"The nose seems to be sealed by cement, and I can only breathe through my mouth." "It's too uncomfortable to have a blocked nose." "I can't sleep well with a stuffy nose for two consecutive days."... The nasal congestion after the new crown infection is also called "cement" by netizens. Seal the nose".

If the nasal congestion is serious enough to affect normal life, the otolaryngologist of Peking Union Medical College Hospital reminds that timely and symptomatic medication can effectively relieve the symptoms of nasal congestion.

  Why do nasal congestion symptoms appear after the new crown infection?

At present, the new type of coronavirus infection is mainly caused by the mutant strain of Omicron.

Most infections have significant upper respiratory symptoms, with nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat and cough being the most common.

Similar to the common cold, flu and other diseases, after the new coronavirus infects the upper respiratory tract mucosa, it will trigger the body's immune defense response mechanism, causing acute inflammation of the nose, nasal mucosa congestion and swelling, increased secretions and other reactions, which lead to nasal congestion and runny nose, etc. symptom.

  In addition, some patients will experience a decrease in the sense of smell. On the one hand, the reason is that the nasal ventilation function is reduced, and the gas molecules cannot reach the olfactory area of ​​the nasal cavity;

  How to treat symptoms of nasal congestion?

For patients without previous immunodeficiency, after about a week of home rest and symptomatic treatment with antipyretic drugs such as ibuprofen after the new coronavirus infection, symptoms such as nasal congestion and runny nose will gradually relieve on their own.

  If a small number of patients have severe symptoms such as nasal congestion and runny nose, the most commonly used drug is nasal spray glucocorticoids (such as mometasone furoate, fluticasone propionate, budesonide, etc.), which can safely and effectively reduce inflammation and improve nasal congestion and runny nose and other symptoms.

Patients can also choose nasal spray decongestants (oxymetazoline, xylometazoline, etc.), which can quickly improve nasal ventilation.

However, these drugs can only be used temporarily for a short period of time, usually no more than 7-10 days, and long-term use will cause side effects such as drug-induced rhinitis.

Pregnant women, infants and other special populations need to consult a doctor.

  What needs to be especially vigilant is that if there is still no relief after a week, but yellow purulent nasal discharge, pain in the maxillofacial area and around the orbit, tooth pain, etc., you need to consider whether acute bacterial sinusitis is secondary, and you should go to the hospital in time. Hospital ENT department.

  What about a decreased sense of smell?

Most patients can gradually recover on their own within a month.

In order to promote olfactory recovery, on the one hand, nasal spray glucocorticoids can be used to relieve inflammation; on the other hand, olfactory rehabilitation exercises can be carried out, using olfactory training sticks or items with obvious smells that are common in life, such as lemon, rose, clove, eucalyptus, etc. , Alternate smell smell training, twice a day.

Text/Wang Weiqing (Peking Union Medical College Hospital)