Well I’ve been a little bit quiet this week with my posts mostly due to not feeling 100%, suffering from sinus and nasal congestion. I’m not sick, but I may as well be!! I think I have nearly gone through an entire box of tissues.
Having sinus problems and a blocked nose is actually very common during pregnancy, it is called rhinitis of pregnancy. Increased amounts of estrogen can contribute to swelling causing this very annoying condition.
However, in my case I actually believe my problems are a combination of both sudden change in temperature and allergies from the excess dust from our current renovations, as I have been having a lot of associated sneezing. Rhinitis of pregnancy is generally just the congestion in the nose.
Some tips for others that might also be suffering from sinus during pregnancy is to keep fluids up, sleep with your head slightly elevated, steam can help relieve a blocked nose, nasal drops or sprays can be of some help and avoid potential irritants. Like steam, humidifiers and vapourisers can be of help to keep more moisture in the air and are particularly useful at night.
