A stuffed nose can be the result of swelling of the nasal mucosa, secretion in the nose, polyps or other outgrowths, rarely foreign bodies or other conditions (for instance, in case of diseases of the nerve fibres of the nasal mucosa, the nose may feel stuffed although the breathing space is sufficient).
Stuffing (obstruction) may exist in the nose, but also in the nasal part of the pharynx, so that during examination not only the nose, but also the nasal part of the throat has to be examined.
In this case also the ear has to be examined, as the function of the nose canal so affect the middle ear.
Further, the examination includes the oral cavity and oral and lower part of the throat. In this way it is possible to detect a suspect laryngo-pharyngeal reflux, which canal so cause changes of the nasal mucosa.
Endoscopic examination may also be necessary.