Definition

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Nasal congestion or "stuffy nose" occurs when nasal and adjacent tissues and blood vessels become swollen with excess fluid, causing a "stuffy" plugged feeling. Nasal congestion may or may not include a nasal discharge or "runny nose."

Nasal congestion usually is just an annoyance for older children and adults. But nasal congestion can be serious for children whose sleep is disturbed by their nasal congestion, or for infants, who might have a hard time feeding as a result.

Feb. 27, 2021

See also

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  2. Acute sinusitis: Do over-the-counter treatments help?
  3. Alcohol intolerance
  4. Allergies
  5. Allergy medications: Know your options
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  7. Aspergillosis
  8. Avoid rebound nasal congestion
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  10. Bronchiolitis
  11. Can chicken soup cure a cold?
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  13. Chronic cough
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  15. Chronic sinusitis
  16. Cluster headache
  17. Cold and flu viruses: How long can they live outside the body?
  18. Cold or allergy: Which is it?
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  21. Common cold
  22. Common cold in babies
  23. Cystic fibrosis
  24. Does honey offer sweet relief for allergies?
  25. Does zinc work for colds?
  26. Drug addiction (substance use disorder)
  27. Dust mite allergy
  28. Echinacea: Is it effective for the common cold?
  29. Flu shots
  30. Flu: When to see a doctor?
  31. Food allergies: Labels
  32. Food allergy
  33. Can adults develop a food allergy?
  34. Food allergy or intolerance?
  35. Group B strep disease
  36. Have a cold? Common sense rules
  37. Have a cold? Fight back with humidity
  38. Have a cold? Fight it with fluids
  39. Headaches 101: Know your type
  40. Headaches and hormones
  41. Headaches in children
  42. Headaches: Treatment depends on your diagnosis and symptoms
  43. High-dose flu vaccines: How are they different from other flu vaccines?
  44. How well do you wash your hands?
  45. Humidifier care 101
  46. Humidifiers
  47. Influenza (flu)
  48. Is antibacterial soap a do or a don't?
  49. Infographic: Lung Transplant for Cystic Fibrosis
  50. Medication overuse headaches
  51. Nasal Cleaning
  52. Nasal spray addiction: Is it real?
  53. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
  54. Neti pot: Can it clear your nose?
  55. Neti pot solution: Can I make my own?
  56. Nighttime headaches: Relief
  57. Nonallergic rhinitis
  58. Oil of oregano: Can it treat sinusitis?
  59. Pain Management
  60. Pet allergy
  61. Pet allergy: Are there hypoallergenic dog breeds?
  62. Plugged ears: What is the remedy?
  63. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
  64. Rubella
  65. Shellfish allergy
  66. Sinus headaches
  67. Sinus infection and toothache: Any connection?
  68. Stress and headaches: Stop the cycle
  69. Stuffy nose? Try saline spray
  70. Vicks VapoRub: An effective nasal decongestant?
  71. Vitamin C: Can it prevent colds?
  72. Warm-mist versus cool-mist humidifier: Which is better for a cold?
  73. Wheat allergy
  74. Whooping cough
  75. Whooping cough
  76. Do zinc supplements shorten colds?