HealthJuly 12, 2022July 11, 2022

ENT Specialist In Singapore: 5 Possible Causes Of A Runny Nose

Perhaps, the most annoying things that happen to people at least once a week are sneezing relentlessly and having snot dripping from their nostrils. At a young age, people learn how to clear a blocked nose— grabbing a napkin and blowing the mucus out.

However, blowing your nose has adverse effects, such as bleeding. After all, blowing your nose would only provide temporary relief to your stuffy and runny nose.

But the good question is; why do we produce snot anyway? Find out the answers here.

Nasal Discharge: S’not Bad At All

The body creates and secretes tons of bodily fluids, from sweat and urine to tears and saliva. It is not surprising, especially that more than 60% of the body is made up of water.

But one of the most annoying bodily fluids we produce is mucus, also known as nasal discharge or snot. But did you know your ENT specialist in Singapore thinks that nasal discharge does wonderful things in the body?

What is snot?

Snot is a slimy secretion the body produces. Snot has several huge responsibilities in the body:

● Lubricate the nose and sinuses

Breathing with a dry nose feels like inhaling air with fine dust. It feels rough and uncomfortable. Much worse, it could scratch mucous membrane lining in the sinuses and cause bleeding. It could easily lead to inflammation of the sinuses.

People feel their noses are stuffy when they have a dry mucous membrane lining.

The lack of nasal lubrication can also cause dry mouth. Consult your sleep specialist in Singapore since sleep apnea can also cause dry mouth.

● Trap germs

The next question is, why is it vital to keep your nose moist? Apart from producing a natural lubricant, the reason why your mucous membrane lining secretes mucus is that the mucus traps germs.

As people breathe air through the nose, germs and debris stick to the gluey mucus along the sinus lining, preventing them from reaching the lungs. The cilia, or the tiny hair in the nose, then push the germs and debris out of the nose.

● Fight infection

But the job of the mucus does not end by trapping germs alone. They fight and kill them, too, making them very useful for your ear, nose, and throat specialist in Singapore.

Besides the proteins and sugars that make your snot gooey, your mucus is packed with antibodies and lysozyme. The antibodies and lysozyme alert the immune system about the germ presence and help kill them.

What Does Your Snot Tell About You?

Did you know that your snot can tell you something about your health condition?

First, what does the normal mucus look like? Healthy mucus is clear and watery, almost identical to your saliva. You can determine if something is wrong with your body through its colour.

White and cloudy snot – you may have a cold.

Yellow to green snot – you may have a respiratory infection.

Brown to reddish-orange snot – you may have inflamed sinuses due to a dry nose. It can also be remnants of a nose bleed.

But remember, analysing the colour of your snot is not enough and sometimes can be unreliable. It is advisable to consult yourENT specialist in Singapore if you are not feeling well.

Now that we know that nasal discharge is not that bad at all and oftentimes very helpful in keeping us healthy, the question is, when do they become too bothersome?

5 Possible Causes Of A Runny Nose

Viral Infections

Several kinds of viruses cause flu, whilst cold comes from rhinoviruses. Nevertheless, these viruses attack the issues of your sinuses. It needs medical attention from an ENT specialist in Singapore.

As an immune response, the body produces more mucus to trap the viruses and expel them out of the body through sneezing and coughing. Viral infections are contagious and can be contracted through respiratory fluids, also known as your snot.

The mucus is packed with antibodies, white blood cells, and immune enzymes that fight viruses. When the white blood cells die, they become visible yellow. Green snot means a higher concentration of dead white blood cells.

Basically, a snot from a viral infection is pus. Consult your ear, nose, and throat specialist in Singapore if you suspect a viral infection.

Allergies

Allergies are caused by allergens, such as dust, pollen, and pet dander. Although they cause no harm, unlike viruses, the immune system responds to them by producing more mucus and expelling them out of the body.

Since the white blood cells in the snot don’t technically fight any viruses (since allergens are not pathogens), they don’t die, hence the clear and watery mucus during an allergic rhinitis attack.

The person with allergies experiences relentless sneezing and profuse nasal discharge. They might as well learn how to clear a blocked nose, as well.

Cold weather

A cold environment, such as snowy outdoors or an airconditioned room, has dry, cold air. Dry air irritates the nose linings; therefore, our body excretes more mucus to lubricate the sinuses.

Your ENT specialist in Singapore may suggest using a saline nasal spray to lubricate your sinuses.

Crying

Your snot often drips alongside your tears when you sob. It is because the excess tears mix with your snot!

The tear ducts, located in the inner corners of our eyelids, cannot secrete as many tears, so the excess tears run down to the nasolacrimal ducts connected to the nose and mix up with your snot.

There is no need to call an ENT specialist in Singapore for this.

Eating spicy food

When you eat something spicy, our knee-jerk reaction is to drink water. It is the same with your body. The body thinks that secreting more mucus in the nose, mouth, and stomach can combat capsaicin, a spicy plant compound found in chilli.

Conclusion

Gross or not, your snot protects your body from threats of viruses, allergens, and even spicy buffalo wings.

The next time you have a runny nose, observe yourself. Are you in a cold place? Are you experiencing fatigue and headache apart from a runny nose? Maybe you need to visit an ENT specialist in Singapore.