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Pregnancy-related Nasal Decongestion

A Common Symptom of Pregnancy

By Kelly Burgess

It may seem as if a stuffy nose isn't too big of a deal, but in cases where the woman is already experiencing a great deal of discomfort because of the pregnancy or is having trouble eating or sleeping because of the congestion relief can be important.

The good news is that, usually, relief can be found for pregnancy-specific rhinitis. Wearing nasal strips at night, as Bruener does, has been shown to be effective. Dr. Kornak generally starts with a very safe approach such as a saline nasal spray. She warns against over-the-counter medicated nasal sprays, which can actually make the problem worse. In fact, there is a type of rhinitis, called rhinitis medicamentosa, which is caused by prolonged or inappropriate use of nasal sprays. Other ideas for nasal congestion relief include: breathing steam from hot water, elevating the head of the bed, avoidance of any known allergens and avoiding cigarette smoke.

If using natural remedies doesn't' work, Dr. Kornak turns to decongestants and antihistamines that have been shown to be safe for pregnant women to take. What she would recommend would be specific to the problem the patient is suffering from. No one should ever attempt to self-medicate by using over the counter medications without their obstetrician's approval.

Even if you opt to just live with it, take heart – if it started with the pregnancy it will end with the pregnancy. Dr. Holmgren says she's rarely seen a case where rhinitis continued much past the first couple of weeks postpartum. Once the hormones start evening out so does everything else.

Want to see more?

• Pregnancy May Make You Smarter
• Pink or Blue: A Guide to Determining Gender
• To Believe or Not to Believe: Debunking Common Pregnancy Myths
• Talk about it!

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