Hi there! Have you ever wondered why your nose starts to run when it’s cold outside? Well, you’re not alone! This is a common question, and today we’re going to explore the answer together.
When your nose gets runny in cold weather, it’s called “cold-induced rhinorrhea.” Some people also call it “skier’s nose.” It’s a pretty common thing that happens to a lot of people. In fact, a study from 1991 found that 96% of people at a ski resort had experienced it. That’s a lot of runny noses!
Your nose is like a superhero for your lungs. It creates mucus, which is a kind of fluid that helps protect your lungs from cold air. When you breathe in, the mucus warms up the air to match your body temperature. This helps keep your lungs safe and happy.
Every day, your nose makes almost a liter of mucus. That’s a lot! But in cold or dry weather, the mucus can dry out faster. To keep up, your nose makes even more mucus. It does this by increasing the blood flow to your nose, which helps produce more of that protective mucus.
Not exactly! Some of the wetness you feel isn’t just mucus. When you breathe out in the cold, the warm air from your body meets the cold air outside. This causes water vapor to form on your nose, adding to the runny feeling.
Good news! There are ways to help reduce a runny nose in the cold. A study found that using a nasal spray with atropine sulfate in saline helped 92% of people feel better. Another simple trick is to wear a scarf over your nose. This warms up the air you breathe in, which can help keep your nose from running too much.
So next time you’re out in the cold and your nose starts to run, you’ll know exactly why it’s happening and what you can do about it!
Thanks for learning with us today! If you have any other big questions, feel free to ask. See you next time!
Use household materials like gelatin, water, and food coloring to create a model of mucus. This will help you understand its texture and role in protecting your lungs. Discuss how mucus changes in different temperatures and why it increases in cold weather.
Conduct a simple experiment by breathing onto a cold mirror or glass. Observe the condensation that forms and relate it to how your breath interacts with cold air outside, contributing to a runny nose.
In groups, create a short skit where you act as the nose protecting the lungs. Highlight the process of warming the air and producing mucus. This will help reinforce the concept of the nose’s protective role.
Using craft materials, design a scarf that could help reduce a runny nose in cold weather. Present your design to the class and explain how it works to warm the air you breathe in.
Research how nasal sprays like atropine sulfate work to reduce cold-induced rhinorrhea. Create a presentation to share your findings with the class, discussing the effectiveness and any potential side effects.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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Hi, I’m Craig, and this is Mental Floss on YouTube. Today, I’m going to answer Jacob White’s big question: Why does my nose get runny when I’m cold?
This phenomenon actually has a fancy name: cold-induced rhinorrhea. It also has a less fancy name: skier’s nose. Let’s get started!
Cold-induced rhinorrhea is a very common phenomenon. Some people even experience sneezing and itching in addition to a runny nose. A 1991 study that examined medical patients at a ski resort clinic found that 96% of patients had experienced this condition. I’m experiencing it a little right now. However, I should note that in this study, the percentage might be a little higher than average because exercise also causes rhinorrhea.
Rhinorrhea, by the way, is a medical term for a runny nose, but we should all say rhinorrhea from now on because it’s amusing! Anyway, it turns out that nasal mucus has an important job: it protects sensitive areas of your body, like lung tissue. When you inhale air, the mucus warms that air up to your body temperature, which helps protect your lungs from the cold.
Every day, your nose creates a little less than a liter of mucus or fluid, and nasal mucus is always coating your nasal cavities. However, it dries out faster in cold or dry climates. The nasal cavity produces extra mucus in those situations because you can never have enough mucus! It manages to do this by increasing blood flow in the nose. The blood flow returns to normal pretty quickly after you enter a warmer place.
You might be relieved to hear that it’s not all just mucus pouring out of your nose; some of the wetness you experience is just water vapor. In cold temperatures, the air that comes out when you exhale is warmer than the air outside, and that breath condenses into fluid on the tip of your nose.
So, is cold-induced rhinorrhea preventable? Well, the study I mentioned earlier found that 92% of rhinorrhea sufferers who took a nasal spray containing atropine sulfate in saline saw an improvement in their symptoms. Alternatively, if you wear a scarf over your nose, you’ll breathe in air that’s a little warmer, which can help reduce the runniness.
Thanks for watching Mental Floss on YouTube! If you have a big question of your own that you’d like answered, leave it below in the comments. I’ll see you next week!
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Nose – The part of the face that contains the nostrils and is used for breathing and smelling. – The nose helps filter dust and germs from the air we breathe.
Mucus – A thick, slippery substance produced by the body to protect and moisturize surfaces, such as inside the nose. – Mucus traps dust and bacteria, preventing them from entering the lungs.
Cold – A common viral infection that affects the nose and throat, often causing sneezing and a runny nose. – When you catch a cold, your body produces more mucus to help fight the virus.
Air – The invisible mixture of gases that we breathe, consisting mainly of oxygen and nitrogen. – Plants release oxygen into the air, which is essential for humans and animals to breathe.
Lungs – The pair of organs in the chest that are responsible for breathing and exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide. – The lungs expand when you inhale, filling with air to provide oxygen to your blood.
Weather – The state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time, including temperature, humidity, and wind. – Cold weather can make it harder for some people to breathe, especially if they have asthma.
Breathe – To take air into the lungs and then expel it, a process necessary for life. – It is important to breathe deeply during exercise to provide your muscles with enough oxygen.
Spray – A liquid that is forced out of a container in tiny drops, often used for medical or cleaning purposes. – A nasal spray can help clear a stuffy nose by delivering medication directly to the nasal passages.
Saline – A solution of salt in water, often used to clean wounds or as a nasal rinse. – Saline solutions can help relieve nasal congestion by thinning mucus and reducing inflammation.
Vapor – A substance in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical point, often visible as a mist or steam. – Inhaling water vapor from a humidifier can soothe irritated airways and help you breathe easier.
