While a fairly mild symptom on its own, a runny nose can quickly become an annoyance. Common frustrations accompanying a runny nose may include irritated or raw-feeling skin around the nose and mouth, needing to blow your nose frequently, poor sense of smell and trouble breathing.
Let’s examine some common causes of a runny nose and what you can do to manage it.
Common Causes for a Runny Nose
There are times when a runny nose occurs for no identifiable reason, but some common causes may include the following:
- Crying. Crying can bring tears from the tear duct to the nasal cavity, allowing them to mix with mucus and cause a runny nose.
- Cold temperatures. When you breathe in cold, dry air, your nose can become irritated. To combat this irritation, your nose overproduces mucus to maintain moisture.
- Spicy food. Spicy food has a chemical called capsaicin that triggers the trigeminal nerve, which recognizes pain and touch sensations. The trigeminal nerve, in turn, causes your nose to run.
- Sinus infection. A sinus infection can irritate the sinuses and cause them to be blocked and filled with fluid, leading to a runny or congested nose.
- Allergies. Similar to a sinus infection, allergies can irritate the sinuses and lead to a runny nose.
A runny nose from an underlying cause can best be managed by treating the root cause. Managing the symptoms is the best approach if there isn’t an identifiable cause for your runny nose.
Managing the Symptoms of a Runny Nose
A couple of methods for managing your runny nose include:
- Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water can help prevent your nose from drying out and help expel excess mucus.
- Nasal irrigation. Use a neti pot filled with a saline solution to help irrigate the sinuses and expel mucus.
- Warm compress. Apply a warm compress to your nose to help promote drainage. You can make a warm compress by microwaving a wet rag until it is warm but not hot.
- Use a humidifier. Although Midwest summers can be extremely humid, your nasal cavity may need a little extra help. Try running a humidifier while you sleep to help moisten the lining of your nose and prevent irritation.
- Drink herbal tea. The heat and steam from an herbal tea can help promote drainage in the nose. Try picking up a mint or ginger tea at Ft. Wayne’s Farmers Market for a soothing runny nose remedy.
Contact Ear, Nose & Throat Associates today for more information on managing your runny nose.