Nasal edema - causes and symptoms

Inflammation of the nasal mucosa is called rhinitis. Most often rhinitis is accompanied by a common cold. Doctors annually register more than 500 million cases of infectious diseases, the share of acute respiratory diseases accounts for more than 90%. First of all, the mucous membrane of the organs of the upper respiratory tract is involved in the inflammatory process. The causative agents of these diseases are mainly viruses, fungi and bacteria. Reducing the resistance of the body, hypothermia, drafts contribute to the penetration of microorganisms through the mucous membrane, which causes swelling of the nose.

Inflammation of the nasal mucosa is most often observed during the period of sharp temperature fluctuations, which is primarily due to a change in the virulence of microorganisms. An important role in the development of the disease is played by the supercooling factor. Edema of the nose is most pronounced when the feet cool. This is explained by the fact that in this zone there are a lot of reflexogenic zones, which are associated with the functioning of the nose. In the course of the development of the disease, blockages of the paranasal sinuses are blocked with a pathological secret, as well as a swollen mucous membrane. All this leads to the difficulty of transport of the secret from the sinuses. Similar processes can take place in the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx. Violation of ventilation, stagnation of secretion, development of hypoxia contribute to the development of saprophyte microflora. Therefore, the original viral infection eventually changes to bacterial microflora.

Inflammation of the respiratory tract can cause intracellular agents: chlamydia, mycoplasma, legionella. The penetration of infectious agents into epithelial cells is accompanied by the emergence of a local inflammatory reaction. Absorption of cytolysis products into the blood leads to intoxication of the body. Therefore, the swelling of the nose has typical manifestations: cough, runny nose, perspiration or sore throat, nasal congestion, hoarseness, etc. Intoxication of the body is accompanied by headache, weakness, lethargy, hyperthermia, myalgia (muscle pains).

The nasal mucosa performs a protective function, that is, it is a kind of barrier on which thousands of microorganisms are constantly deposited. Of course, most of them are saprophytes (do not harm a person). However, pathogenic microbes can cause disease. Reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms, viruses in the nasal mucosa causes destructive changes in it, increases the permeability of blood vessels, exudation increases. Therefore, the edema of the nose in the child is accompanied by a burning sensation in the nose, the formation of exudate, stuffy nose, nasal, etc. In addition, rhinitis can occur together with sinusitis and otitis.

Edema of the nose develops in several stages. The stage of dry irritation (stage I) develops at lightning speed and lasts from two hours to two days. This stage is characterized by anemia of the mucous membranes, dryness and burning in the nose, multiple sneezing. The second is called the stage of serous discharge, it is characterized by the formation of a transudative fluid. The duration of this stage is from two to three days. It should be said that in the acute course of the disease exudative processes predominate. With swelling of the nasal mucous membrane, nasal breathing is difficult, the sense of smell is reduced. The third stage is characterized by proliferative processes. The whole cycle of the disease is completed in 7-10 days. With timely treatment, recovery occurs in two to three days.

Recently, very often began to register (about 20% of the population) allergic edema of the nose. Sensation of the organism plays an important role in the development of inflammatory reactions in the organs of the respiratory tract. Allergens lightly cause an allergic reaction. Therefore, just a couple of minutes after the penetration of allergens into the body, rhinorrhea, itching in the nasal cavity and sneezing occur. As a result of complex biochemical reactions, histamine is synthesized - a marker of allergic inflammation of the nose. This substance causes sneezing, swelling of the nose, increases the secretion secretion.