BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuStuffy or runny nose - childrenNose - congested; Congested nose; Runny nose; Postnasal drip; RhinorrheaA stuffy or congested nose occurs when the tissues lining the nose become swollen. The swelling is due to inflamed blood vessels. The problem may also include nasal discharge or "runny nose." If excess mucus runs down the back of the throat (postnasal drip), it may cause a cough or sore throat.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Considerations Most of the time, nasal congestion in older children and adolescents is not serious by itself, but can cause other problems. When nasal stuffiness is just on one side, the child may have inserted something into the nose. Nasal congestion can interfere with the ears, hearing, and speech development. Congestion that is very bad may interfere with sleep.The mucous drainage may plug up the eustachian tube between the nose and the ear, causing an ear infection and pain. The mucous drip may also plug the sinus passages, causing sinus infection and pain.Ear infectionOtitis is a term for infection or inflammation of the ear.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sinus infectionSinusitis is present when the tissue lining the sinuses become swollen or inflamed. It occurs as the result of an inflammatory reaction or an infect...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes A stuffy or runny nose may be caused by: Common cold Common coldThe common cold most often causes a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. You may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, or other symptoms....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Flu FluThe flu (influenza) is a viral respiratory illness that causes fever, chills, runny nose, body aches, and cough. It spreads easily from person to pe...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sinus infectionThe congestion typically goes away by itself within a week. Congestion also can be caused by: Hay fever or other allergies AllergiesAn allergy is an immune response or reaction to substances that are usually not harmful.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Use of some nasal sprays or drops bought without a prescription for more than 3 days (may make nasal stuffiness worse) Nasal polyps, sac-like growths of inflamed tissue lining the nose or sinuses Pregnancy Vasomotor rhinitis Small objects in the nostril Home Care Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersTips to help infants and younger children include: Raise the head of your child's bed. Put a pillow underneath the head of the mattress. Or, place books or boards under the legs at the head of the bed. Older children may drink extra fluids, but those fluids should be sugar-free. You can try a cool-mist vaporizer, but avoid putting too much moisture in the room. Clean the vaporizer every day with bleach or a disinfectant cleaning product. You can also steam up the bathroom shower and bring your child in there before bed. A nasal wash can help remove mucus from your child's nose. You can buy a saline spray at a drugstore or make one at home. To make one, use 1 cup (240 milliliters) of warm water, 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) of salt, and a pinch of baking soda. Use gentle saline nasal sprays 3 to 4 times per day. If your child has allergies:Your health care provider may also prescribe nasal sprays that treat allergy symptoms. Learn how to avoid triggers that make allergies worse. Allergies worseAllergic rhinitis is a group of symptoms that affect your nose. They occur when you breathe in something you are allergic to, such as dust mites, an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nasal sprays are not recommended for children under age 2. Don't use over-the-counter nasal sprays more often than 3 days on and 3 days off, unless told to by your provider.You can buy cough and cold medicines without a prescription. They do not seem to be effective in children. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact the provider if your child has any of the following:A stuffy nose with swelling of the forehead, eyes, side of the nose, or cheek, or that occurs with blurred vision More throat pain, or white or yellow spots on the tonsils or other parts of the throat Discharge from the nose that has a bad smell, comes from only one side, or is a color other than white or yellow Cough that lasts longer than 10 days, or produces yellow-green or gray mucus Symptoms that last more than 3 weeks Nasal discharge with fever What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your child's provider may perform a physical exam that focuses on the ears, nose, throat, and airways. Tests that may be done include: Allergy tests on skin and blood tests Allergy testsAllergy skin tests are used to find out which substances cause a person to have an allergic reaction. These substances are called allergens....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood tests (such as CBC or blood differential) CBCA complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sputum culture and throat culture Throat cultureA throat swab culture is a laboratory test that is done to identify germs that may cause infection in the throat. It is most often used to diagnose ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article X-rays of the sinuses and chest x-ray X-rays of the sinusesA sinus x-ray is an imaging test to look at the sinuses. These are the air-filled spaces in the front of the skull.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan of the headCTA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesLopez SMC, Williams JV. Rhinoviruses. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 290.McGann KA, Long SS. Respiratory tract symptom complexes. In: Long SS, ed. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 21.Milgrom H, Sicherer SH. Allergic rhinitis. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 168.AllVideoImagesTogThroat anatomy - illustration Structures of the throat include the esophagus, trachea, epiglottis and tonsils.Throat anatomyillustrationThroat anatomy - illustration Structures of the throat include the esophagus, trachea, epiglottis and tonsils.Throat anatomyillustrationA Closer Look Ear infections - InDepth(In-Depth)Immunizations - InDepth(In-Depth)Common cold (Alt. Medicine)Allergic rhinitis(Alt. Medicine)Influenza(Alt. Medicine)Colds and the flu - InDepth(In-Depth)Asthma(Alt. Medicine)Headaches - cluster - InDepth(In-Depth)Self Care Allergic rhinitis - self-careRelated Information Otitis(Condition)Sinusitis(Condition)H1N1 influenza (Swine flu)(Condition)Flu(Condition)Common cold(Condition)Colds and the flu - what to ask your doctor - adult(Doctor Questions)Colds and the flu - what to ask your doctor - child(Doctor Questions)When your baby or infant has a fever(Self-Care) Review Date: 7/8/2023 Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Stuffy or runny nose - childrenNose - congested; Congested nose; Runny nose; Postnasal drip; RhinorrheaA stuffy or congested nose occurs when the tissues lining the nose become swollen. The swelling is due to inflamed blood vessels. The problem may also include nasal discharge or "runny nose." If excess mucus runs down the back of the throat (postnasal drip), it may cause a cough or sore throat.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Considerations Most of the time, nasal congestion in older children and adolescents is not serious by itself, but can cause other problems. When nasal stuffiness is just on one side, the child may have inserted something into the nose. Nasal congestion can interfere with the ears, hearing, and speech development. Congestion that is very bad may interfere with sleep.The mucous drainage may plug up the eustachian tube between the nose and the ear, causing an ear infection and pain. The mucous drip may also plug the sinus passages, causing sinus infection and pain.Ear infectionOtitis is a term for infection or inflammation of the ear.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sinus infectionSinusitis is present when the tissue lining the sinuses become swollen or inflamed. It occurs as the result of an inflammatory reaction or an infect...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes A stuffy or runny nose may be caused by: Common cold Common coldThe common cold most often causes a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. You may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, or other symptoms....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Flu FluThe flu (influenza) is a viral respiratory illness that causes fever, chills, runny nose, body aches, and cough. It spreads easily from person to pe...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sinus infectionThe congestion typically goes away by itself within a week. Congestion also can be caused by: Hay fever or other allergies AllergiesAn allergy is an immune response or reaction to substances that are usually not harmful.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Use of some nasal sprays or drops bought without a prescription for more than 3 days (may make nasal stuffiness worse) Nasal polyps, sac-like growths of inflamed tissue lining the nose or sinuses Pregnancy Vasomotor rhinitis Small objects in the nostril Home Care Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsersTips to help infants and younger children include: Raise the head of your child's bed. Put a pillow underneath the head of the mattress. Or, place books or boards under the legs at the head of the bed. Older children may drink extra fluids, but those fluids should be sugar-free. You can try a cool-mist vaporizer, but avoid putting too much moisture in the room. Clean the vaporizer every day with bleach or a disinfectant cleaning product. You can also steam up the bathroom shower and bring your child in there before bed. A nasal wash can help remove mucus from your child's nose. You can buy a saline spray at a drugstore or make one at home. To make one, use 1 cup (240 milliliters) of warm water, 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) of salt, and a pinch of baking soda. Use gentle saline nasal sprays 3 to 4 times per day. If your child has allergies:Your health care provider may also prescribe nasal sprays that treat allergy symptoms. Learn how to avoid triggers that make allergies worse. Allergies worseAllergic rhinitis is a group of symptoms that affect your nose. They occur when you breathe in something you are allergic to, such as dust mites, an...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Nasal sprays are not recommended for children under age 2. Don't use over-the-counter nasal sprays more often than 3 days on and 3 days off, unless told to by your provider.You can buy cough and cold medicines without a prescription. They do not seem to be effective in children. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact the provider if your child has any of the following:A stuffy nose with swelling of the forehead, eyes, side of the nose, or cheek, or that occurs with blurred vision More throat pain, or white or yellow spots on the tonsils or other parts of the throat Discharge from the nose that has a bad smell, comes from only one side, or is a color other than white or yellow Cough that lasts longer than 10 days, or produces yellow-green or gray mucus Symptoms that last more than 3 weeks Nasal discharge with fever What to Expect at Your Office Visit Your child's provider may perform a physical exam that focuses on the ears, nose, throat, and airways. Tests that may be done include: Allergy tests on skin and blood tests Allergy testsAllergy skin tests are used to find out which substances cause a person to have an allergic reaction. These substances are called allergens....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Blood tests (such as CBC or blood differential) CBCA complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Sputum culture and throat culture Throat cultureA throat swab culture is a laboratory test that is done to identify germs that may cause infection in the throat. It is most often used to diagnose ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article X-rays of the sinuses and chest x-ray X-rays of the sinusesA sinus x-ray is an imaging test to look at the sinuses. These are the air-filled spaces in the front of the skull.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan of the headCTA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesLopez SMC, Williams JV. Rhinoviruses. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 290.McGann KA, Long SS. Respiratory tract symptom complexes. In: Long SS, ed. Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 21.Milgrom H, Sicherer SH. Allergic rhinitis. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 168.
