With severe nasal congestion in children. How to treat nasal congestion in a child - treatment of a severe runny nose in children

How to alleviate the child's condition with a cold?

Humidify the air in the apartment, especially during the operation of central heating batteries. The ideal option is a humidifier. But, in its absence, the air can be humidified by hanging, for example, wet diapers in the child's room. This is important, since the inhalation of dry air causes dryness of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and a protracted course of the inflammatory process.

Ventilate the room where the child plays and sleeps more often (in his absence, of course).

Cleaning the nose:
Drip physiological (0.9% NaCl solution) or sea salt solution (aqualor, aquamaris and others) 3-4 drops into the child's nose for children under one year old. For older children, nasal sprays are used. Repeat instillation at least 3-4 times a day.

Physiological saline and sea salt solution reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa, moisturize it, cleanse it.

Normal saline solution - 0.9% NaCl solution is sold in pharmacies in ampoules, vials and in polymeric soft packaging. It is better not to buy ampoules, since when cutting off the tip of the ampoule, the smallest particles of glass can get into the ampoule, and then, when instilled, into the baby's nose. If you use ampoules, then draw saline from them with a syringe, which will prevent glass from entering.

As for ready-made sprays (Aqualor, Aquamaris, Physiomer, Dolphin and others), they must be used based on the age of the child. There are softer nasal showers, and there are sprays with a strong jet pressure. Nasal showers are safer and do not create as much pressure in the nasal cavity as sprays for older children and adults (dolphin). Such sprays must be able to use, strictly following the attached instructions.

There are restrictions on the use of nasal sprays. Do not use them for recurrent nosebleeds and during otitis media in a child. In this case, for the hygiene of the nasal cavity, it is better to use sea water in droplets. In children with allergies, be careful with sprays containing other ingredients in addition to sea water, such as chamomile and aloe. In the presence of an allergic reaction to one of the components, washing the nose with such a solution is contraindicated.

If the nose is very stuffy, then before rinsing it with saline or sea salt solution, first drip vasoconstrictor drops, 1 drop into each nasal passage. Wait a few minutes and then drip saline or sea salt solution.

Attention! In no case do not inject solutions into the child's nose with a syringe under pressure! You cannot regulate the pressure in the pear, so there is a very high risk that with such washing, the infected secret of the nasal cavity will penetrate into the paranasal sinuses. As a result, a common runny nose will turn into a serious sinusitis. In addition, the introduction of liquids into the nose under pressure can cause the development of acute otitis media. This happens due to the flooding of a solution injected under pressure through the auditory tube into the ear and the development of inflammation in it.
After instillation of saline or sea salt solution, remove the discharge from the baby's nose.

How to treat a runny nose in a child

Children under one year old can easily remove discharge from the nose using the Otrivin Baby nasal aspirator. It is a plastic tube. At one end of the tube there is a nozzle for the baby's nose, at the other there is a mouthpiece through which the mother carefully draws in air and thus removes mucus from the baby's nose. As practice shows, it is not possible to effectively clean the nose with a pear. In addition, there is a special children's nasal aspirator "Baby Vac", powered by a home vacuum cleaner.

Remove the discharge from the child's nose carefully, trying in no case to damage the delicate mucous membrane of the nasal cavity. This is especially important in children who often suffer from rhinitis, in children with recurrent nosebleeds. The last thing to improve breathing through the nose is sometimes enough to simply moisten the nasal mucosa with saline and create an optimal microclimate in the children's room with a temperature of no more than 22 ° C and a relative humidity of at least 50%.
If the nose breathes well, then these two stages of cleansing the nasal cavity can be completely limited. If the nose is very stuffy or it is necessary to administer drops for treatment, then drip the necessary drops into a clean nose.

There are a lot of drops in the nose and sometimes it is difficult to find the right ones. There are no universal drops for any occasion. I would say this: there are relatively safe nasal drops and drops that can be used only after examination and prescription by a doctor. Let's dwell on those drugs that are relatively safe and their use does not require a mandatory medical examination.

Since a runny nose in a child is most often a manifestation of an acute respiratory viral infection, we will start with antiviral agents.

Antiviral drops and ointments are interferon, fluferon, oxolinic ointment. Interferon, which is familiar to us, is made from human blood leukocytes. Grippferon differs from it only in that it is a genetically engineered drug, which means it is safer in terms of the transmission of infections such as hepatitis B, C and D, HIV and cytomegalovirus infection. Both interferon and influenzaferon should be used from the first hours of an acute respiratory viral infection, then they are most effective. They block the reproduction of viruses, facilitating the course of a viral infection. They are non-toxic and can be used in children from birth and in pregnant women. In addition, they are good for the prevention of SARS. As for oxolinic ointment, despite its antiviral activity, it, like any other ointment, sticks together the villi of the epithelium of the mucous membrane and prevents its purification. Therefore, it is significantly inferior in effectiveness to interferon and gripferon.

Antiseptic drops (protargol, collargol, miramistin). Protargol and collargol contain silver ions, and this is due to their antiseptic effect. These drugs are good for mucopurulent rhinitis (when discharge from the nose is not plentiful, not viscous, yellowish), subacute adenoiditis. For children, protargol and collargol are used in the form of a 1-2% solution. Up to 6 months of age it is 1%, older - 2%.

Miramistin is an antiseptic with a fairly wide spectrum of action. It also works well for mucopurulent rhinitis and adenoiditis.

From the age of 4, you can use a homeopathic preparation - Euphorbium Compositum. It moisturizes the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity and is good both for acute rhinitis, adenoiditis, and for protracted processes in the nasal cavity.

Vasoconstrictor preparations for the nose for children

The principle of operation of vasoconstrictor drops is that they constrict the vessels of the nasal mucosa, thereby reducing the production of mucus and reducing swelling. That is, these drops do not have a therapeutic effect as such, but only facilitate nasal breathing for a while.

Their use is justified in case of severe nasal congestion and during otitis media, when it is necessary to remove the swelling of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity and the auditory tube to restore the normal outflow of secretions from the middle ear.

Secondly, it is necessary to strictly observe the dosage and frequency of use of these drops.

It is unacceptable to instill drops for adults to a child (drops for adults have a much higher content of the active substance)! It is unacceptable to instill vasoconstrictor drops more often than indicated in the instructions!

Failure to comply with the dosage and frequency of use of vasoconstrictor drops can lead to serious consequences, up to coma, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and death. I will definitely tell you about poisoning with vasoconstrictor drops in one of the following articles.

Proper treatment of a runny nose in infants

You can not use vasoconstrictor drops for more than 5 days. By the end of the first week of use, their effect drops significantly (addiction develops). With prolonged use, it is possible to develop atrophy (thinning) of the nasal mucosa, drug-induced rhinitis, recurrent nosebleeds.

All other drugs, including those containing antibacterial components, hormones, mucolytics, are used only after examination and prescription by a doctor!

Symptoms of a runny nose in a child

Despite the fact that the nasal mucosa is the most important barrier to bacteria and viruses, in the event of a runny nose, nasal treatment alone is not enough. A runny nose is almost never the only symptom. With a runny nose, everything often just begins: flu, parainfluenza, adenovirus infection, measles, the common cold, finally. Headache, fever, body aches that have joined the runny nose annoy no less. Therefore, it is recommended to get rid of such troubles comprehensively.

It must be said right away that sputum, mucus or snot is good. Together with them, microbes are excreted. At the very beginning of the disease, a liquid and abundant secretion occurs, then the mucus becomes thick and viscous. After 7-14 days of illness, it acquires a yellow-green color. It is imperative to get rid of mucus every time, not allowing it to stagnate. The more it comes out, the faster the recovery will come.

Runny nose complications

Nasal congestion in a child is a fairly common phenomenon and can be due to a variety of reasons. At the first signs of the onset of the disease - without delay, seek the advice of a doctor.

Exactly a correctly diagnosed diagnosis will help to quickly eliminate nasal congestion and prevent unwanted pathologies from developing.

Symptoms and causes of stuffy nose

Before determining how to cure nasal congestion in a child, it is necessary to identify the causes that caused the onset of the disease.

There may be several of them:

• Colds;
• Allergic reactions to smells or food;
• Infections of the nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract.

If treatment is not started correctly or not on time, nasal congestion can become chronic. The same can happen if the treatment started on time was suspended or not completed.

The first symptoms indicating that the disease begins to develop is that the child has a stuffy nose during sleep. This is a definite indicator that the baby should be shown to the doctor.

In the future, discomfort also appears in the daytime - the baby begins to speak “in the nose”, cough, complain of a sore or sore throat, and a slight increase in temperature is possible. The child begins to act up, sleep poorly, quickly irritated.

The main cause of nasal congestion in young children is the common cold. However, if the baby has more frequent manifestations of a runny nose, you should pay special attention to whether such a condition is associated with animals or fish in your house, whether the child spends a lot of time next to flowering houseplants.

Sometimes a situation arises when the cause of nasal congestion in a newborn child is a congenital narrow nasal passage or an acquired curvature due to a blow or fall. In these cases, no nose drops will help the child, and here you can not do without surgical intervention.

Often the cause of frequent nasal congestion is inflammation of the mucous membrane (rhinitis). The disease occurs due to a sharp drop in temperature, an increase in the tonsils. In order to start the correct and effective treatment, be sure to visit the clinic, making an appointment with both the pediatrician and the ENT.

Treatment of nasal congestion in a child

As a pathology, nasal congestion does not threaten the health of the child, but it is still necessary to treat this ailment. If not carried out in time, measures to eliminate the disease can lead to chronic forms.

Pharmaceutical drops and cold remedies

In the treatment, you can use vasoconstrictor drops in the nose for children. Such funds are quite effective, but every doctor will tell you that you should not abuse drugs by combining such medicines with folk remedies. The fact is that narrowing drops cause rapid addiction in the child's body, and soon the child will not be able to do without their help at all. Over time, the volumes of their use become larger, and the effect of the application is less.

In addition, such nasal drops for children, with regular use, dry out the mucous membrane, and make the blood vessels thin and fragile, causing regular bleeding.

Along with them, there are also vasodilating drops in the nose for children. They are prescribed for acute inflammation and otitis, if the baby has symptoms. Drops that dilate blood vessels effectively wash the nasal cavity, relieve swelling and quickly restore bleeding from the nose.

If the baby suffers from a viral infection, drugs such as Ifiral or Allergodil may be prescribed by the doctor. These are antihistamine drops that can significantly reduce and reduce the amount of mucous secretions, while stabilizing cell membranes.
An excellent remedy for young children with a runny nose are nasal drops - Interferon. This drug has also proven itself as a tool used for nasal lavages and inhalations. Before use, it must be diluted in distilled or purified water. The required amount of water is poured into the ampoule with the contents so as to slightly cover the mark on the glass, then shake thoroughly. The solution has a characteristic reddish hue.

Interferon- These are nose drops for children of any age. In addition, it is great for preventive measures if the child is prone to frequent colds or congestion.
At the first characteristic signs of a cold, instill Interferon every 1.5-2 hours, 5 drops in each nostril. Do not dilute too much of the drug! Remember that in a diluted form, its shelf life is no more than a day.

Folk remedies for nasal congestion

Given the opinion of most doctors that it is absolutely impossible to give narrowing nose drops to small children, you can resort to treating nasal congestion at home.

The main thing that must be observed is the necessary home, or better, bed rest. This will save the baby from possible complications if nasal congestion is associated with a viral infection. First and necessary condition to facilitate breathing - the necessary procedures to relieve swelling of the nasopharynx and maximum mucus excretion.

For this, various inhalations are carried out using essential oils and washing with saline solutions. Before carrying out inhalations, it is necessary to consult a doctor for allergic reactions to certain drugs.

How to rinse your nose with salt? It is best to use sea salt for this procedure. It can be purchased at any pharmacy or grocery store. One teaspoon of salt is dissolved in a glass of warm boiled or purified water. To wash the sinuses with a runny nose, a saline solution is instilled into the baby with a pipette, 2-3 drops 3-4 times a day. If the child does not tolerate the sea salt procedure, you can prepare a warm compress. Put a small amount of heated salt in a canvas bag and place the baby on the bridge of the nose. You need to keep it as long as possible.

At home, you can also prepare nose drops for a child based on natural remedies if the baby does not tolerate pharmaceuticals well or is too small to use them.

The best nose drops for children under one year old are breast milk. After expressing some milk and drawing it into a pipette, it is necessary to instill 1-2 drops into each nostril every 2-3 hours. Along with this, you can drip a stuffy nose with saline.

However, if you are sure that a viral infection has become the cause of a runny nose, drip your sinuses with Derinat's solution. This drug has an effective effect on newborn children and is widely recommended by doctors as an excellent prophylactic against colds.

Nose drops for children from a year and older can be prepared on the basis of aloe juice. As you know, this plant has proven itself as a local antiseptic. However, when preparing the solution, do not forget that aloe juice must be mixed with boiled or purified water in equal proportions.

Another effective folk remedies to combat nasal congestion include onion nose drops for children. For cooking, a whole onion is rubbed on a coarse grater, the resulting onion gruel is squeezed through clean cheesecloth to obtain juice. Juice must be diluted with vegetable oil in the same proportion. This is done so that the active onion juice does not burn the child's nasopharynx.

But drops in the nose from beets for children will quickly remove swelling and inflammation. Small beets also need to be rubbed on a coarse grater, squeeze the juice and instill 2-3 drops into the baby's nose with it in each nostril. Considering that beets do not have any side effects, you can bury your baby's nose 5-6 times a day. The juice will clear the sinuses and eliminate pathogenic microbes and bacteria.

Another remedy for nasal congestion is oily nasal drops for children. These drops are not used for use by babies under two years old, but they have a very supportive effect on older children. By itself, the oil does not heal, but, as a basis for drops, it perfectly moisturizes the nose when using drying medications.

Common oil-based drugs for the treatment of a stuffy nose in a child are Pinasol and Tizin. Due to the presence of an oily base in their composition, they retain nutrients and medicinal substances on the mucous membrane longer.

Having determined the cause of the common cold, it is necessary to develop the correct treatment. How to treat nasal congestion in a child, in order to get a quick effect, only the doctor who made the diagnosis will definitely tell you. In no case do not try to treat the baby yourself if you do not understand the nature of the stuffy nose.

Today, there are a great many varieties of nose drops for children. And the main difference in them is only the speed of action and the duration of treatment, despite the fact that, as a rule, their composition is different.

Of course, it is possible to prevent the appearance of a stuffy nose in a child. After observing what most often your baby tends to runny nose, it is necessary to carry out daily prevention - to increase the child's immunity, lubricate the sinuses with prophylactic ointments and drugs, protect the baby from possible allergens.

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

Yevgeny Komarovsky, a well-known 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 in medicine is called "posterior rhinitis". This condition is more dangerous than any runny nose, accompanied by discharge, since it may indicate serious "malfunctions" in the ENT organs.

Congestion is associated with swelling of the mucous membranes, and the absence of mucus at the same time indicates the non-infectious nature of the disease. If a runny nose is caused by viruses, it will be necessary to leak from the nose, so the body brings out foreign "guests". Dry congestion, most often, according to doctors, caused an allergic reaction, a foreign body that got stuck in the nasal passages. This condition is also characteristic of children with congenital or acquired curvature of the nasal septum, in which nasal breathing is significantly impaired in general.

Sometimes a runny nose without discharge is a sign that the mucus in the back of the child has dried up, and this caused swelling. In rare cases, a dry runny nose is a symptom of heart and circulation problems.

Dry runny nose can also be medical, usually they suffer from children whom parents for too long, contrary to all the prescriptions of doctors and common sense, have been treated for ordinary rhinitis with vasoconstrictor nasal preparations.

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

Danger

The main danger of nasal congestion without mucus secretion is in the possible atrophy of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. This can happen if the problem was ignored or the condition was treated incorrectly. It is not excluded the development of secondary diseases of the nasopharynx, which will cause irreversible changes in the tissues of the respiratory system.

In children with dry runny nose, as a rule, sleep is disturbed, neurosis develops due to lack of sleep, they become restless and nervous. If the cause is pathological (and only a doctor can determine this), untreated posterior rhinitis can cause a deterioration in smell and hearing loss.

Dry congestion disrupts cerebral circulation. With a long absence of nasal breathing, severe disorders of the brain vessels can 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 a runny nose without snot are a consequence of excessive parental care. In other words, moms and dads create greenhouse conditions for the child: it’s hot at home, you can’t open the windows, “because there is a small child at home!”, You shouldn’t walk in cool and windy weather, because “the baby can get sick”.

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

Komarovsky urges parents to more closely monitor the child, if there are no other symptoms of ill health, except for congestion, you should not worry too much.

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

In the house it is necessary to do wet cleaning more often, to ventilate the room. The child should often walk, walks should be as long as the age of the little one allows.

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

Infants with a dry runny nose are a fairly common phenomenon. Sounding the alarm is not worth it, says Yevgeny Komarovsky. The child adapts, adapts to the environment, and therefore nasal congestion (which in infants is already very narrow) is a variant of the norm. The mucosa in newborns also dries up because the back of their nasal passages is narrowed, because of this, the crumbs 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 independent life of the crumbs outside the mother's tummy.

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

Allergic dry rhinitis does not occur in children as often as manufacturers of expensive allergy drugs pose a problem, says Komarovsky, as well as congenital deformity of the nasal septum. Such a 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 at the first examination by a pediatrician.

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

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

Children from a year old quite often inhale various trifles, but they cannot tell their parents about what happened. In this situation, you can not do without the qualified help of a specialist.

Treatment

If congestion without mucus is caused by the mucus drying up in the back of the nasal passages, no specific treatment is required, Komarovsky says. Optimal environmental conditions, as mentioned above, and sometimes nasal rinsing with sea water or a weak saline solution. This treatment is safe, non-toxic.

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

But Yevgeny Olegovich does not advise dripping vasoconstrictor drops into the nose of a child without extreme necessity (without a prescription).

Firstly, they cause persistent drug addiction, and secondly, the benefits of them are temporary, nasal congestion necessarily returns when the effect of the drug ends. If the doctor prescribed such drops ("Nazivin", "Nazol", etc.), then you should not drip them for more than three days in a row. This is not a recommendation but a requirement.

Komarovsky advises to start treatment by cleaning the airways from dried crusts of mucus. To do this, parents can use an aspirator or flush.

If there is an inhaler at home, the child can be inhaled with essential oils and decoctions of medicinal herbs, such as chamomile, sage.

A prerequisite for recovery is a plentiful drinking regimen. So that the mucous membrane does not dry out, the child needs to drink a lot. Dr. Komarovsky recommends giving the baby more water without gas, tea, compotes, herbal infusions, decoctions.

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

In most cases, with different types of rhinitis in children, nasal congestion appears. Mucous swells under the influence of pathogenic factors, which leads to difficulty in nasal breathing.

To get rid of this problem, the pharmaceutical industry offers a variety of remedies. They have a different composition, but in the end, with their help, you can get rid of congestion and resume normal nasal breathing. Only a doctor should recommend these or other drops, taking into account the cause of the disease and the age of the child.

Symptoms and causes of nasal congestion in children

Nasal congestion can only be cured if its origin is known.

There may be several reasons for this condition:

• colds;
• an allergic reaction to certain irritants;
• infections of the ENT organs and upper respiratory tract.

The first signs that indicate the onset of congestion are stuffy nose during sleep. In this case, the child must be shown to the ENT. Gradually, discomfort with the nose manifests itself in the daytime. There is a cough, nasal breathing is difficult.

Most often, congestion accompanies colds. But if it appears regularly, you need to pay attention to the presence of allergens at home (flowering plants, animal hair, products that cause allergies).

In some cases, congestion can be caused by a congenital anomaly of the nose (narrow passage) or an injury that led to the curvature. In such situations, the use of drops will be ineffective, surgical intervention is required.

Important! Show the child to a specialist in time. Nasal congestion can become chronic if treatment was not taken in time or medications were not chosen correctly.

When is it appropriate to use drops for a child

Not all drops can be used for children at the first symptoms of congestion. This is especially true of vasoconstrictor drops for colds. Abundant discharge from the nose during a viral infection helps to eliminate harmful toxins from the body. It is necessary to give the child's body the opportunity to fight the virus itself.

Drops in the nose are required for such symptoms:

• Nasal congestion, which makes it difficult for air to enter the respiratory tract. Mouth breathing causes the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract to dry out. This can lead to the development of bronchitis or pneumonia.
• A high temperature that makes breathing difficult. From the rise in temperature, the stagnant mucus in the nose dries up, blocking the access of oxygen.
• Inflammation of the ear (otitis media, eustachitis). The passage between the ear and the nasopharynx swells. There are pains, the inflammatory process is aggravated.
• Nasopharyngeal infections (rhinitis, bacterial sinusitis). The use of drops makes it possible to facilitate the release of accumulated mucus, to prevent purulent inflammation.

Types of medicinal drops in the nose

The variety of local nasal drops is very large. All funds can be divided into several groups, taking into account their mechanism of action:

• drops for washing the nasal cavity (moisturizing);
• vasoconstrictor;
• antiallergic;
• antibacterial;
• hormonal (corticosteroids);
• combined.

Vasoconstrictor drugs

This is the most common group of drugs. After application, the vessels of the nasal mucosa narrow sharply, swelling subsides. The volume of blood flow decreases, which leads to a decrease in the formation of mucus. It fits snugly against the walls of the mucosa, which facilitates breathing. According to the instructions, any vasoconstrictor drops should not be used for more than 3-5 days. Prolonged artificial vasoconstriction leads to addiction, and an increasing dose is required to get rid of congestion. There is a medical rhinitis. With frequent use of drops, the vessels no longer respond to attempts to stimulate them, and a reverse reaction may occur - increased edema.

Rules for the use of vasoconstrictor drops:

• Do not use at the first symptoms of congestion. Only in case of severe difficulty breathing, as an emergency measure. Do not instill more than the recommended dose into the nose.
• At night, it is better to instill long-acting drugs (8-12 hours), during the day it is better to use drops that last 3-4 hours.
• Use funds, the percentage of the active substance in which corresponds to the age of the child.
• At the first signs of easier breathing, it is better to stop the use of vasoconstrictor drops immediately. It is better to continue the treatment of congestion with the help of inhalations and saline solutions.

The basis of the drops can be xylometazoline, oxymetazoline, naphazoline.

Xylometazoline

The effect of the use of this substance lasts 3-4 hours. Therefore, drops based on xylometazoline are best used during the day. They are almost not absorbed into the bloodstream and are safe for young children.

Products with xylometazoline:

• Galazolin;
• Otrivin;
• Xylomepha;
• Farmazolin;
• For the nose;
• Xymelin;
• Rhinonorm.

Oxymetazoline

Oxymetazoline - a means of prolonged action. The effect of its use lasts 10-12 hours. Unlike xylometazoline, this substance is more toxic. Therefore, it should be used with caution in children with diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, up to 2 years.

Drops with oxymetazoline:

• Nazivin;
• Nazol;
• Fazin;
• Nazol advance.

Nafazoline

This is a fast-acting substance, but its action is shorter than previous remedies. Drops based on naphazoline are cheaper among vasoconstrictor drugs. But a frequent complication from their use is drug-induced rhinitis (dependence on drops).

Drops with naphazoline:

• Naphthyzin;
• Sanorin;
• Tizin;
• Farial (from 7 years old);

Moisturizers

They are not used as the main treatment for nasal congestion, but as adjuvants. They help speed up the discharge of exudate from the sinuses. To maintain the integrity and health of the mucosa, it must be moisturized. When using many drugs for the common cold, it is often overdried and injured. Therefore, the use of moisturizing drops is necessary. They are produced on the basis of sea or mineral water.

These drugs do not have side effects, since they do not contain active chemicals. They can treat the nasal cavity several times a day. If congestion is caused by a large accumulation of mucus, and there is no edema, then saline solutions can be effectively used without resorting to vasoconstrictor drops.

Moisturizing drops:

• Aquamaris;
• Aqualor;
• Salin;
• Physiomer;
• Marimer;
• Quicks;
• Humer.

On the page, read about the benefits and use of an ultrasonic inhaler for cough and runny nose.

Medications for allergic congestion

In allergic rhinitis and the congestion that accompanies it, agents that have an antihistamine and vasoconstrictor effect are used. They quickly relieve swelling and make breathing easier.

Drops for allergic congestion:

• Vibrocil;
• Sanorin-Analergin;
• Rinofluimucil.

When these remedies are ineffective, or the child has a severe form of vasomotor rhinitis, glucocorticosteroids are used to relieve congestion. Most often they are produced in the form of a spray. Hormonal drugs act locally without disturbing the hormonal balance of the body. Be sure to take into account contraindications and age restrictions when using glucocorticosteroids.

Hormonal remedies for nasal congestion:

• Nasonex;
• Flixonase;
• Avamis;
• Nasobek;
• Baconase;
• Tafen.

These drugs are not used for fungal and bacterial rhinitis, because they reduce immunity at the local level, and can aggravate the situation. Therefore, hormonal drops and sprays should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor.

Drops with antibiotics

If the congestion does not go away for more than a week and yellow-green snot appears, then there is a possibility that a bacterial infection has developed. Therefore, it is advisable for children in such cases to use topical nasal drops with antibiotics:

• Isofra - drops based on framycetin. It is allowed to apply to children from 1 year.
• Polydex is a complex drug based on neomycin and polymyxin. Also used for allergic rhinitis. Allowed for children from 2 years.
• Albucid - eye drops that can be instilled with a bacterial cold in children from birth.

Nasal congestion in a child can be evidence of many diseases of the nasopharynx. It often manifests itself against the background of colds and SARS. If the pathology is accompanied by fever, green discharge from the nose, general malaise, then it is necessary take the child to the doctor as soon as possible. The use of drops alone may not be enough to relieve congestion, and more serious treatment will be required. You can not prescribe nasal drops on your own. Their rash use can cause unwanted complications and aggravate the situation.

Nasal congestion is a very common problem that is especially common in children. It occurs when the vessels of the nose expand, as a result of which the mucous membranes dry out and swelling appears. With a strong blockage of the nasal passages, the baby becomes restless, capricious, he does not sleep well, breathes through his mouth in his sleep and refuses to eat normally. This causes a lot of anxiety for the child and his parents.

Many parents are wondering how to remove nasal congestion in a child, how it can be treated, and whether it is worth paying attention to such a seemingly frivolous problem at all. Can such a disease go away on its own?

First of all, the following signs of congestion attract attention:

• difficulty in nasal breathing;
• deterioration of olfactory function;
• feeling of dryness in the nose;
• frequent sneezing;
• the appearance of secretions (transparent, purulent, mixed with blood);
• deterioration in general well-being.

In this case, the nose can be clogged in different ways.. May be observed:

• unilateral congestion - when more than one half of the nose is stuffed up, and the second one breathes better or normally;
• bilateral congestion - when both halves of the nose are blocked and breathing is extremely difficult.

The degree of development of congestion

If timely treatment of the disease is not started, the patient's condition will worsen. The disease proceeds in several stages.

Fighting crusts in the nose

Nasal congestion can be short-term or long-term. For a short time, it occurs if there are many dried crusts in the child’s nose that block the nasal passages and cause nasal breathing problems. This problem can be dealt with, as a rule, without any problems and quickly enough.

The reasons may be hypothermia, dry and hot air in the room, low air humidity, inhalation of a large amount of dust, incipient inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, pathology of the structure of the nose.

You can get rid of dry crusts with saline solutions, chamomile decoction, vegetable oil, petroleum jelly or baby cream. First, we wash the nose or lubricate it with a remedy, wait a few minutes for the crusts to soften, and then the child should blow his nose well. You can also clean the nasal passages with cotton swabs. Only this must be done very carefully so as not to injure the mucous membrane and not provoke nosebleeds.

In infants and children of the first year of life, the crusts are removed using the smallest syringes or special aspirators and mucus suction.

Prolonged runny nose

A constant runny nose and nasal congestion in a child indicate the onset of the development of an acute respiratory viral disease, various diseases of the ENT organs, decreased immunity, congenital or acquired pathologies of the nose, and the presence of a foreign body in the nasal passage. If you do not promptly consult a doctor and do not start treatment, severe complications may begin to develop, such as:

Congestion without snot

But blockage of the nasal passages is not always manifested by the secretion of mucus. The baby still remains restless, often sneezes, feels itchy in the nose, cannot breathe, but there is no snot.

In this case, the age of the child plays a role. If a similar phenomenon is observed in an infant, then there is no need to worry. In young children, this is a physiological phenomenon due to the special structure of the nose. They have narrow nasal passages through which not too much air passes and this makes it difficult for them to breathe through the nose. Therefore, it is often possible to observe how babies up to 1-2 months of life breathe through their mouths in their sleep. This is a normal reaction of their body, and it goes away on its own as the child develops.

If we are talking about children 2-3 years old, then they will already have other reasons for the appearance of such symptoms. This may be due to insufficient humidity in the room, when hot air is inhaled and, as a result, a lack of oxygen; manifestation of an allergic reaction to foreign agents (dust, animal hair, poplar fluff, litter, etc.). Congestion without snot occurs with a nose injury or foreign bodies, congenital malformations, beginning inflammatory diseases of the ENT organs, enlarged adenoids, and as a side effect after prolonged use of vasoconstrictor drugs.

Find the real cause of this problem and only an ENT doctor can cure a protracted runny nose. You must first go to the hospital, and then carry out the prescribed treatment and follow all the recommendations of the doctor.

A serious complication in the absence of competent treatment is atrophy of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages. Perhaps the development of secondary diseases of the ENT organs, deterioration or complete loss of smell and hearing, impaired nasal breathing. All this threatens with serious consequences in the form of problems in the work of the brain.

Renowned doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky says that improper child care is the most common cause of nasal congestion without mucus, which causes the mucous membranes to dry out. Parents are overprotective of their child, they ventilate the room a little, do not give the required amount of drink, do not walk enough time on the street - and this leads to a decrease in immunity and the risk of reduced body resistance to viruses and various infections.

When the mucous membrane dries out, provided that there are no concomitant diseases of the nasopharynx, it is recommended to create optimal conditions in the apartment: the air temperature should not exceed 19 ° C, the humidity should be maintained at least 50-70%. To do this, you need to ventilate the room more often, in winter you can hang wet towels on hot batteries (especially at night) or purchase a humidifier. It is very important to observe the drinking regimen and get rid of allergens.

If a runny nose and congestion bother you often or for a long time, you need to find the cause of congestion. To do this, you need to be examined by an ENT specialist and an allergist, do allergic tests and a general and biochemical blood test.

congestion treatment at home

There are many recipes that will help to cope with the disease quickly and safely.

Medical therapy

Washing and inhaling help clear the nose, but do not solve the main problem. Therefore, with a prolonged runny nose, vasoconstrictor drops or sprays are prescribed. Such drugs help fight inflammation of the mucous membrane, relieve swelling and kill pathogenic microorganisms. If there is severe nasal congestion in a child, it can be treated with drugs approved for use in children.

For babies and infants, drops are used:

• Otrivin Baby.
• Nazivin 0.01%.
• Nazol Baby.
• For nose 0.05%.

For older children, as prescribed by a doctor, vasoconstrictor drugs are used:

Nasal saline solutions are used:

• Physiological solution of 0.9% sodium chloride.
• Spray Aqua Maris.
• Salin.
• Aqua-Rinosol 0.9%.
• Aqualor Baby.

It must be remembered that vasoconstrictor drops have many side effects and with prolonged use (more than 7 days) they cause addiction to the body. Before using the drug, carefully read the instructions and calculate the required dosage according to the age of the child. The use of nasal sprays is allowed for children over 3 years old., as they contain a high concentration of the active substance and can damage the mucous membranes. A pediatrician or an ENT doctor should choose how to treat if a child has a stuffy nose so that there are as few negative consequences as possible.

Surgical intervention

When such pathologies are found in a child, like polyps in the nose, neoplasms, congenital malformations, enlarged adenoids, and in the presence of foreign bodies in the nose, only surgery will help. Operations are carried out in surgical ENT departments according to the doctor's indications.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine recipes often help in the initial stages of the disease. There are several ways in which you can remove the swelling of the mucous membrane and get rid of nasal congestion.

Remember that self-medication is very dangerous for your child. . Do not abuse traditional medicine and contact your doctor promptly. He will help to diagnose the disease in time and select the right treatment tactics. Nasal congestion doesn't seem like a big deal to us, but if left untreated, it can lead to health problems for your baby.