What are the effects of prolonged nasal congestion?
Most people prefer to breathe out of their nose. When you can’t breathe normal because your nose feels stuffy and swollen it is irritating. But there are more complications than irritation.
Bad Breath & Tooth Decay
Breathing through the mouth exclusively can cause chronic bad breath known as halitosis. It also causes tooth decay due to hindrance of the natural protection of saliva.
Dizziness & Hearing Loss
Nasal congestion can cause dizziness and interfere with hearing. Your
sinuses are all connected so the pressure in your nose, can affect the pressure in your ears. This can cause them to feel muffled as well as cause dizziness.
Sore Throat & Loss of Voice
Its can also affect your throat and voice. Your nose makes more mucus to help clear out your offended and swollen nasal passages. That mucus can start to run down the back of your throat. We call this post nasal drip. It can cause sore throat, cough, hoarseness and even loss of your voice.
Snoring & Sleep Interruption
It can also affect your sleep. When you can’t breathe out of your nose you are forced to breathe out of your mouth. This can cause
snoring and can be a big problem for those with
sleep apnea.
Snoring can also keep your partner awake.
Feeding Issues for Infants
For infants nasal congestion can be a big problem as it can interfere with feeding.