Why Does One Nostril Get Clogged?

What Happens When Your Nose Feels Clogged?

Nasal congestion, also called stuffy nose, rhinorrhea or rhinitis, occurs when your nose or face feel full.¹ Rhinorrhea is when there’s a thin, mostly clear fluid running from your nose whereas rhinitis describes the irritation and swelling inside your nose.¹ When you’re experiencing nasal congestion, you might also have fluid running or dripping out of your nose or down the back of your throat.¹ However, it’s possible to only experience nasal congestion in one nostril instead of both.

Reasons Why Only One Nostril Is Blocked

Sometimes, one side of your nose getting clogged isn’t a sign of concern because it’s a normal part of your nasal cycle.² Your nasal passages are lined with blood vessels that help regulate the flow of air and filter out particles.² These blood vessels swell and shrink on an alternative basis in each of your nostrils.² Your nose goes through this cycle of congestion and decongestion to manage airflow in your nasal pathways.² If your nasal cycle is running smoothly, you shouldn’t notice that every four to six hours, one side of your nose becomes congested while the other becomes decongested.² If you are being bothered by a blocked nostril or are feeling a switch between the congestion and decongestion, there might another reason that one side of your nose is clogged. Some other possibilities are:

Sleeping on Your Side

If you sleep on your side, you might wake up feeling like one of your nostrils is blocked; it’s usually whichever nostril was lying on the pillow.² This is related to your nose’s asymmetry as you lie on your side.² If you only have one nostril blocked, try walking around after you wake up to see if it fixes the issue.² If walking around relieves your nostril’s stuffiness, there’s a good chance that sleeping on your side caused it.²

Deviated Septum

If one or both of your nostrils is blocked, you might have a deviated septum.³ A deviated septum is when the thin wall between your nasal passages, also known as the nasal septum, is off-centered.³ This deviation makes one of your nasal passages smaller than the other.³ The swelling of the tissues from your deviated septum can cause one of your nostrils to feel blocked.³

If you have a more severe deviated septum, not only can it block one side of your nose, but it can also reduce airflow and cause breathing difficulty.³ If you want to correct your deviated septum, you should talk to your doctor about surgery options.³ Speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist to see if there’s any medications that can help reduce the swelling in your nose.³

Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps are painless growths that can be inside your nose.⁴ They’re caused by irritation and swelling in your nose along with sinuses that last more than 12 weeks.⁴ If you have small nasal polyps inside your nose, you might not know you have them.⁴ However, larger polyps or groups of them can block your nose and lead to breathing problems.⁴ You might have a stuffy nose because of these growths, but if your stuffy nose lasts more than 10 days, you should consult your healthcare provider.⁴

Foreign Objects Stuck in Nose

Just like one side of your nose can get clogged, so can your little one’s. If your child is experiencing a blocked nostril, it could be because of the above symptoms, but they might’ve also gotten something stuck in their nose, like a crayon or vegetable.² Use a flashlight to inspect the inside of your child’s nostril.² If you see anything in it, see if they can blow their nose and push the object out of it.² However, you should contact their doctor if you see any drainage or pus coming out.²

Irritants and Infections

Your blocked nostril can be caused by something that’s irritating your nasal passage.¹ Irritants that are in the air, such as tobacco smoke, perfume, dust and car exhaust, can cause your nose to feel stuffy and runny.¹ Sometimes, you might be under the weather, and infections like the cold, flu or sinusitis can irritate the inside of your nose as well.¹ Consult your healthcare provider if you have a blocked nostril for more than 10 days.¹

If your blocked nostril is caused because of an infection like the common cold or a virus like the flu, over-the-counter medications can help relieve your symptoms. Try Robitussin’s Maximum Strength Severe Multi-Symptom Cough Cold + Flu medicine to get fast and powerful relief from your symptoms like nasal congestion. Clear your clogged nostril and many other symptoms you’re experiencing using Robitussin.

Source Citations:

1. Symptoms: Nasal Congestion. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/nasal-congestion/basics/definition/sym-20050644. Accessed 05/14/2024.
2. Why Do I Sometimes Get Congested in One Nostril? Cleveland Clinic. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-do-i-sometimes-get-stuffy-in-one-nostril. Accessed 05/14/2024.
3. Deviated Septum. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/deviated-septum/symptoms-causes/syc-20351710. Accessed 05/14/2024.
4. Nasal Polyps. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/nasal-polyps/symptoms-causes/syc-20351888. Accessed 05/14/2024.