MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Runny and stuffy nose

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Runny and stuffy nose

A runny or stuffy nose can be due to colds, allergies, sinus infections or the flu. When there is an excess of mucus secretions the nose is runny. The additional secretions drain from the front of the nose, or down the back (post-nasal drip). The sensation of a stuffy nose occurs when the membranes that line the nose become swollen from inflamed blood vessels.

Update Date: 5/3/2006

Updated by: Kevin Fung, MD, FRCS(C), Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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