Waiting for a baby is a wonderful period in a woman's life. The expectant mother experiences the brightest emotions, but sometimes anxiety settles in her heart. A woman can worry about her health, and about the health of the future baby. Her anxiety increases if she discovers symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis during pregnancy. You can cure a runny nose in a future mother using folk methods, but it is better to consult a doctor.
What is vasomotor rhinitis?
During pregnancy, women in the body have a lot of changes associated with hormonal changes. All of them have a different effect on the life of a future mother. The vessels of the mucosa of the lower nasal passage, which are too close to it, cease to narrow normally. This leads to shortness of breath and a runny nose. Due to hormonal changes, vascular conduction changes, and the result is vasomotor rhinitis of pregnant women.
Another reason for the appearance of the disease is a decrease in immunity. Vasomotor rhinitis in pregnant women is not uncommon, about half of women are exposed to it. But during the period of carrying the baby, many drugs are contraindicated for the expectant mother, therefore, the choice of drugs should be approached especially carefully. A woman is better to see a doctor whom she trusts. Self-medication during pregnancy is very dangerous, since the expectant mother, not wanting it herself, can harm the health of her baby. In the hospital, a woman will be prescribed drugs that will not adversely affect the developing fetus.
What is the danger of vasomotor rhinitis?
A frivolous attitude to the common cold during the period of bearing the baby can end badly. Symptoms and treatment of vasomotor rhinitis in pregnant women have their own characteristics. The disease can negatively affect a woman’s blood pressure. Often, it rises sharply, which poses a threat to the life and health of both the expectant mother and her child.
During a runny nose, air intake into a woman's body decreases. She herself and the fetus may begin hypoxia. Due to oxygen starvation, the expectant mother in some cases has problems with the heart or with the blood supply to the brain. Mouth breathing, which inevitably occurs when vasomotor rhinitis is started, leads to an additional risk of infection. If you do not treat a runny nose, then a woman may experience headaches, she will feel weakness and lethargy.
Causes
The disease occurs at any period of gestation, but more often in the second half of pregnancy. During this period, the woman’s body is particularly sensitive to external stimuli. The reasons, methods of treatment and symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis in pregnant women should be discussed by the expectant mother with her doctor.
Factors that can lead to a runny nose during the period of bearing a child:
- vegetovascular dystonia ;
- weather dependence;
- diseases that reduce vascular tone;
- allergic reaction;
- abuse of nasal drops, narrowing the vessels in the nose;
- external irritants - cigarette smoke, icy air and the like;
- structural features of the nose;
- adverse environmental conditions in the city where the pregnant woman lives;
- adenoids, polyps.
The appearance of vasomotor rhinitis may be associated with infectious diseases of the nasopharynx. Another cause of the common cold is an exacerbation of chronic ailments, such as sinusitis. At the first symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis, a woman should go to the hospital.
Symptoms
Rhinitis during pregnancy is an unpleasant phenomenon. A woman needs to learn to recognize his symptoms in order to make an appointment with the doctor as soon as possible. If the runny nose is not already running, then the treatment of the disease will be faster.
Symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis during pregnancy:
- discomfort in the nose;
- the nostrils are laid alternately;
- headaches;
- runny nose
- swelling of the face;
- lacrimation
- general weakness.
Pregnant women with vasomotor rhinitis get tired faster, feel lethargic and exhausted. In some cases, the expectant mother may have a mild cough, sneezing, a slight sensation of discomfort in the throat. But with a common cold, the temperature in a woman does not increase. If a pregnant woman has hyperthermia or severe sore throat, then this is not vasomotor rhinitis. The patient urgently needs to call an ambulance, this condition threatens the life of both the expectant mother and her baby.
Diagnostics
If a pregnant woman develops symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis, she should consult an otolaryngologist. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose and prescribe the necessary therapy. Symptoms and treatment of vasomotor rhinitis in adults have their own characteristics.
First, the doctor will interview the pregnant woman, and then proceed to the study of the nasal cavity. This procedure is called rhinoscopy. The doctor introduces special small mirrors into the nose of the pregnant woman. With their help, the otolaryngologist will be able to see changes in the condition of the mucous membrane, curvature of the nasal septum or the presence of polyps.
If necessary, the doctor checks the patency of the nostrils. This procedure is called rhinomanometry, it can only be performed by a doctor. In the process, the doctor will measure the nasal pressure and pay attention to the features of inhaling and exhaling air.
Treatment
Sometimes vasomotor rhinitis passes independently after childbirth, but you should not really hope for it. A future mother should not live without the ability to breathe normally in the happiest period of her life. Therefore, for the treatment of vasomotor rhinitis, a woman should contact the clinic. The doctor will prescribe drugs that will not harm the health of the unborn baby.
How is vasomotor rhinitis treated in pregnant women? Doctors recommend adult women to use nasal drops, which will narrow the dilated vessels due to the common cold. But during pregnancy, using such drugs is categorically impossible. This is due to the fact that the drops narrow the blood vessels not only in the nose, the blood supply to the placenta will also be disturbed. Therefore, doctors prescribe to pregnant women only some drugs for children.
Otolaryngologists recommend women in position to rinse their nose with sea water and various saline solutions. Beneficial effect on rhinitis inhalation with mineral water. The doctor may recommend special breathing exercises and massages for treatment.
Folk remedies
It is undesirable to self-medicate with vasomotor rhinitis, but sometimes a pregnant woman does not have the opportunity to go to the clinic. This can happen, for example, during a vacation in a remote village. In this case, the expectant mother needs to start the alternative treatment of vasomotor rhinitis.
Herbalists recommend making a decoction of 4 tablespoons of hawthorn and 1 liter of boiling water. The liquid is cooled, insisted and drunk 150 ml 3 times a day. A collection of the following herbs has a good healing effect: hawthorn, chamomile, cinnamon, motherwort. Water is poured into a pan and boiled. After, in 500 ml of liquid, the herbal collection is poured. The broth is taken in half a glass 3 times a day.
Healers recommend rinsing with nose vasomotor rhinitis using a solution of water and sea salt. The tool cleanses the nose of mucus and eliminates congestion. Another effective remedy for traditional medicine is a weak honey solution. It increases the protective properties of the body and strengthens the immune system.
The effect of vasomotor rhinitis on the developing fetus
Living with a persistent runny nose during pregnancy is very difficult. During the bearing of a baby, a woman is already faced with a lot of inconvenience, shortness of breath will only aggravate the situation. The expectant mother experiences headaches, drowsiness, chronic fatigue. But the disease brings inconvenience only to the woman, for the baby it does not pose a serious danger. However, this does not mean that vasomotor rhinitis in a pregnant woman can be left untreated, the ailment requires constant medical supervision.
Recovery from illness
Lack of normal nasal breathing makes life very difficult for a woman. How to cure vasomotor rhinitis? You can use both folk methods and the recommendations of a doctor. After starting treatment, nasal breathing in a pregnant woman is soon restored. The expectant mother is recovering, her performance is improving. Recovery from illness in most women is fast enough.
Prevention
The body of a woman is able to overcome vasomotor rhinitis of pregnant women. But if treatment with alternative methods has failed, then you need to urgently sign up to the doctor. A pregnant woman is better off trying to avoid the disease than fighting it later.
Expectant mother needs to spend as much time as possible in the fresh air. You can go for walks in the forest or in the park. Especially useful for health walks in coniferous forest. At home, a pregnant woman should conduct daily ventilation, even in the cold season. For a woman in an interesting position, fresh, well-moistened air is useful.
Pregnant should avoid external irritants, especially tobacco smoke. It is dangerous for both the future mother and her baby. Tobacco smoke affects the blood vessels, which leads not only to rhinitis. Of particular danger is the hypoxia that cigarettes cause. Constant oxygen starvation can adversely affect the development of the child.
To prevent vasomotor rhinitis, a pregnant woman may ask the doctor to prescribe her vitamin-mineral complexes that strengthen the immune system. For the same purpose, the expectant mother should eat more seasonal vegetables and fruits. While waiting for the baby, a woman should carefully monitor the drinking regimen, this will help prevent the occurrence of vasomotor rhinitis.
Gynecologist's advice
Throughout pregnancy, a woman should follow the daily routine. It is important for the child that the expectant mother should eat right and drink enough water. Prefabricated foods and quick pregnant foods should be excluded from your diet.
If symptoms of vasomotor rhinitis occur, a woman should immediately seek medical help. A runny nose should not be allowed to drift or self-medicate, this can complicate the course of pregnancy.
For the prevention of vasomotor rhinitis, it is advisable for a woman to begin to become tempered even before the baby is planned. This will strengthen the vessels and improve their work. After a consultation with a gynecologist, a pregnant woman can perform feasible physical exercises, which will also favorably affect her well-being.