If you feel your nose is blocked or runny, the natural response is to grab a tissue or handkerchief and blow it vigorously. But do you blow your nose correctly? Did you know that when you try to blow, you actually do more harm than good? Could even make your cold worse?
The importance of blowing your nose Residual mucus causes coughing and throat irritation
The three most common causes of extra mucus or snot are a common cold, sinusitis (an infection or inflammation of the sinuses that fills the space inside the bones of the face with air), and hay fever. Each of these conditions can lead to swelling of the mucous membranes inside the nose and the production of extra mucus. Swelling and excess mucus can lead to nasal congestion, so narrow passages cause us to exhale extra hard in an attempt to blow our nose to clear the mucus and reduce the feeling of blockage. This hated mucus is actually used to clear out infections, irritants or allergens.
A runny nose occurs most of the time with hay fever and in the early stages of a cold, so blowing your nose can prevent mucus buildup and an awkward row of mucus. In the later stages of a cold or sinusitis, the mucus in the nose becomes thicker, stickier and harder to clear.
Anyone who has taught a child how to blow their nose knows that it is a "sad" process. Children who want to blow their nose, especially infants or toddlers, have not yet mastered the "mechanics" of coordinated nose blowing and will often repeatedly suck it back or simply let it go. Leaving the mucus alone, however, can actually lead to a vicious cycle of irritation that can prolong the runny nose for weeks or more.
The root of all this trouble may be that residual mucus is a good place for bacteria to grow; Or maybe it's because the cilia are tired, which normally move irritants, inhaled foreign matter, and bacteria "behind" the mucus to clear the nasal passages. Sticky, residual mucus is more likely to be transported to the throat, causing throat irritation and possibly a cough. It is also the most common cause of prolonged coughing after a viral infection or hay fever, often referred to as a postnasal drip cough. Accordingly, it makes sense for people to blow their noses to get rid of unnecessary mucus.
Blowing too hard can cause structural damage
But while extremely rare, there are examples in the medical literature of people blowing their noses with enough pressure to cause serious injury. In most of these cases, people had chronic sinusitis or structural damage from blowing their nose too hard. These injuries include fractures at the base of the eye socket; Air is forced into the tissue between the two lung lobes; Severe headache caused by air forced into the skull; Even a rupture of the esophagus.
One study looked at the pressure created when people with and without nasal sounds breathed. People with chronic sinusitis have much higher pressures than people without nasal sounds, up to 9,130 pascals (the basic unit of pressure in the International System of Units, or paras). The researchers also found that blowing your nose in both nostrils at the same time produced significantly more pressure than blowing into one.
Another study compared the stress of blowing your nose, sneezing and coughing. The results showed that the pressure generated by blowing your nose was ten times higher than the pressure generated by the other two actions.
Even more worrying, the study also found that after blowing violently from the nose, sticky fluid entered the sinus cavity. Researchers believe this may be a process that causes viral infections and complicates colds because nasal bacteria are "mixed" into the sinuses. But researchers have yet to prove this.
Overall, blowing your nose repeatedly and vigorously poses more risks than benefits, even though it seems like a perfectly normal response to nasal congestion.
The proper way to blow your nose gently blow out one nostril at a time
If you feel any mucus in your nose, it's best to get it out. People should blow gently or clear one nostril at a time. Using proper methods can reduce the need for blowing and can also make it easier to clean the nose. 'If you are constantly blowing your nose, it could be that you have a symptom, such as hay fever or sinusitis, which should be taken seriously and treated comprehensively.' Previous articles have suggested that we sneeze because of dust, pollen or bacteria because we want to get rid of something 'unwanted' in our nasal passages.
According to respiratory physiologists at King's College London, as a result of this irritation, air is quickly pushed out of the nose and mouth, taking with it substances that irritate our nerves and make us feel uncomfortable. The brain stem is an incredibly complex neural computer, and some of the responses that you think are inappropriate are actually just small slips between systems.
Tips for Blowing your nose Take medication to reduce congestion and mucus
If you want to avoid blowing too hard, what are some better ways to blow your nose? People can seek outside help, such as decongestants or antihistamines, which are available at pharmacies to reduce nasal congestion and reduce the amount of mucus. Decongestants contain ingredients such as hydroxymethazoline and phenylephrine, often in pill or aerosol form. Their job is to shrink dilated blood vessels in the nasal mucosa and reduce the amount of mucus produced.
Saline nasal spray can treat acute and chronic sinusitis to some extent, and can reduce the need for medication.
It generally works by increasing the "working efficiency" of the nasal cilia and diluting thick, thick mucus.
Another method, called sinus suction, uses special medical equipment to spray saline into the nose and flush out the mucus and debris.
One study found that this approach reduced the risk of acute otitis media and sinusitis.
