If my nose is blocked, what should I do?

For a blocked nose, use saline rinses, drink fluids, and seek advice if symptoms persist or breathing is difficult. Rest, gentle nose blowing, and avoiding smoke or other irritants may help. Follow product directions for any spray or medicine, especially if you have high blood pressure, glaucoma, are pregnant, or take regular medicines.

A common cold can swell the nasal lining and produce mucus. Itching, sneezing, watery eyes, or symptoms linked to dust or seasons fit allergic rhinitis; house dust mite allergy can cause a similar pattern indoors. Facial pressure, reduced smell, thick discharge, or symptoms that keep returning may occur with sinusitis or chronic sinusitis. Loud snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, and marked daytime tiredness need assessment for obstructive sleep apnoea rather than simple nasal self-care alone.

Try a sterile saline spray or rinse, using water prepared exactly as the product directs. Keep the bedroom free of smoke and strong fragrances, and wash bedding regularly if dust triggers symptoms. A pharmacist can explain whether allergy medication or another short-term treatment suits you. Do not use a decongestant nasal spray longer than its label advises, because overuse can worsen congestion. Seek a review when the blockage interferes with sleep, work, or eating.

Get urgent help if nasal blockage comes with severe breathing difficulty, swelling of the face or throat, confusion, or a sudden severe headache. Arrange medical review for one-sided persistent blockage, repeated nosebleeds, high fever, swelling around an eye, severe facial pain, or symptoms that worsen after initial improvement. A clinician can examine the nose and decide whether allergy treatment, testing, or treatment for sinus disease is needed.

Does my symptom pattern fit a cold, allergy, or sinusitis? Which saline or allergy treatment is suitable for me? Could nighttime blockage be affecting my breathing? How long should I use a nasal spray?