Biology Fun Fact

Why Does Our Nose Run?

Natchya Tiwari

Some of the important causes of our nose running are: Crying, Eating, Cold Air and Having Cold. Let us discuss each one of these one by one.  

When we cry, tears drain out of our tear ducts. These ducts are located under the lids of our eyes. The tears pass into our nasal cavity. They drip down the inside of our nose, mixing with mucus and any other substances in our nose like allergens or blood, and out through the openings of our nostrils.

Gustatory rhinitis means having a runny nose while eating. It is a type of non-allergic rhinitis. It is most commonly triggered by spicy food. It causes our body to produce extra mucus. This happens when food stimulates receptors in our nose found on glands associated with mucus production. Extra mucus then drips out of our nose.

Cold air holds less moisture than warm air. So when we breathe it in, it can quickly dry out our airways and expose us to more irritants. This stimulates our nasal tissues to create more mucus and fluid to keep our nose moist and protect our airways. Excess mucus and fluid then drain out of our nose.

When a cold virus enters our body, the body produces a substance called histamine. It is a compound that results in protective inflammation. It also causes more mucus production in our nose.