The miracle of life is transcendent and poetic to a point. Just ask any pregnant woman. With all the joy comes plenty of discomfort and a good deal of it comes from your hormones.
Besides the bloating, nausea, cravings and other results of a hormonal shift some women are stuck with pregnancy rhinitis. With so many strange things happening to your body, it can be hard to pinpoint the cause of your stuffiness. Read on and we’ll help you figure out if you’re under the weather because of your pregnancy or not.
A bun in the oven
There are a lot of reasons why people can have rhinitis. People the world over fear the inflammation of the membranes inside your nose because of the days long discomfort. When you’re pregnant though, the source of you feeling under the weather is likely a different one. You need to blame your estrogen.
Along with progesterone, estrogen causes congestion by swelling the mucus membranes. This means having to deal with itching, sneezing, coughing, and headaches. The good news is that you don’t have to tough this out. There are plenty of ways to feel better.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick
There’s absolutely no reason you should try and wait out a case of rhinitis when you’re sick, especially if you’re pregnant. You’ll want to recover as soon as possible.
Luckily, there’s plenty you can do to feel better. Some are simple and cheap while others are medications you’ll have to buy but either way you’ll recover faster:
- Drink Water – You’ll want to be hydrated and avoid any stimulating beverages like coffee, for instance.
- Move Around – Keeping lightly active will help you feel better and energized but don’t overdo it, you’ve got a baby on board!
- Keep Your Head Up – Sleeping with you head elevated will keep your nose from swelling.
That’s all fairly standard fare when dealing with rhinitis but to really make a difference you’ll have to use some over the counter meds. You may have noticed we mentioned that whole pregnant thing a couple of times and that’s because it’s a big deal. Before using any medications check with your doctor.
- Antihistamines – These will block histamine, the chemical responsible for things like sneezing, itching and your nose running.
- Decongestants – As the name suggests these will help you feel less congestion. They come in pills, liquids and gels and will reduce your stuffiness.
- Nasal Sprays – These will directly address the inflammation. Known as corticosteroids, they work quickly but have a cumulative effect. Their benefit is felt weeks later.
If you can’t be good, be careful
You need to be vigilant during the 9 months that you’re carrying around your little bundle of joy. Even if you’re tough as nails, ignoring what you’d consider a normal case of stuffiness would be a mistake. One thing you should really be on the lookout for is pressure.
If all of a sudden you feel facial pain or pressure around your eyes, behind your nose or behind your forehead than you may have a sinus infection on your hands. The difference is significant and you should immediately see a doctor.
Hopefully now you’ll know pregnancy rhinitis when you see it. With a little extra care and erring on the side of caution you’ll be able to go on with your pregnancy because let’s face it, that’s complicated enough as it is.