How to blow your nose

This is the 3189th article of Da Yi Xiao Hu

Everyone must be curious, why are we talking about blowing your nose this time? Isn't it just wiping your nose when it's runny? What's so great about it? You may not know that there is a lot of knowledge involved.

Allergies are more common during the transition from spring to summer, and the weather changes greatly, which makes it easier to catch a cold or have rhinitis. Sneezing, runny nose, and tears are common, and blowing your nose becomes a daily routine.

Blowing your nose may seem like a simple action, but this seemingly simple action may cause other problems if you don't do it properly.

Let's first talk about the adverse reactions caused by improper nose blowing. Our nose, eyes, throat, and ears are all connected internally. Improper nose blowing will flush the mucus to other places such as the ear canal, eyes, or throat. It will cause adverse effects on the eyes, ears, nose, throat and other related parts.

01

Nose bleeding (epistaxis)

Some people blow their noses very hard, as if they want to empty all the mucus. But do you know that the force of blowing your nose is very strong, reaching 200 mmHg, and the nasal cavity is rich in capillaries. If you blow too hard, the pressure may rupture the blood vessels and cause nosebleeds.

02

Eustachian tube damage

Many people have experienced this: their ears buzz after blowing their noses, and sometimes even feel pain. This is because excessive air pressure passes through the Eustachian tube connecting the nasopharynx and the middle ear cavity, affecting the pressure inside the ear.

03

Otitis media, sinusitis

Some people often pinch both sides of their nostrils with their hands and blow their noses hard. Our nasal cavity is connected to the middle ear through the Eustachian tube. When blowing your nose, if you pinch both nostrils and blow your nose hard, the snot cannot flow out of the front nostrils, but flows back into the sinuses or into the middle ear cavity through the Eustachian tube. The snot contains a large number of bacteria and viruses, which enter the Eustachian tube and the middle ear cavity, and in severe cases can cause otitis media or sinusitis.

04

Tympanic membrane perforation, deafness

As mentioned above, strong air pressure will affect the pressure in the ear after blowing your nose hard, causing tinnitus. If this situation continues for several days and is not treated in time, it may cause eardrum perforation and permanent deafness.

05

Eye inflammation

The nose and eyes are connected by the nasolacrimal duct. If you blow your nose improperly, the mucus will be squeezed into the tear duct and cause conjunctival infection, resulting in eye pain.

Having said so much about the problems that may occur when blowing your nose incorrectly, what is the correct way to blow your nose? How can we avoid the above problems?

First, do not blow your nose too hard. Secondly, you should blow your nose with your upper body leaning forward. Since the opening of the maxillary sinus is high, it is not conducive to drainage. Therefore, leaning forward slightly is conducive to the discharge of secretions accumulated in the maxillary sinus. As mentioned earlier, improper nose blowing can cause nasal mucus to flow back into the paranasal sinus and cause sinusitis. The maxillary sinus has a high opening, so leaning forward will prevent mucus from flowing into the maxillary sinus.

Also, you should blow your nose on one side first. If you blow your nose on both sides at the same time, it will easily increase the air pressure in the nasal cavity and increase the burden on the ears. Therefore, press one nostril with your fingers first, blow it out with a little force, and the snot in the opposite nostril will be blown out. After blowing one side, blow the other side.

If the secretions in the nasal cavity are thick and difficult to blow out, you can spray a small dose of saline into the nasal cavity to dilute the mucus, and gently blow your nose as mentioned above, which will help prevent nosebleeds.

At the same time, we should also do a good job of "respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette". Don't blow your nose on the ground, it will cause the risk of spreading bacteria and bring diseases to people around you. You can wipe it with a tissue or handkerchief. Used napkins should not be thrown anywhere, but should be thrown into the trash can.

If your nasal congestion is severe, do not try to relieve it by blowing your nose vigorously. You should see a specialist for the best treatment.

Author: Shanghai Xuhui District Central Hospital

Li Jun, deputy chief physician of respiratory department