm the sinuses and ease breathing;
• Heat table salt in a frying pan, pour into a canvas bag and apply to the wings of the nose for 10 minutes;
• 2-3 tbsp. l. mix mustard with hot water in a basin, wrap yourself in a towel and inhale the vapors or steam your baby’s feet before bed;
• if the baby is not yet 1 year old, then you can simply hold the legs under the stream warm water, then put on warm socks, pouring salt to kill pathogenic bacteria;
• bury 2-3 drops of freshly squeezed aloe juice into the nostrils;
• conduct massotherapy in a circular motion in the area of ​​the bridge of the nose and wings of the nose, patting these places up to 2 times a day.

Prevention

• Rizolin for children from 2 years old to 4 times a day;
• Vibrocil spray for children up to 3 times a day;
• instant medications are sold in tablets and powders to achieve a positive result;
• Clarinase, but for children under 12 years old;
• Cetrin for children from 12 years old, 1 tablet per day

Additionally, it is necessary to regulate nutrition, limit sugar intake, which is conducive to reproduction pathogenic flora in the nose. Give babies something to drink herbal infusions. If the child does not have a high temperature, then it is recommended to take him for a walk, and not keep him in a stuffy, warm room, which is what many mothers try to do.

When treating mucosal pathologies, antiseptics, hormonal, anti-inflammatory, decongestants, and immunomodulators are used. If inflammation or adenoids develop in the nose, one cannot hope for their spontaneous disappearance. If the mother does not know the cause of congestion and how to eliminate the problem, for example, with rhinitis, damage to the deeper parts of the nasal mucosa, then you need to consult a doctor, otherwise mucus may leak out not out, but into the throat. The nose is stuffy, but there is no mucus discharge; this condition is fraught with asphyxia and suffocation.

In any case, congestion requires consultation with a doctor, even when the cause is quite clear to the parents. Only a competent specialist can prescribe effective treatment(especially for infants under 1 year old) and it may be possible to do without medications, especially antibiotics, which are harmful and dangerous for child's body.

When a child has a stuffy nose, parents immediately begin to look for the causes of the runny nose. And they are frankly at a loss when it turns out that the child’s illness does not fit into the general idea of ​​rhinitis - there is congestion, but no mucus.

Evgeniy Komarovsky, a famous pediatrician, TV presenter and author of books on children's health, talks about what this can mean and how to deal with it.

About the problem

Dry nasal congestion is medically called “posterior rhinitis.” This condition is more dangerous than any runny nose accompanied by discharge, since it may indicate serious “problems” in the ENT organs.

Congestion is associated with swelling of the mucous membranes, and the absence of mucus indicates the non-infectious nature of the disease. If a runny nose is caused by viruses, the nose will definitely run, this is how the body removes foreign “guests”. Dry congestion, according to doctors, is most often caused by an allergic reaction, a foreign body that gets stuck in the nasal passages. This condition is also typical for children with congenital or acquired curvature of the nasal septum, in which the nasal breathing generally.

Sometimes a runny nose without discharge is a sign that the child’s mucus has dried out. posterior regions, this was the cause of the swelling. In rare cases, a dry runny nose is a symptom of heart and circulation problems.

A dry runny nose can also be caused by medication; it usually affects children whose parents, contrary to all doctor’s orders and common sense, treated them for ordinary rhinitis with vasoconstrictor nasal medications for too long.

If a child accidentally inhales a particle of food, a crumb, or a small part from a toy, then it is most likely that he will only have one nasal passage blocked; the second nostril will breathe without problems.

Danger

The main danger of nasal congestion without mucus secretion is the possible atrophy of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. This can happen if the problem is ignored or the condition is treated incorrectly. It is possible that secondary diseases of the nasopharynx will develop, which will cause irreversible changes in the tissues of the respiratory organs.

Children with a dry runny nose usually have disturbed sleep, develop neurosis due to lack of sleep, and become restless and nervous. If the cause is pathological (and only a doctor can determine this), untreated posterior rhinitis can cause a deterioration in the sense of smell and hearing loss.

Dry congestion disrupts cerebral circulation. With prolonged absence of nasal breathing, severe disturbances in the functioning of cerebral vessels may develop.

Doctor Komarovsky about the problem

Evgeny Komarovsky looks at the problem of dry nasal congestion a little more optimistically than most of his colleagues. According to an authoritative doctor, 80% of cases of runny nose without snot are a consequence of excessive parental care. In other words, moms and dads create greenhouse conditions for their children: it’s hot at home, you can’t open the windows, “after all, there’s a small child at home!”, It’s not worth walking in cool and windy weather, because “the baby might get sick.”

Violation of the temperature regime, coupled with excessively dry air in the apartment, leads to drying out of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. The mucus outflow system is disrupted, swelling forms, and as a result, the nose does not breathe.

Komarovsky urges parents to monitor their child more closely; if there are no other symptoms of ill health other than congestion, there is no need to worry too much.

It is enough to create the “right” conditions for the child to normal life: according to the doctor, the air temperature in the apartment should not be higher than 19 degrees, air humidity - 50-70%.

The house needs to be wet cleaned more often and the room ventilated. The child should walk often, walks should be as long as possible, as long as the toddler’s age allows.

Often, the well-known flu and ARVI begin with dry nasal congestion, says Komarovsky. In this case, such a reaction of the nasal passages is defense mechanism. Usually, after a day or two, a dry runny nose due to a viral infection necessarily becomes wet.

Infants with a dry runny nose are a fairly common phenomenon. There is no need to sound the alarm, says Evgeny Komarovsky. The child adapts, adapts to the environment, and therefore congestion of the nasal passages (which in infants are already very narrow) is a variant of the norm. The mucous membrane of newborns also dries out because the posterior part of their nasal passages is narrowed, which is why babies often sleep with their mouths open. Usually the symptom goes away on its own and without the use of any medications within 2-3 weeks of the baby’s independent life outside the mother’s tummy.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you how to treat a runny nose in the next video.

Allergic dry rhinitis does not occur in children as often as manufacturers make it out to be a problem expensive drugs from allergies, says Komarovsky, as does not often happen congenital deformity nasal septum. This pathology is generally visible from the first days of life, and the mother will definitely be informed about it, if not in the maternity hospital, then during the first examination by a pediatrician.

Dr. Komarovsky will tell you in the video below how to find the cause of an allergic runny nose, how it differs from an infectious runny nose.

Komarovsky advises thinking about a foreign body in the nose first if the child is already walking and actively exploring the world. At least for this you need to visit an ENT doctor in person.

Children as young as one year old quite often inhale various little things, but cannot tell their parents about what happened. In this situation, without qualified assistance a specialist is indispensable.

Treatment

If congestion without mucus is caused by drying out of the latter in the posterior sections of the nasal passages, no specific treatment not required, says Komarovsky. Optimal conditions environment, which were mentioned above, and sometimes - nasal rinsing sea ​​water or weak saline solution. This treatment is safe and non-toxic.

The main condition is that instillations should not be three or four times a day. Komarovsky says that procedures with salt water will be effective only when parents do not become lazy and start dripping into the child’s nose every 20-30 minutes, with the exception of bedtime, of course.

But Evgeniy Olegovich does not recommend putting vasoconstrictor drops into a child’s nose unless absolutely necessary (without a prescription).

Firstly, they cause persistent drug addiction, and secondly, the benefits from them are temporary, nasal congestion is sure to return when the effect of the drug wears off. If the doctor prescribed such drops (“Nazivin”, “Nazol”, etc.), then you should not use them for more than three days in a row. This is not a recommendation, but an urgent requirement.

Komarovsky advises starting treatment by clearing the respiratory tract of dried mucus crusts. To do this, parents can use an aspirator or do a rinse.

If you have an inhaler at home, your child can inhale with essential oils and decoctions of medicinal herbs, such as chamomile and sage.

A prerequisite for recovery is plenty of drinking regimen. To prevent the mucous membrane from drying out, the child needs to drink a lot. Dr. Komarovsky recommends giving your baby more water still, tea, compotes, herbal infusions, decoctions.

It is important to remember that a child needs an abundance of fluid not only during illness, but also in health. Then these diseases themselves, such as dry and wet runny nose, the cough will be much less, and the illnesses will be much easier.

If dry congestion in a child is due to an allergy, and this is confirmed by a doctor and lab tests, then the main treatment, according to Komarovsky, will be to completely isolate the toddler from the antigen to which the body’s inadequate reaction occurred. In addition, it will be better if mom and dad put the child on hypoallergenic diet and will ensure that there is no animal hair, dust deposits in the house, household chemicals based on chlorine.

Adviсe

It is best to humidify the air in the apartment where the child lives using a humidifier. But this device is quite expensive, and therefore, if there is no money in the family budget to purchase it, you can place small containers with water in the corners, which will evaporate, you can buy an aquarium with fish, hang wet towels or pillowcases over the radiators and wet them regularly. The latter is especially important in winter, when the radiators heat up and additionally dry out the air.

You should not give your child inhalations over a bowl of boiling water. Komarovsky calls on parents to be prudent and reminds them that such procedures can cause burns to the mucous membranes. It is best to do inhalations using a special inhaler or a device with fine spray - a nebulizer.

For a dry runny nose that does not respond to the above home treatment methods, Komarovsky advises to be examined by a pediatrician, ENT specialist, allergist, and take a blood test for antibodies and allergy tests. It is possible to cure congestion, he reminds, only when the cause of its occurrence can be found and treated.

Nasal congestion - common occurrence for colds. However, this unpleasant symptom may indicate various disorders V human body. Children feel particular discomfort when their nose cannot breathe. This is often accompanied by mucus secretion, but in some cases, no snot is observed with a stuffy nose. Why can’t my child breathe through his nose, and how can I help him?

Stuffy sleep without snot causes no less discomfort than a runny nose, so this symptomatology must be dealt with

Why does a child have a stuffy nose?

The nose is designed so that air freely enters the body, is cleaned and moistened. If there is poor patency in the nasal sinuses, the process of oxygen supply is disrupted, and the person feels discomfort. So, why does a child have a stuffy nose? U this phenomenon a few reasons:

1. First of all, sinus congestion causes swelling of the mucous membrane, which occurs due to inflammatory processes or allergies. In case of colds, swelling is caused by a rush of blood to the sites of inflammation, and in case of allergies, the mucous membrane is irritated by allergens.
2. Violation of the structure and functionality of the nasal passages.
3. The appearance of growths or proliferation of lymphoid tissue.
4. The nose is clogged with an accumulation of mucus. This happens with colds, allergic manifestations, during the period of teething in infants.
5. The body's reaction to the presence of vasodilator substances in the blood.
6. Dry air in the children's room. The nasal mucosa cannot cope with the function of moisturizing, and crusts form in the nasal passages, which prevent normal breathing. This happens especially often at night.

What does it mean if your nose is stuffy, but there is no snot?

A runny nose in a child is a common occurrence with the flu and acute respiratory infections. It goes away after recovery. However, if nasal congestion is not accompanied by snot, many parents become confused. This problem especially bothers children at night while sleeping. Why is your nose stuffy, but no snot? Let's consider the main reasons for this condition:

• Chronic vasomotor rhinitis. This pathology can develop due to improper treatment various diseases, for example, with prolonged uncontrolled use of vasoconstrictors. The muscular walls of blood vessels stop responding to external stimulants, and the nasal mucosa becomes sensitive to any irritants.
• Allergic reaction. Most often, allergies are accompanied by watery eyes, sneezing and copious discharge mucus. However, sometimes the body reacts to an allergen only with nasal congestion. This reaction can be caused by pet hair or bird feathers, dust, mold, and insects.
• Sinusitis. Swelling of the mucous membrane occurs due to inflammation in the paranasal sinuses. The disease develops against the background of a cold and is accompanied by headaches and increased body temperature.
• Congenital anomalies of the nasal septum. The pathology may not manifest itself for several years. Over time, narrowing of one or two nasal passages occurs, which prevents the normal flow of air.
• Violation of the structure of the nasal passages due to trauma.
• Polyps. New growths appear in children who often suffer from infectious or colds. The body tries to protect itself from pathogenic elements by increasing the volume of the mucous membrane. The growths take a long time to form.

• Adenoids. Inflamed tonsils can completely block the nasal passages.
• Foreign body. Kids often try to stuff small beads, construction kit parts, berries and leaves into their noses. Parents need to closely monitor their child when he is playing. Long stay foreign object leads to inflammatory processes. Pulling them out on your own is dangerous, as you can push the object deeper, which will damage the nasal septum or cause an attack of suffocation.
• When the air in the children's room is dry, babies get stuffy noses, but there is no mucus.
• Tumor process of ENT organs.
• Long-term use of medications or hormonal drugs which have a vasodilating effect.
• Pathologies of the kidneys, cardiovascular or endocrine system can cause poor circulation in the mucous membrane and cause swelling.
• Some children react with nasal congestion to a sudden change in environment.

How to help a child?

Difficulty breathing brings a lot of discomfort to the baby. The problem is especially aggravated at night when the child is in a lying position. He sleeps poorly, snores in his sleep, has no appetite, and is getting worse brain activity. In a newborn who is forced to breathe through his mouth, the feeding process is disrupted. Treat this problem necessary together with a pediatrician.

It is necessary to treat nasal congestion under the supervision of a pediatrician. Pharmacy medications

To effectively eliminate pathology in a child, it is necessary to find out its cause. At allergic rhinitis It will be enough to remove the allergen and take antihistamine. If the baby has trouble breathing foreign object, you need to remove it. The table presents medications that will help alleviate the child’s condition and eliminate swelling with a “dry” runny nose.

Direction of action	Name	Release form	Directions for use and doses	Age restrictions
Cleansing, moisturizing	Salin	Drops, spray	Nasal irrigation 3-4 times a day	For babies under one year of age, use the product in the form of drops; the newborn’s nose is irrigated while lying on its side.
	Aqualor
	Aquamaris
Relieving swelling	Vibrocil		Children under 6 years old - 1-2 drops 3 times a day, from 6 years old - 3 drops in each nostril 3-4 times a day	For children over one year old
	Brizolin	Drops	2 drops up to 4 times a day	Not recommended for children under 6 years of age
	Tsetrin	Pills	From 12 years old – 1 tablet per day, up to 12 years old – 0.5 tablets
Vasoconstriction	Nazivin (how to drip children's "Nazivin" to children under one year old?)	Drops	At the discretion of the doctor, no longer than 5 days	Not for use in children under 7 months
	Sanorin			Children over 2 years old
	Nazol-baby		3-5 days, at intervals of more than 6 hours	From 2 months to 6 years
	Nazol-kids			From 2 years
Eliminating allergies	Suprastin	Pills	According to age group	From the second month of life
	Loratadine	Syrup	Take one hour before meals, dosage depending on age	From 1 year
Relieving inflammation, treating polyps, allergies, sinusitis	Nasonex (how to administer Nasonex to a 3 year old child?)	Spray	Up to 12 years - 1 time per day	Children over 2 years old
Treatment of acute sinusitis, rhinitis	Bioparox	Aerosol	Individually	From 30 months of life

Application vasoconstrictor drops for children should be carried out strictly as prescribed by the doctor. Do not use medications for longer than 5 days. If the nasal passage of a baby is clogged, it is necessary to moisturize the mucous membrane and remove dry crusts. Clearing congestion usually requires integrated approach to treatment.

Folk remedies

Traditional methods of combating “dry” runny nose are popular in the treatment of young children. Home remedies do not require a lot of money to prepare and are considered relatively safe:

• For a child, you can make drops from carrot or beet juice. It is necessary to finely grate the vegetable and squeeze out the juice through cheesecloth. Mix liquid with water 1:1. Place drops in each nostril 4 times a day.
• Aloe juice has a strong anti-inflammatory effect. To prepare nasal drops, take 10 parts of juice and add 1 part of water to it. However, you should carefully monitor the reaction of the child’s body, since this plant may cause allergies in the child. You can relieve inflammation of the mucous membranes with herbal infusions.
• An infusion for nasal use is prepared using calendula, sage and plantain. Pour a tablespoon of herbal mixture into 1 cup of boiling water and cool. Treat the nose 3-4 times during the day. Replace pharmacy drops To moisturize the nose, you can use chamomile infusion or saline solution (7 g of salt per glass of water).

For sinusitis, it is recommended to bury your nose Kalanchoe juice or solution sea ​​salt with iodine (1 drop of iodine, a pinch of salt, a glass of water).

Warming the nose can be used to relieve congestion only if it is excluded acute sinusitis. The procedure is carried out before bed for 10-15 minutes using warm eggs or heated bags of salt. The duration of therapy is 7-10 days.

Surgical intervention

Surgical removal of nasal congestion is performed if medicinal methods treatments do not bring the desired result. Surgeries are usually performed on children over 4 years of age. The decision to carry out the procedure is made by a specialist. Before surgery, a complete examination of the patient is carried out. Below are the types of operations and indications for their performance:

• A polyectomy can eliminate nasal polyps.
• An adenoidectomy aims to remove the adenoids. Children are recommended to have their adenoids removed with a laser.
• Congenital or acquired curvature of the nasal septum is corrected using a septoplasty.
• Conchotomy is necessary for tumor processes in the nasal concha.
• Vasotomy is used for chronic vasomotor rhinitis.

Other measures

Many experts advise using massage to treat a runny nose. Rubbing the area between the eyebrows or the parotid area helps improve blood flow and relieve nasal swelling. Massage of the wings of the nose and the area slightly higher is also considered effective. The child will feel a little relief if the mother rubs his pads thumb on hands.

Mild congestion the nose will pass if you steam your feet for a couple of days in a row and put on woolen socks before going to bed

A hot foot bath will help relieve congestion. To enhance the effect, you can add mustard, herbal infusion of chamomile or mint to the water. It is better to do the procedure before bedtime. However, warming the feet is contraindicated for children under 3 years of age. IN complex therapy For complex forms of rhinitis, the following physiotherapeutic methods are used:

• laser treatment;
• ultrasonic influence;
• inhalation;
• manual therapy and acupuncture;
• electrophoresis;
• ultraviolet treatment;
• breathing exercises.

Preventing nasal congestion in children

Children with good immunity, get sick less often, so strengthening the child’s body will avoid many unpleasant pathologies. The child should regularly walk in the fresh air, take a contrast shower, and eat right. Taking vitamin complexes and flu vaccinations during seasonal illnesses reduce the risk of colds.

To prevent nasal congestion, it is necessary to constantly ventilate the children's room and do wet cleaning of the room. During the heating season, you can humidify the air using special devices, and if they are not available, place a damp towel near the heaters. Timely treatment of colds will reduce the risk of complicated forms of rhinitis and sinusitis.

Often, especially in the cold season, parents turn to the pediatrician with typical complaints - the child has a stuffy nose, but there is no mucus discharge. At the same time, the nose does not breathe well, crusts may form in the nose, snoring can be heard at night, and periodic squelching in the nose during the day, the baby talks through his nose, breathes through his mouth and is pale, lethargic, and capricious. What is the reason, is it always a disease or is it influenced by any other factors, what should parents do, what treatment is required?

Table of contents: Nasal congestion in children What should be noted? Causes of nasal congestion in children Runny nose in children Severe congestion of one half of the nose Enlarged adenoids and adenoiditis in children Nasal polyps in adolescents Nasal septum and its defects in children How to make a diagnosis in children? Methods home help children

Nasal congestion in children

The condition of nasal congestion is typical for children due to the fact that the mucous membranes are delicate, prone to irritation and the formation of edema, which sharply narrows the lumen of the nasal passages and the free passage of air flows through them. Due to the peculiarities of the structure of the nasal concha in children, the swelling and congestion are greater the younger the children are.

note

In early childhood, the nasal passages are narrow, and the mucous membranes are richly supplied with blood and are sensitive to changes in the external environment. They may swell even with severe dryness or high air temperature due to rapid drying of mucous membranes, disruption of the functioning of cilia and epithelium in the production of mucus.

In addition, swelling and nasal congestion are typical for many infections of a viral and microbial nature, the formation of allergies and foreign bodies in the nose. In children from about three years of age, the cause of constant nasal congestion can be growing adenoid vegetations, traumatic curvature of the nasal septum, and in adolescence– bad habits and nasal polyps.

What should we celebrate?

Before you see a doctor, it is important to try to figure out the most obvious causes of nasal congestion yourself. If the nose is stuffy only at home, with the central heating radiators turned on, while there are dry lips, crusts in the nose and the air in the apartment is above 22-24 degrees, the cause may be excessive dryness of the air and a violation of the microclimate. Usually, under these conditions on the street, children breathe calmly through their noses, the swelling goes away and normal nasal breathing is restored.

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If there are signs of skin allergies, itching in the nose, sneezing, congestion, redness of the cheeks and eyes, swelling of the eyelids, the cause may be the development of an allergy to certain products, surrounding substances or medications that appeared in Lately before a runny nose. All this needs to be cancelled.

If fever, malaise, headaches and pallor occur, children are capricious or lethargic, this is most likely the beginning of ARVI, and for cold runny nose Nasal congestion and swelling without snot discharge are typical at the beginning. If, against the background of this, there is also a cough or coughing, nasal congestion and squelching can be heard, the child breathes through his mouth, coughs often, especially while lying down, this can mean adenoiditis (inflammation of an enlarged adenoid).

If there is no obvious reason for congestion, and the baby is breathing poorly through one or both nostrils, it is worth starting to determine the reasons by visiting a pediatrician or ENT specialist; if necessary, they will send you and the baby to additional consultations with specialists.

Causes of nasal congestion in children

The respiratory system is designed in such a way that optimal, healthy, comfortable breathing is nasal breathing, and if it is impossible to fully implement it against the background of nasal congestion or swelling, children develop severe discomfort and inconvenience from switching to mouth breathing.

If a child has severe swelling of the nose and it is constantly stuffy, even if there is no runny nose or mucus, the body already receives about 40% of the oxygen it needs and the body suffers from severe hypoxia.

Features of the anatomy of the nose in children - the structure of the mucous membrane, nasal septum, cartilaginous frame and bone, the size of the air cavities predispose to easy development swelling of the nasal turbinates and severe runny nose or congestion. Often, against the background of severe nasal congestion, young children may experience headaches, dizziness, malaise and insomnia, appetite disturbances and tearfulness. This occurs against a background of oxygen deficiency and problems with tissue respiration due to tissue hypoxia. Let's try to understand the main reasons leading to severe nasal congestion.

Runny nose in children

The most obvious cause of nasal congestion in children at any age is an infectious runny nose, which is provoked by both viral and microbial factors.. Typical for the first stage of a runny nose severe irritation mucous particles falling on the surface of the epithelium microbial origin or viral. Damage to surface epithelial cells leads to increased blood flow to the mucous membranes, their congestion and swelling. In children, this swelling manifests itself in the form of nasal congestion, transition to mouth breathing and coughing. But quite quickly this type of runny nose progresses to the stage of mucus flowing from the nose.

Often the cause of congestion of a longer nature is an allergic runny nose due to hay fever ( seasonal allergies to pollen) or as a reaction to food, dust, and some medications.

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A possible cause of congestion can also be vasomotor rhinitis - this is an abnormal reaction of the mucous membranes to temperature fluctuations and dry air, during which the blood supply to the mucous membranes changes and their swelling is formed.

Congestion may develop with the formation of complications of a runny nose in the form of sinusitis (inflammation of the paranasal sinuses). Against the background of irritation and swelling of the mucous membrane, swelling forms in the sinuses, which greatly complicates nasal breathing. In addition, a viscous secretion may accumulate inside the sinuses, which increases swelling.

Severe congestion of one half of the nose

If nasal congestion and sharp violation nasal breathing is formed on one side, only one nostril does not breathe, the cause may be a foreign body in young children. Usually these are small objects, food particles, bones, seeds, which kids stick into their noses as experiments. Such problems are typical for children aged 1 to 5-6 years. Often, in the ENT doctor’s office, very unusual objects are removed from the nose - Lego, cherry pits, nuts, etc.

Nasal congestion can occur after vomiting or regurgitation if particles of food or milk enter the nasal cavity and cause swelling of the mucous membranes due to irritation with the acidic contents of the stomach. In this case, the nose breathes poorly, an unpleasant odor from one or both nostrils, and coughing are typical.

note

It is important not to try to clean your nose or remove foreign objects from it; you must contact an ENT doctor to examine and remove dangerous objects. Independent attempts to remove objects with tweezers, sticks, tubes and other improvised means can only cause additional injury and push the object deeper, creating complications.

Particularly dangerous is the risk of a foreign body entering the respiratory tract from the nasal cavity and the formation of suffocation or bronchitis or atelectasis of the lungs due to blockage of a certain bronchus by the foreign body, blocking the access of air to part of the pulmonary fields. In this case, only a specialist with the necessary equipment and knowledge can help.

Enlarged adenoids and adenoiditis in children

In children after three years of age, one of the serious problems of the nasopharynx and immune system is enlarged adenoids. This tonsil, receiving Active participation V immune reactions, but sometimes increasing beyond measure, growing and partially or completely blocking the lumen in the area of ​​the nasal passages.

The reason for the enlargement of the adenoid is frequent respiratory infections and prolonged colds, weakened immunity and weak temperament of children. Manifestations of enlarged adenoids include a constantly stuffy nose, but there is no runny nose or snot is located deep in the nasopharynx, flowing down it. back wall and leading to coughing and throat irritation.

May occur periodically adenoiditis– inflammation of the tonsil with a sharp increase in symptoms and severe congestion, cough, malaise and problems with appetite, sleep, and temperature.

In the presence of adenoid vegetations, children need constant surveillance and treatment by an ENT doctor, strict monitoring of the condition of the nasopharynx and periodic courses of restorative therapy, hardening.

Nasal polyps in teenagers

Nasal congestion during adolescence, in addition to the reasons mentioned above, can be the result of nasal polyps. These are benign formations - growths of the mucous membrane, which are located in the area of ​​the mucous membrane of the nasal passages and in the sinus cavity. Often they form as a single formation.

Symptoms of nasal polyps include congestion in one or both turbinates, decreased sense of smell, hearing problems and impaired speech function (since the nose acts as a resonator).

If the polyps are multiple and significantly complicate breathing functions, an abnormal structure of the chest may form, which is typical for chronic bronchopulmonary pathologies. In children school age against the background of polyps, sleep and appetite suffer, it is possible frequent illnesses and slow body weight gain.

Nasal septum and its defects in children

Congenital defects of the nasal septum or traumatic damage to it from falls and blows to the face can cause nasal congestion without snot. Often, such a defect is of congenital origin, due to anomalies in the structure of cartilage tissue, and also becomes a consequence of injuries or discrepancies in the growth of the body, facial bones and cartilage tissue. Often parents are unaware of similar problem for a long time until colds arise and the baby gets an appointment with an ENT specialist, who, after examination, determines this problem.

In adolescence, a similar defect is possible due to injuries and sports, after a broken nose, or as a result of blows and falls. A septum that is deformed leads to disruption of the outflow of mucus from the nose, which leads to stagnation and swelling.

How to make a diagnosis in children?

Often, based on the main signs, one can only suspect the causes of nasal congestion, but it is impossible to accurately determine the problem. It is important to contact an ENT doctor and conduct an examination - direct rhinoscopy, as well as examination of the nasal cavities using an endoscope. If infection is suspected, swabs are taken and general tests, in case of allergies - fingerprints to identify allergies and tests for allergens.

For more serious problems you need:

• X-ray of the nose and paranasal sinuses
• Computed tomography of the skull and paranasal sinuses
• Endoscopic methods for examining the nose and its cavities.

Based on the results of all the data obtained, a diagnosis is made and treatment tactics for the pathology are selected.

Methods of home help for children

It is important to create conditions at home to facilitate breathing and relieve swelling, so that the child does not suffer from hypoxia and does not breathe through the mouth, which creates the preconditions for more frequent colds. The simplest thing you can do at home is to clear the crusts from your nose and rinse it with saline sprays from the pharmacy or solutions of sea salt or regular salt. Rinse the nose using a special system, a syringe without a needle or a small rubber bulb. In children in early age Turundas made of gauze soaked in saline solutions will help.

Inhalation nebulizers with saline solutions or essential oils (if there are no allergies) can help relieve congestion - mint, eucalyptus, chamomile. They need to be carried out at least twice a day.

Special pharmaceutical ointments, helping to relieve congestion, they are applied to the wings of the nose or its back, they relieve swelling and make breathing easier.

When finding out exact reason Nasal congestion is treated under the guidance of a doctor, based on the main cause - infection, allergy, changes in the anatomy of the nasal turbinates. It is important not to get carried away with vasoconstrictor sprays and drops; they give a temporary effect, form an addiction and a withdrawal phenomenon, due to which congestion only becomes stronger.

In the presence of adenoids of more than 2nd degree or a pronounced curvature of the nasal septum, in case of nasal polyps, the issue of surgical treatment child. This can be laser surgery to remove polyps and adenoid growths, as well as surgery with anesthesia to restore the septum.

Nasal congestion is serious problem childhood, leading to frequent morbidity and it needs to be solved radically so as not to disrupt the respiratory processes and not create a condition chronic hypoxia the child's body.

Alena Paretskaya, pediatrician, medical columnist

Often, parents notice that the child has a stuffy nose, but without snot, and there are no other signs indicating a cold. If there are no symptoms such as general intoxication, fever and cough, then the cause of nasal congestion is most likely a non-infectious pathology.

Experts such as: pediatric allergist, otolaryngologist and pediatrician. After undergoing a full examination, the baby will be prescribed drug therapy.

Why does a child have a stuffy nose without a runny nose?

Nasal congestion and difficulty in nasal breathing causes a person to severe discomfort. If a child constantly has a stuffy nose, but there is no snot, only 30-40% of the required amount of oxygen enters his body.

The anatomical features of the structure of the nasal cavity in children cause severe nasal congestion. A child who experiences this symptom complains of dizziness, headache, general malaise and insomnia. This condition occurs due to a lack of oxygen in the blood.

Let us list the main reasons leading to nasal congestion in children.

Rhinitis

A common runny nose is one of the leading causes of nasal congestion in a child. This condition can be caused by bacteria and viruses. Very often, children develop allergic rhinitis, which is characterized by seasonality. Allergic nasal congestion can be caused by household dust, pet hair, plant pollen, as well as a sharp change in temperature.

If the cause of a runny nose is bacteria and viruses, then in the first days of the disease there may be no nasal discharge. With allergic rhinitis, a child experiences swelling of the nasal mucosa without any discharge.

Also, the reason that a child has nasal congestion without snot may be sinusitis, in which mucous secretion accumulates in the cavity of the maxillary sinuses.

Foreign body in the nasal cavity

A characteristic sign of the presence of a foreign body in the nasal cavity is difficulty in nasal breathing. This problem most often occurs in children of preschool and primary school age.

The fact that a child does not breathe through the nose and does not have snot is caused by food particles entering the nasal cavity during eating or vomiting. Small child due to an oversight by his elders, he is quite capable of sticking a small part from a toy or something from food into his nose.

The danger of a foreign body is that it can enter the respiratory tract and cause suffocation. Only a qualified person can solve this problem. medical specialist, which has the necessary equipment.

Adenoids

Pathological enlargement of the nasopharyngeal tonsils is a potential reason that a child constantly has a stuffy nose, but there is no snot. Enlarged adenoids act as a complication after previous infectious diseases (influenza, ARVI). When the nasopharyngeal tonsils become inflamed, the mucous contents do not come out through the nose, but flow down the back wall of the pharynx.

If a child has a stuffy nose without snot, he begins to worry about insomnia, lethargy, apathy, hearing loss, loss of appetite, headache and night snoring. Children suffering from inflammation of the adenoids need qualified medical care.

Polyps

This is about benign neoplasms nasal cavity, which are located on the mucous membrane of the nasal passages and sinuses. This condition is typical for adults, but its development in children cannot be ruled out.

If a baby develops nasal polyps, he begins to experience nasal congestion, decreased olfactory function, hearing, and speech impairment. If not treated in a timely manner, the child may develop abnormal rib cage, which is caused by difficulty breathing.

If an infant develops nasal polyps, he or she may experience sleep disturbances, slow weight gain, and poor appetite.

Deformation of the nasal septum

A deviated septum in the nasal cavity may be the reason why a child’s nose cannot breathe, but there is no snot. In adolescence, this problem arises due to a discrepancy in the growth rate of cartilage tissue. Many parents may not realize that their child has this problem. The clinical picture, as a rule, emerges after an infectious disease.

Various factors can lead to the development of deformation of the nasal septum. traumatic injuries nose caused by a fall or blow. A deformed nasal septum makes it difficult for mucous to drain from the nasal cavity, causing swelling and congestion.

Diagnosis of diseases

If parents notice that their child has signs such as itching of the nasal mucosa and headache, then we're talking about about the launched respiratory infection. To identify the exact cause of nasal congestion in a child, the baby must be shown to specialists such as an otolaryngologist, pediatrician and pediatric allergist.

A mandatory diagnostic point is rhinoscopy, which evaluates the condition of the nasal cavity. The child may also need allergy tests and x-rays of the sinuses. If the above methods are ineffective, computed tomography (CT) of the nose and paranasal sinuses is performed.

How to help a child?

You can alleviate your child’s condition before visiting a doctor using the following recommendations:

• In order to cleanse the nasal cavity and restore the function of the mucous membrane, the nose is washed with a solution of table or sea salt. To prepare it, you need to dissolve 0.5 tsp. salt in 250 ml of boiled water. You should rinse your nose using a syringe or syringe. In infants, cotton pads soaked in saline solution are used for this purpose.
• Inhalations with the addition of essential oils eucalyptus and mint. It is important to ensure that the baby does not have an allergic reaction to these substances. Steam inhalations should be performed 2 times a day.
• If a child has a stuffy nose but no snot, it is recommended to purchase a warming ointment from the pharmacy, which should be applied to the bridge of the nose and sinuses. It is recommended to perform this procedure before going to bed.

The tactics for treating nasal congestion in a child directly depends on the cause that caused this condition. If you have a runny nose infectious nature, then the baby is prescribed antiviral medications, rinsing the nasal sinuses with antiseptic and saline solutions, and inhalations.

If nasal congestion is of an allergic nature, then the primary task of parents is to limit the child’s contact with potential allergens. To eliminate signs of allergies, antihistamines are prescribed, the dosage of which is selected by the doctor individually.

If the cause of this condition is enlarged adenoids or the formation of polyps in the nasal cavity, then only surgical intervention, aimed at eliminating the cause of nasal congestion. Hypertrophied adenoids or polyps are removed, after which the baby will be able to breathe fully through the nose.

Deformation of the nasal septum also belongs to the category of those problems that can only be solved through surgical intervention. After a preliminary consultation with an otolaryngologist, the issue of performing nasal septum plastic surgery will be decided.

Vasoconstrictor drops should be used with extreme caution in childhood. This group medications are addictive, as a result of which the runny nose becomes chronic. If the baby’s nasal congestion is of an infectious nature, then it is recommended to use vasoconstrictor drops (for example, Nazivin) for no longer than 3 days in a row.

To treat an infectious runny nose in older children, you can use warm foot baths with the addition of mustard powder or baking soda.

Impaired nasal breathing affects general condition child and his behavior. If the baby does not have snot, but there is nasal congestion, then the entire child’s body, deprived of required quantity oxygen. Parents are strongly discouraged from self-medicating, which can aggravate the situation.

Useful video about runny nose in children

Every parent is afraid of nasal congestion without snot in a child. Of course, their experiences are not meaningless. This symptom is a sign of malfunction respiratory system child.

Often the reason that a child breathes through the mouth rather than through the nose is drying out of the mucus in the nasal passages. In some cases, it clogs the ducts, and the child cannot breathe air. It can crack, and in those places where damage has occurred, the inflammatory process begins. This symptom is most common in children aged 2 years and older, although older children can also suffer from it. It is important for every parent to remember that they need to treat their child’s health with special care and monitor every change.

There may be various reasons why a child’s nasal breathing becomes complicated with the simultaneous absence of signs of a runny nose. Such reasons may be:

• damage, and then ;
• congenital problems with the nasal passage;
• contamination of the nose with a foreign body;
• presence of polyps;
• inflammatory processes in the oropharynx;
• “posterior” rhinitis;
• drug-induced rhinitis;
• allergic reaction to medications.

The doctor’s task is to identify the true cause of the disease, and then prescribe the correct treatment regimen. To do this you need to go through special examination, because clinical picture may be the same for a number of reasons.

A parent is often concerned that the child has a stuffy nose and no snot. But without contacting a doctor, identify the cause and prescribe effective therapy will not work.

Absolutely any reason can contribute to the occurrence of nasal congestion without an accompanying runny nose, from obvious problems with the adenoids to congenital pathology.

Therefore, it is impossible to start treating this symptom without a complete diagnosis. Otherwise, you can harm the patient even more.

So that the doctor can put correct diagnosis why a child has a stuffy nose, but no snot, he needs to know a number of facts. For example:

1. Did the child visit new places before nasal congestion occurred? Or I ate food that I hadn’t tried before.
2. Have you communicated with children or adults? Could you have picked up a virus during contact, which, in dry air conditions, indoors can lead to the development of the disease.
3. Were there any illnesses that the child suffered before the onset of the symptom? The doctor must determine whether the drugs used to treat such an ailment could have caused the drying of the nasal mucosa.
4. The doctor needs to analyze: perhaps the child has a common allergy to some drug.
5. How long does this symptom last for the child?
6. Do parents suffer from a similar illness? Many people have abnormal development of the upper respiratory tract, which is inherited.

Only after the attending physician can analyze all these facts will he make a final diagnosis.

Features of the manifestation of the disease in children

In the first days after birth, children often suffer from nasal congestion. But this is due to the structural features of the child’s body. In this way, the baby's nose adapts to the outside world. But it is during this period that it is very important to monitor the baby’s nasal mucosa. If drying out continues, it can cause the development of a chronic disease. Therefore, if your baby constantly has a stuffy nose, but the snot does not flow, and this symptom lasts for several weeks, you need to consult a doctor.

It is important to know that with a physiological runny nose, the child’s breathing is not blocked. It just gets a little more difficult. And if an infant’s nose is so clogged that he cannot breathe through this organ at all, then it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor.

But that's not all. If the mucous membrane in the nose is very dry, then when a runny nose occurs, the mucus will not come out. Based on this, it becomes clear that nasal congestion is a consequence of a number of reasons. Namely, a child does not breathe through his nose if he:

1. ARVI.
2. Infections caused by various kinds bacteria. This list also includes the common cold.
3. Runny nose, caused by an allergy to any flowers, objects or medications.

In the presence of such factors, nasal congestion can develop into:

• sinusitis or sinusitis;
• common runny nose.

Dry air can also cause nasal congestion. In this case, it is especially important to remove this feature in time, otherwise you can harm the baby even more. For example, when a child develops a symptom of nasal congestion, parents try to immediately place him in warm room. And if the cause is dry air, then such “treatment” is even more dangerous for the child. Therefore, in order to know how to treat this condition, it is necessary to understand the cause of its occurrence.

What can a nose injury cause?

Often, after the most common injury, a child may experience a symptom of nasal congestion. In such cases, the child speaks through his nose and does not breathe through it. But such an injury can also lead to more complex problems, for example, when a child’s organ structure is disrupted.

Typically, this symptom appears in children aged 4 to 5 years. It is during this period that children are constantly injured by falling. But even at an older age, children are not deprived of the opportunity to get injured. Therefore, this reason is considered one of the most common.

Traumatic nasal congestion is accompanied by swelling of the mucous membrane, in which mucus is not properly secreted. Visually it looks like this:

• the appearance of nosebleeds;
• bruises and swelling of the face in the nose area;
• crusts appear in the nasal passages.

Of course, nasal congestion goes away over time, but the child is still in danger. Therefore doctors must do X-ray and determine whether there is a risk to the patient's future health. Every parent should remember that any injuries a child receives in childhood can negatively affect his health in older age. This and bad dream, and shortness of breath, and a feeling of suffocation. Therefore, the sooner the cause of the injury is diagnosed and the risk to the baby’s future health is eliminated, the better.

Polyps and inflammatory processes

Polyps very often occur in children aged 5 years and older. This is a rather unpleasant diagnosis that does not allow the child to live a full life. After all, it becomes difficult to move too quickly and breathe, as they say, deeply. But if they are detected in a timely manner, they can be avoided. unpleasant consequences. But, nevertheless, let’s discuss what signs indicate that a child may have polyps. This:

• constant sneezing;
• frequent headaches.

As a result, the condition can lead to:

• in a baby;
• chronic rhinitis, which also becomes allergic;
• asthma.

The only way to help is, as soon as you discover that the child has a stuffy nose and no snot, take him to the doctor as soon as possible. Only an experienced specialist will be able to find out why the nose is not breathing, establish a final diagnosis and decide what to do with the patient.

But not only polyps can cause nasal congestion. For example, various types of inflammatory processes can cause these symptoms to occur.

Sore throat, laryngitis, pharyngitis can cause the appearance of a sore throat that will not be accompanied by a runny nose. Of course, such congestion is treated automatically along with the underlying disease. Here, as in the previous case, only a doctor can make a final diagnosis and decide how to treat the disease. Namely, to prescribe everything for the child.

Signs of posterior and medicinal rhinitis

Posterior rhinitis occurs after inflammation of the deep areas of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. Under such circumstances, the child begins to develop a normal runny nose, but the snot does not flow. Therefore, it is very difficult for the patient to breathe. This disease is accompanied by a number of other symptoms, namely:

• cough;
• if there is an infection in the body, an elevated temperature is possible;
• If there is a foreign object in the nose, then pus may appear when you cough up.

Besides, this type Congestion also carries a number of dangers, such as rhinitis and bronchitis.

If the cause of the development of nasal congestion is, then the most common symptom is considered to be atrophy of the nasal mucosa due to the constant exposure of it to vasoconstrictors, which parents begin to use when the condition occurs. Constant use of the product disrupts the structure of the mucous membrane, and the child’s snot does not flow. This type of nasal congestion has a number of features:

• chronic rhinitis.
• changes in the mucous membrane that are irreversible;
• loss of smell.

The most basic task of the parent in this case is to stop the child from dripping. And literally within a few days after this, the drug addiction will pass. It should also be remembered that this type of rhinitis cannot be treated with medications, but, on the contrary, occurs from taking them.

Side effects of drugs

It's important not to confuse this reason with drug-induced rhinitis. In this case, the nasal mucosa becomes inflamed, but its function is not impaired. The main task of a parent is to consult a doctor, who can determine which of the prescribed medications are causing negative reaction the child's body.

Signs of drug-induced allergic nasal congestion are:

• inability to breathe through the nose;
• development of a runny nose, but mucus will come out with difficulty;
• sneezing or coughing.

Get rid of this symptom is possible only after the drugs that cause this reaction the patient's body. This list also includes an allergic reaction that occurred in a child after consuming certain products eating or inhaling any aromas.

If a parent suspects that their child has nasal congestion after taking certain medications or foods, they should immediately contact their doctor. Only after this will it be possible to identify the final cause and prescribe correct treatment. Although in frequent cases It’s enough to simply change the drug that caused the reaction, and the congestion will go away by itself.

How to avoid getting sick

There are no specific rules that could. The child is quite playful and active, but his body does not yet have a strong immune system. Therefore, the occurrence of various diseases, as well as viral infections can't be avoided. The parent's task is to identify the disease at early stages development and consult your doctor for advice to know how to treat the condition.

This phenomenon is quite dangerous and brings a lot of discomfort to the child, ranging from the inability to breathe independently through the nose and ending with frequent headaches. A child whose nasal airways are constantly blocked sleeps poorly, feels increased fatigue, finds it difficult to move quickly, and often chokes and coughs. But the most difficult things to cure are inflammatory processes and other diseases that develop against this background.

Therefore, timely and correct treatment will help get rid of many problems in the future.

30.04.2017 myferma

Often children experience a condition where the nose is stuffy and other symptoms characteristic of a cold are absent. A child has a stuffy nose but no snot, how to treat it? You need to pay attention to this and start treatment as early as possible, otherwise it can lead to complications.

Causes of nasal congestion

Similar symptoms may manifest themselves according to various reasons, For example:

• formation of polyps;
• allergy;
• adenoids;
• changes in the structure of the nasal septum as the child grows;
• foreign body in the nose and others.

In addition to the probable causes listed, congestion without a runny nose can also be caused by a cold. In this case we can talk about initial stage ARVI, when accompanying symptoms appear a little later.

Nasal congestion without a runny nose can also be the cause of lack of air, headache, and lethargy in a child. This may be the result of low air humidity. If this is the case, it must be increased to a value of at least 50%. And also spend more time outdoors with your child.

Nasal congestion in an infant

Similar symptoms can also appear in newborns. This may be explained by the natural state of the mucous membrane, which is just developing, insufficiently humidified air in the room, or congenital anomaly, eliminated after some time. It is important to remember that after birth the baby does not yet know how to breathe through his mouth, so sometimes situations arise when during feeding he swallows a lot of air, which causes discomfort. This is normal and does not require treatment.

Treatment of congestion without runny nose

Of course, congestion may well be accompanied by other symptoms that must be paid attention to. These include itching, burning, and lacrimation. These are probably signs of a relapse of untreated ARVI. If it is known that congestion is the result of a cold, then vasoconstrictor solutions are used in the form of instillation to eliminate swelling of the nasal mucosa. They may be: Tizin, Glazolin or similar drugs. But you should take precautions, carefully read the leaflet or consult a doctor and do not use these products for more than 3 days, as this can lead to addiction and a reverse effect.

If you don't have any at hand medicine, hot foot baths can be used as first aid. This will relieve swelling and make breathing easier for the child for a while. An effective home remedy is a saline solution, preferably using sea salt. Use it to gently rinse the nasal cavity several times a day so that the solution does not enter the respiratory tract. An even simpler way to relieve swelling is to massage the pad of the hand near the thumb of both hands. But it is, of course, less effective.

The main task of parents is to prevent the disease from developing into a chronic one. Self-medication can be harmful and even dangerous, so if you experience any symptoms, you should consult a doctor.

If the disease is caused by physiological abnormalities, that is, there is a problem with the nasal septum, surgical intervention may be required. Wherein recovery period will not be the most pleasant, but such a solution eliminates the problem once and for all, if there is an urgent need for it.

Surgery may also be needed in the treatment of adenoids or polyps. But this is not always necessary. Often otolaryngologists resort to physiotherapeutic and homeopathic treatment respectively. Although this approach can only provide temporary relief.

Whatever the child’s illness, when the first symptoms appear, you should definitely undergo an examination by a doctor and carry out treatment under his strict supervision.