Brief Answer:
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Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX

Without being able to examine you (particularly your nasal mucosa, throat, and ears), my best guess is that your symptoms are from sinus tissue reaction to an allergen or irritant.

If the sinuses become inflamed, this can cause feelings of stuffiness, pressure and sometimes light headedness. Drainage from the sinuses (which you may not even notice) can run down the throat and back up into the eustachian tubes (which connects the throat with the ears) which can cause ear popping and feeling like there is fluid in the ears, sometimes even muffling the hearing.

I am wondering if there might be something in the air outside or your home environment - either an allergen or irritant such as smoke, etc.

You wrote that you are using a nasal spray for allergies. If this is a steroid nasal spray (Flonase for example) then that is a good idea. It can take about a week for it to kick in. Intranasal corticosteroids decrease the swelling and stabilize the mucus membranes, making them less reactive. If you have been on it for awhile without benefit, you may want to talk with your doctor about doubling the dose. Some people need a double dose to have an adequate effect.

As your symptoms are in the morning only, think about what might be going on in your environment overnight. Would it help to have the windows closed? Do you have an air conditioner running that may be spewing mold spores? Is your bedding washed with laundry products that have scent? Laundry dryer sheets (to decrease static) are especially irritating. Do you have a pet? - Perhaps keep them out of the bedroom.

If this stuffiness is recent, and you are not on any blood pressure meds nor have high blood pressure or prostate problems, you can take a decongestant such as pseudoephedrine. You can take this alone, or in combination with an antihistamine, such as Claritin-D, Allegra-D, or Zyrtec-D. All of these are sold over-the-counter but require you to ask for them (not kept on the regular shelves) because there is abuse potential (people cook pseudoephedrine into meth).

While I think most likely the problem is from sinus reaction/inflammation, light headedness can be from other things too, such as low blood pressure, etc. So if it doesn't get better, please do go in to see your doctor.

I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.

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