Health Dictionary Find a Doctor

Nasal Congestion overview

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Please help WikiDoc by adding more content here. It’s easy! Click here to learn about editing.

Overview

Overview

Nasal congestion is the blockage of the nasal passages usually due to membranes lining the nose becoming swollen from inflamed blood vessels. It is also known as nasal blockage, nasal obstruction, blocked nose, runny nose, and stuffy nose.

Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology

Many people think that a nose gets congested (stuffy) from too much thick mucus. However, in most cases, the nose becomes congested when the tissues lining it become swollen. The swelling is due to inflamed blood vessels.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis

X ray

X-rays of the sinuses and chest x-ray

CT

CT scan of sinuses are required in some patients to make the diagnosis.

References

References

Template:WH

Template:WS

Looking for the patient version?

Back to the patient-friendly article

© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH