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Pregnancy-related Nasal Decongestion
A Common Symptom of Pregnancy
By Kelly Burgess
The culprit is estrogen, one of the pregnancy hormones that raises during pregnancy. This, along with other hormones, can cause swelling in the mucous membranes lining the nose and cause the body to increase mucous production. Dr. Kornak points out that this can happen not just with pregnancy but even with people who take hormones or birth control pills.
Obstetrician Callie Holmgren of Salt Lake City, Utah, says most of her patients assume they have a cold when they come to her with nasal discomfort – and that's what she prefers. "I don't want my patients diagnosing themselves and assuming their nasal congestion is always pregnancy-related," says Dr. Holmgren. "If they're suffering from a cold, the beginnings of a sinus infection or allergies, we can rule those things out and maybe give her some relief."
Dr. Holmgren says when a patient comes to her complaining of stuffy nose, she first performs a thorough medical exam to rule out bacterial or viral infections. If she can't find the cause of the stuffy nose and it is severe (for example, it interfered with the patient's sleep) she then refers her to an ear, nose and throat specialist. The specialist will then determine if the problem is caused by allergies or some other trigger and treat it appropriately.
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