10 Easy Ways How to Treat Stuffy Nose During Pregnancy
A stuffy nose during pregnancy is a common thing. It even has its own name which is pregnancy rhinitis. Reportedly, there are around 30% of women who has experiences with stuffy nose when they are pregnant. You may begin to notice your runny nose within the second month into your pregnancy. It may even get worse and worse later on. It only begins to disappear after you give birth.
But you should not worry as we are here to tell you the 10 How to Treat Stuffy Nose During Pregnancy. But first, you should know the causes and the effects from the stuffy nose as they are quite different from the common cold.
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Causes for Stuffy Nose During Pregnancy
So, what causes stuffy nose during pregnancy? Well, the cause for the stuffy nose is mostly hormonal changes. When a pregnant woman is going through her pregnancy, she may experience an increase of oestrogen in her body. The chemical creates swell in the nasal passage. Thus, the nasal passage produces more mucus than usual. The end result is a runny nose.
Another cause could be an increase in blood circulation. When the regulation of the blood circulation is high, the nose can swell too. The tiny blood vessels inside the nose starts to get bigger and cause more nasal congestion.
Effects from Stuffy Nose During Pregnancy
There are many effects from the stuffy nose during pregnancy. The first unpleasant effect is discomfort. Having stuffy nose during pregnancy can limit your activity. Moreover, you feel sick and tired too. You may need to stop going outside for a while and rest more. Another effect would be a dry nose. The more you blow your nose, the drier the skin around it can become.
Ways to Treat Stuffy Nose During Pregnancy
Stuffy nose during pregnancy is unpleasant but we can tell you some of the ways you can relieve it. Read the 10 treatment for stuffy nose below to know how to ease your nasal passage during your pregnancy
1. Get Some Light Exercise
A way to treat the stuffy nose is by getting some light exercise. Other than relieving the nose, it is also a good way to stay healthy. You can try prenatal yoga or pilates. However, it is advised for women with stuffy nose to exercise indoors. So avoid doing outdoor exercises for a while as the outside pollution will irritate your nose.
2. Use Medicine for Stuffy Nose
You can try to medicate your nose using saline drops. The saline drops will help you blow your nose better. They help clear out the nasal passage. You can easily get them from your local drugstores. Other than saline drops, there is also nasal spray too if you prefer to use spray instead.
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3. Humidify Rooms
Try to humidify the rooms in your house, especially the bedroom. Since you are probably going to spend more time in your bedroom, make sure that the room is well prepared for your stuffy nose. A room humidifier will help to increase the amount of moisture in the air within your room. Moisture will prevent your nose from drying.
4. Avoid Harmful Components
Avoid getting close to any harmful components that might cause more irritation to the nose. They include smoke from cigarettes and chemical fumes. Other irritants include alcohol and paint. Some perfumes contain alcohol so make sure to read the ingredients before applying to prevent further stuffy nose.
5. Drink Water
Despite how awful you may feel during this period, make sure to always keep your body fully hydrated. Drink plenty of water. A hydrated body is better than a dehydrated one especially when you have a stuffy nose.
6. Take Warm Baths or Shower
Take warm baths or shower when you have stuffy nose. They can relieve your nasal passage and ease your discomfort too. Take your time and relax when you are bathing. The warm water will soothe you while the steam from the hot water will treat your nose.
7. Steam Face
You can try to steam your face to treat your nose. Get a clean and soft washcloth. Then soak it with hot water. After that, slowly put it close to your face. It should be close enough where you can feel the steam warming up your nose. The heat from the steam will relieve the nassal passage and help you breathe better.
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8. Place Head at High Level
Another way to treat stuffy nose during pregnancy is to elevate your head. When you are sleeping or simply lying down somewhere, make sure your head is at a higher level than your body. You can add a lot of pillows under your head to comfort you and also lift your head a bit higher.
9. Eat Fruits with High Vitamin C
You can combat stuffy nose from the food you consume. Eat fruits that are high in vitamin C. They include tomatoes, oranges or kiwis. These fruits will help your body stay in top shape. Other than that, they help increase the strength of your immune system.
10. Drink Ginger Tea
Another treatment that you can do to ease the discomfort you feel from the stuffy nose is by drinking ginger tea. Fresh ginger tea is known for its ability to add more warmth to the body. Thus it can help to clear the nasal passage. Moreover, it is another way to take more fluid for your body. Grate a fresh ginger and some honey to make your delicious hot ginger tea.
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Those are just some of the ways to help your stuffy nose during pregnancy. Consult with your doctor if there is anything that bothers you. Most importantly, what you need to remember is to stay healthy and well rested. A healthy body can manage the stuffy nose even better.
