Is My Stuffy Nose COVID-19? What You Need To Know

A stuffy nose, or nasal congestion, may be an early COVID-19 symptom. Allergies, colds, sinusitis, and the flu may also cause a stuffy nose.

Allergies typically cause nasal congestion if you come into contact with an allergen. Cold symptoms are milder than COVID and the flu. Sinusitis, in contrast, can cause facial pain or pressure. The only way to tell if COVID is the cause of your stuffy nose is to take a test.

Is a Stuffy Nose a COVID-19 Symptom?

A stuffy nose may be an early COVID symptom. One study followed nose-related symptoms among 517 people with COVID. The researchers found that nasal congestion began as early as two weeks before an official diagnosis.

Research has found that nasal congestion might be low among the most common COVID symptoms. One review, which included 14 studies, noted that as many as 4.8% of 2,971 people with COVID had nasal congestion.

This percentage is much lower than those for other COVID symptoms like:

• Cough
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Muscle pain

A stuffy nose may be more common among certain people than others. Some evidence suggests that children and people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often report a stuffy nose with COVID.

What Causes a Stuffy Nose? 

A stuffy nose happens if the tissue lining your nostrils swells. Illnesses and infections like allergies, colds, COVID, and the flu may cause a stuffy nose.

Viruses cause colds, COVID, and the flu. These viruses increase inflammation in the body, including in your nose and throat. Inflamed blood vessels in your nostrils cause swelling that often results in a stuffy nose. Typically, symptoms from the common cold are milder than the symptoms of influenza or SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes a COVID infection).

Allergies are an immune response to allergens, or harmless substances like animal dander, dust, and pollen. Your immune system releases chemicals called histamines in response to these allergens. Other chemicals called leukotrienes and prostaglandins target the blood vessels in your nostrils, which causes a stuffy nose.

How To Tell the Difference

A stuffy nose may indicate several illnesses, such as allergies, colds, and the flu. It can be difficult to tell whether you have COVID or another illness. Getting tested is the only way to know if your stuffy nose is a sign of COVID.

There are some ways to distinguish between allergies, colds, COVID, and the flu. Cold symptoms are usually milder than COVID and the flu. A fever and muscle aches, for example, are more common with COVID or the flu than colds.

COVID symptoms appear, on average, five days after infection. Flu symptoms appear suddenly within one to four days of infection. Allergies—unlike colds, COVID, and the flu—are not contagious. Allergy symptoms usually subside when you get rid of the allergen.

Treatments

You can try a few different methods to relieve sinus pressure from a stuffy nose if your symptoms are mild, such as:

• Apply a warm compress to your face.
• Breathe in steam two to four times daily.
• Keep your head elevated.
• Try a nasal wash or saline spray to flush mucus from your nose.
• Try over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, such as antihistamines and decongestants. Talk to a healthcare provider about how often to take these medicines.
• Use a humidifier to keep the air moist.
• Wear adhesive strips, which widen your nostrils to help you breathe.

When To Consult a Healthcare Provider

A stuffy nose usually resolves on its own within one week with mild cases of colds, COVID, and the flu. You can reduce allergy symptoms by eliminating the allergen. 

Reach out to a healthcare provider if your stuffy nose lasts longer than three weeks or comes with symptoms like:

• Blurry vision
• A cough that lasts 10 days or longer
  
• Coughing up gray or yellowish-green mucus
• Fever over 104 degrees Fahrenheit
• Nasal discharge after a head injury or with a fever
• Nasal discharge that comes out of one nostril, is a color other than white or yellow, or smells bad
• Severe headache that does not respond to OTC medication
• Swelling of your eyes, cheeks, forehead, or sides of your nose
• Throat pain
• White or yellow spots on the inside of your throat or tonsils

A Quick Review 

A stuffy nose, or nasal congestion, may be a sign of allergies, colds, COVID, and the flu. The only way to know you have a stuffy nose due to COVID is to get tested for the virus.

You can treat a stuffy nose by breathing in steam, trying a nasal wash, or using a humidifier, regardless of the cause. Talk to a healthcare provider about trying OTC antihistamines and decongestants to relieve nasal congestion. Seek medical attention right away if severe symptoms like trouble breathing accompany your stuffy nose.

The information in this story is accurate as of publication. However, as the situation surrounding COVID-19 continues to evolve, it's possible that some data have changed since publication. While Health is trying to keep our stories as up-to-date as possible, we also encourage readers to stay informed on news and recommendations for their own communities by using the CDC, WHO, and their local public health department as resources.