Blocked nose

The nose is your respiratory system's first line of defence. When you have a cold, the nasal tissues get dried up, which leaves the nose's defences weakened. This greatly increases the risk of infection as a healthy nose may become congested in as little as 2-3 days, resulting in difficult breathing, loss of smell and restless sleep.

How do you get a blocked nose?

If the nasal tissue's defence mechanism is jeopardised, the risk of infection is increased. Viruses, bacteria or allergens can cause inflammation in the nasal tissue causing it to swell. This results in the following symptoms:

• – itchy nose
• – sneezing
• – runny nose (at first watery, then thicker in a matter of days)
• – stuffy nose