The turbinates also go through a process which is known as the nasal cycle. This cycle is where one turbinate increases in size whilst the other decreases and then they swap over. This accounts for why people notice that they have a blocked nose on one side which then swaps to the other side.
The underlying mechanism has to do with an asymmetry in blood flow between the nasal cavities. Blood vessels can swell and change the airflow in one nostril in comparison with the other. This cycle is controlled by your autonomic nervous system (ANS) and lasts around 2 hours per cycle.
In many cases, breathing out of one nostril is harmless. It often occurs due to the nasal cycle. This term refers to the spontaneous congestion and decongestion in the nostrils. As the airflow is not always equal in both nostrils, a person may feel that they breathe in through one nostril more so than the other.
Anything that irritates the inside of the nose can cause a stuffy nose. Infections — such as colds, flu or sinusitis — and allergies often cause stuffy and runny noses. Irritants in the air, such as tobacco smoke, perfume, dust and car exhaust, also can cause these symptoms.
It is quite common for people to complain of having a blocked nose on one side. If this is caused by an infection or allergies, then it is quite common for the blocked nostril to switch sides. If caused by a deviated septum or obstruction, then the same nostril will always be affected.
When we have a cold, the blood vessels in the nose dilate as part of the body's immune response, and the nose also produces more mucus. Both of these changes cause congestion, but you'll feel more blocked in the nostril that's currently 'off duty'. The nostril with the full airflow might feel fine.
Blowing the nose can worsen the feeling of congestion due to pressure build-up within the nostrils, which may shoot up the mucus into the sinuses instead of ejection through the nose.
When you've got a blocked nose, try sleeping on your back with your head elevated so gravity can then help to drain away congestion. Sleeping on your side can also help keep your airways open, so you can breathe more easily. If acid reflux is causing your blocked nose, sleeping on your left side is best.
Breathing Exercise to Clear a Blocked Nose
Sit in a vertical position and take a few calm breaths. Breathe in through your nose for two seconds and then out through your nose for three seconds. If your nose is too badly blocked to breathe through then you can take small breaths from the corner of your mouth instead.
Deviated septum self-test
Use a finger to hold one of your nostrils closed. Breathe in, paying attention to how the air flows in and out of the open nostril. Is breathing through that nostril easy or does it seem like the airflow is blocked? Hold down your other nostril and repeat the breathing exercise.
Fiber-optic nasal endoscopy is a diagnostic exam that provides a detailed view of the nasal passages. Doctors use endoscopy to determine the position of the septum and confirm whether any other structural damage or abnormalities contribute to obstructed breathing.
Blowing your nose can clog your sinuses with germ-laden mucus. You'll feel better faster if you let your body flush out the virus naturally.
According to Dr. Leann Poston of Invigor Medical, “Elevating your head before bed can increase drainage and decrease congestion.” That's why the best position to sleep with a stuffy nose is on your back with different types of pillows elevating your head and neck.
Balloon sinuplasty allows the surgeon to dilate a blocked sinus, creating open space, which allows the sinus to drain normally. The surgeon uses a flexible endoscope with a light to guide the insertion of a thin wire. The wire is then moved through the nasal passages toward the opening of the blocked sinus.
Nasal congestion can worsen when you lie down. Lying down increases the blood flow to your head. The excess blood flow can cause the blood vessels in your nasal passage to swell. When the blood vessels in your nose become inflamed, your nose feels stuffy.
It's impossible for a deviated septum to heal on its own. However, treatment for a deviated septum varies depending on the circumstances and severity of it.
If one nostril is harder to breathe through than the other, you probably have a deviated septum. Deviated septa have the potential to cause a variety of problems, including a blocked nasal passage, snoring and/or trouble sleeping, mouth breathing, nosebleeds, or recurring sinus infections.
The deviation may be from a difficult birth or connective tissue disease. It may also be a result of normal development. As the nose grows, the septum also grows and can sometimes grow towards one side. This is typically the most common reason to have a deviated septum.
Deviated septums can actually switch from blocking one nasal passage to blocking the other one and it may even do so with regularity; this is referred to as the nasal cycle. Patients often become aware of this nasal cycle because they can tell which side it is more difficult to breath through.