A stuffy, runny nose is a common problem and can occur for many reasons. To elucidate the cause, a real interrogation in front of the doctor is needed.
A runny nose can be a symptom associated with the flu or a cold, but there are many other situations in which this runny nose can occur.
Any factor that irritates the mucous membranes that line the nasal cavity can generate a nasal secretion.
The nose produces clear mucus which, due to stagnation or superinfection with various microorganisms, changes color, becoming yellow or green, or red when the inflammation is accompanied by capillary bleeding, writes doc.ro.
The most common cold symptoms
- runny nose;
- embarrassing throat;
- sneeze;
- low fever.
Why do our noses run?
- environmental irritations;
- non-allergic rhinitis;
- low temperatures;
- Flu;
- sinusitis;
- cold.
Invited in the column Health advice with Andreea Cigolea, doctor Bogdan Popescu talked about the reasons why the nose runs even if we don’t have a cold.
“When the nose runs, it runs for many reasons. Apart from the common cold, there are some situations, such as allergies.
The patient must do some allergy challenge tests, because this is the only way we can highlight the fact that he is allergic. In addition, patients who smoke have chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa. They may have rhinorrhea.
The city is a polluted environment, so we all have runny noses almost all the time. At the same time, the temperature variation can lead to inflammation of the nose. Therefore, when the nose is inflamed, it runs,” said doctor Bogdan Popescu, on Wednesday, in the column Health advice with Andreea Cigolea from Antena 3 CNN.
“Even in the summer there are different causes that should raise an alarm signal. If the secretion changes color, i.e. it is no longer translucent or whitish, then we have an alarm signal. If the color changes and becomes yellowish, greenish, gray , this means a bacterial superinfection in the absolute majority of cases.
Any runny nose that lasts more than two to three weeks should raise an alarm and send us to the doctor.
Nose hygiene is very important for the quality of life. Second, a healthy nose also ensures healthy lungs, which may seem paradoxical.
The blowing part of the nose is very good because that’s how we eliminate impurities, but it must be done in a certain way, in the sense that the nose must not be blown with both nostrils at once, but in turn. The ideal is not to force when we blow because it increases the pressure in our nose and thus blood can flow from our nose,” the doctor said.
Recommendations when your nose is running
- nasal spray preferably based on sea water;
- decongested – maximum one week;
- antihistamine therapy;
- intranasal corticosteroid ONLY on recommendation; hydration doctor
- humidifier;
- cleaning/blowing the nose every morning/evening.
