What is Nasal Congestion?
Nasal congestion or internal nasal passage congestion refers to an obstruction of the nasal respiratory airflow in the nasal cavity (the part of the nasal passage just behind the nose and above the roof of the mouth, extending to the throat area). The internal congestion is usually caused by an upper respiratory infection (cold, flu, etc.), or by an allergy, or by other disorders such as asthma, which all cause an inflammation of the blood vessels in the mucous membrane lining the surfaces of the nasal cavity.
Another cause of the internal nasal congestion is enlarged or swollen nasal turbinates (nasal turbinates or conchae -- normally three of them in each passage: the upper, the middle, and the lower one -- are long, narrow and curled bony structures which protrude into the nasal cavity and extend its entire length, and are covered by mucous membrane).
Still another cause is the presence of polyps (benign, painless growths in the mucous membrane lining of the nasal cavity).
On the other hand, an anterior nasal passage obstruction is usually "mechanical" in nature and commonly results from deviated septum, cartilage dysfunction (collapse), scar tissues, narrow passages, and so on.
While obstructions in the front area of the nasal passages may satisfactorily be relieved by the Nasal Valve Support™, the internal congestion of the nasal passages should be eliminated or reduced by the help of your medical doctor through medication or other procedures.
If you are internally congested and as a result air does not flow at all, or flows very little through your nasal passages, then no improvement of airflow will be noticed no matter how much you dilate your nostrils (that is, pull the side wall away from the middle wall of your nose). Thus, before trying to do the simple test in step 1 of ordering a free trial of the Nasal Valve Support™, please try to eliminate the internal nasal congestion or at least considerably reduce it. Sometimes by simply waiting a few hours, or a few days, internal congestion due to cold, flu, and allergies considerably subside. Other times, the only way to get relief is to discuss your situation with your medical doctor and ask her/him to assist you in eliminating or reducing your internal congestion.