There was a woman who since she got pregnant complained that she woke up with a stuffy nose. She tried to breathe through her mouth, but it wasn’t comfortable and it hurt her throat. And when she tried to blow her nose, nothing came out. When she consulted with her doctor, the doctor explained that there are several things that can cause you to wake up with a stuffy nose:
1. Allergies usually occur from dust mites that live in your bed. Unfortunately, we usually don’t realize they are present and feel like our beds are clean. You can help prevent this by changing your sheets at least once a week. When a person who has a sensitive immune system breathes in dust, it will usually trigger the production of antibodies. This causes a lot of things to happen, like itching, swelling, and mucus production. This mucus production can cause you to wake up with a stuffy nose.
2. Many pregnant women experience nasal congestion, coughing, and sneezing during pregnancy. The term for this disease is known as rhinitis of pregnancy. It is very annoying and makes it difficult to sleep and breathing is uncomfortable. Approximately 20 to 30 percent of pregnant women suffer from nasal congestion even without having allergies or viral infections. This occurs mainly in the early months of pregnancy and can last until the last month or even a few weeks after the baby is born. This is understandable because pregnancy increases the amount of estrogen which can stimulate inflammation in the mucous membranes lining your nose and cause your body to produce more mucus. Also, pregnant women have increased blood flow that inflates the blood vessels, which can also lead to enlarged nasal membranes.
3. If you have had any type of impact or trauma to the face, you may suffer a deviation of the nasal septum. This can also be caused by pressure on the nose during childbirth.
4. Allergies to medications. Pregnant women tend to be sensitive to drug allergies due to hormonal changes in their bodies. Allergic reactions are unwanted side effects of medications. Drug reactions range from a mild local rash to severe effects on vital systems. Numerous types of allergic reactions to medications can occur, from itching, swelling, and mucus production. Allergic reactions usually occur indirectly when the drug is first taken, but usually after a few doses.
5. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the paranasal sinuses that can be caused by an infection from bacteria, fungi, viruses, allergies, or immune system problems. Sinus infections can cause headaches or pressure in the eyes, nose, cheek area, or on one side of the head. A person with sinusitis may also have a cough, fever, bad breath, and nasal congestion with thick nasal discharge.