Nasal congestion
- Treat cause: allergy, viral illness, sinus disease or medication
- Intranasal steroid is best for allergic congestion
- Topical decongestant works rapidly but limit to a few days
- Oral pseudoephedrine can raise BP/HR
- Saline irrigation is a low-risk adjunct
- Rebound congestion follows chronic topical decongestant use
Use at a glance
- Treat cause: allergy, viral illness, sinus disease or medication
Treatment options
- Intranasal steroid is best for allergic congestion
Practical pearls
- Topical decongestant works rapidly but limit to a few days
- Oral pseudoephedrine can raise BP/HR
Monitoring / follow-up
- Saline irrigation is a low-risk adjunct
- Rebound congestion follows chronic topical decongestant use
Self-check
- What follows chronic topical decongestant use?
Rebound congestion. - What works best for allergic nasal congestion?
Intranasal steroid.
Drugs used for this (3)
All clinical uses · Open Nasal congestion in the interactive console ↗