tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/runny-nose-44359/articlesrunny nose – The Conversation2023-06-06T20:14:17Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2061952023-06-06T20:14:17Z2023-06-06T20:14:17ZWhy is my snot green? How deep are my sinuses? Fascinating facts about mucus, noses and sprays<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530238/original/file-20230606-25-anix8s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1206%2C51%2C4264%2C2696&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-suffering-from-her-allergy-6865169/">Pexels/Cottonbro Studio</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Our noses perform important functions every day of our lives, but we often only notice when disease changes how they work. </p>
<p>Our sense of smell works when chemical molecules are sniffed into the nose and make contact with the sense organ called the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/curious-kids-36782">olfactory bulb</a>” in the roof of the nasal cavity. The other main function of noses is to warm and moisten air going to the lungs (air conditioning) and to remove unwanted particles and viruses suspended in the air (filtering). </p>
<p>But what are sinuses? What about the snot colours? What’s that squeaky sound in your ears about? And is there a correct way to position nose spray? (Spoiler: yes and you are probably doing it incorrectly.)</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-has-my-cold-dragged-on-so-long-and-how-do-i-know-when-its-morphed-into-something-more-serious-190429">Why has my cold dragged on so long? And how do I know when it's morphed into something more serious?</a>
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<h2>Anatomy of the nose</h2>
<p>The nasal cavity is much larger inside than it seems from the outside. </p>
<p>Dual cavities extend up and also back from the nostrils, and have multiple bony folds (called turbinates) that create a larger surface area (150 square centimetres) for the nasal cavity to be an effective filter and air conditioner. </p>
<p>Turbinates also create turbulence of the airstream, causing about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221330">80% of suspended particles</a> to be filtered as they hit the skin of the nasal cavity.</p>
<p>The nose has a very rich blood supply just under the skin lining (mucosa) which acts as a heat exchange. This can be dialled up or down quickly by nerves controlling dilation or constriction of blood vessels.</p>
<p>There are a number of cavities with connections via narrow tubes to the nasal cavity. That’s four sets of sinuses (hollows) in the facial bones and the middle ear cavity. </p>
<p>The auditory or Eustachian tubes connect the middle ear cavity to the back of the lower nose, above the tonsils and adenoids. The Eustachian tubes are small and closed at rest. But if pressure is lower or higher in the middle ears than the outside world they “<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-why-do-our-ears-pop-97259">pop</a>” open as air rushes through. You may sometimes hear other sounds like squeaks or crackles as an inflamed tube opens and closes, such as when we swallow. </p>
<p>When the nose is congested, the tubes connecting ears and sinuses can also become blocked, causing pain from pressure build up. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530242/original/file-20230606-27-agnblr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Man's head in profile with anatomy of nose, mouth and throat drawn on top" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530242/original/file-20230606-27-agnblr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530242/original/file-20230606-27-agnblr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=459&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530242/original/file-20230606-27-agnblr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=459&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530242/original/file-20230606-27-agnblr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=459&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530242/original/file-20230606-27-agnblr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=577&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530242/original/file-20230606-27-agnblr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=577&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530242/original/file-20230606-27-agnblr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=577&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">We’re not really sure why we evolved to have sinuses – but they work.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/anatomy-mouth-throat-nose-on-man-1907014297">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>We don’t know why we have sinuses. One evolutionary theory is that they arose so humans could grow a larger face <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18957158/">without adding too much weight</a> to the head and they do help our immune defences, with nitrous oxide produced by lining cells in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nm0495-370">paranasal sinuses</a> that inhibits viral and bacterial growth.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-you-pick-your-nose-youre-jamming-germs-and-contaminants-up-there-too-3-scientists-on-how-to-deal-with-your-boogers-185052">When you pick your nose, you're jamming germs and contaminants up there too. 3 scientists on how to deal with your boogers</a>
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<hr>
<h2>The sticky stuff</h2>
<p>The major passages of the upper respiratory tract are lined with a mucous membrane that also contain mucus-producing goblet cells. </p>
<p>Mucus (which we commonly call “snot”) is the main source of moisture to humidify the air we breathe in. It also traps smaller particles like pollen or smoke. Hairlike structures called cilia line the mucous membrane and <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19378.htm">transport the particles</a> trapped in the mucus out of the back of the nose.</p>
<p>Cilia beat at ten to 12 times per second, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12838653/">propelling mucus</a> at one millimetre per minute.</p>
<p>Mucus is around 95% water, 3% proteins (including mucin and antibodies) and 1% salt, plus other substances. Mucus strands form <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25717100/">crosslinks</a> to become a sticky, elastic gel. The nose produces over 100 millilitres of snot over the course of a day (less during sleep). It carries dead cells and other dust and debris to the stomach for recycling.</p>
<p>Mucus assists in fighting infection when white blood cells and antibodies are excreted into it and increases in volume to flush away infection, irritants or allergens. Watery mucus – such as from allergy or in the first days of a virus – tends to exit via the nostrils (a “runny nose”). </p>
<p>Thicker mucus tends to exit down the rear of the nasal cavity into the throat, moved by the action of cilia.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530241/original/file-20230606-15-beokaj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="child crying in winter setting with mucus coming from nose" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530241/original/file-20230606-15-beokaj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530241/original/file-20230606-15-beokaj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530241/original/file-20230606-15-beokaj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530241/original/file-20230606-15-beokaj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530241/original/file-20230606-15-beokaj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530241/original/file-20230606-15-beokaj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530241/original/file-20230606-15-beokaj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The human body produces around 100 mls of snot each day.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-young-child-crying-tears-snot-570977926">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>My snot of many colours</h2>
<p>Mucus can be colourful stuff, which can make people worry.</p>
<p>It might be orange and brown if it has some blood in it. Yellow and green hues come from white blood cells (leucocytes) that fight bacterial and viral infections. Colours are more prominent the longer the mucus has “stuck around” – so your morning nose blow might be more brightly coloured than later in the day.</p>
<p>A common misconception is that green mucus indicates bacterial infection and requires antibiotic treatment. But most upper respiratory tract infections (even with green mucus) resolve whether or not antibiotics are used. </p>
<p>Repeated studies show <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18425861/">around 80% of patients</a> with sinus infections recovered with no antibiotics, compared to 90% with antibiotics, after seven days. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/sore-throats-suck-do-throat-lozenges-help-at-all-184454">Sore throats suck. Do throat lozenges help at all?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Making it better</h2>
<p>The main purpose of treatment when you have a cold, flu or upper respiratory tract infection is to relieve symptoms. A nose spray can deliver an effective dose to where it is needed with few side effects.</p>
<p>A blocked nose from an acute viral infection is best treated with decongestant sprays, which are safe to use for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-017-0581-0">at least seven days</a>. They work by constricting swollen blood vessels and reducing excess mucus production. </p>
<p>However, they also slow the action of cilia, slowing the clearance of mucus and making it <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-017-0581-0">stickier</a>. Regular sprays or irrigation with salt solutions (saline) <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006821.pub3/full">wash away mucus and stimulate cilia</a> to beat more effectively.</p>
<p>For the treatment of allergic rhinitis, oral antihistamines and/or nasal steroid sprays may be needed to control symptoms. The addition of saline nose spray to steroid sprays <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0301054620300264">improves effectiveness</a>, probably by flushing away allergens and mucus.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530239/original/file-20230606-29-2nzyjt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="nasal spray fires into air" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530239/original/file-20230606-29-2nzyjt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530239/original/file-20230606-29-2nzyjt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530239/original/file-20230606-29-2nzyjt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530239/original/file-20230606-29-2nzyjt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=460&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530239/original/file-20230606-29-2nzyjt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=578&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530239/original/file-20230606-29-2nzyjt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=578&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530239/original/file-20230606-29-2nzyjt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=578&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Don’t just jam it up there. Point nasal spray back and slightly outwards.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/persons-fingers-pressing-on-white-nasal-1207655440">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Yes, there’s a correct way to spray</h2>
<p>Using nasal spray is not as simple as pointing it up your nose and pumping. Here’s how to get it right:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>stay in an upright position with the head tilted forward slightly</p></li>
<li><p>hold the nasal spray in your hand with your thumb at the base of the bottle and the index and middle fingers on top</p></li>
<li><p>insert the tip of spray bottle into one nostril, blocking the other nostril gently with the other hand</p></li>
<li><p>squeeze the pump with your index and middle finger and breathe in slowly, just enough to keep the medication in place</p></li>
<li><p>use the right hand to deliver a spray into the left nostril, directing the spray towards the left ear. Repeat on the other side.</p></li>
</ol><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206195/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David King does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The nose produces more than 100 millilitres of snot over the course of a day (less during sleep) and uses it to treat and filter the air we breathe.David King, Senior Lecturer in General Practice, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1679012021-09-17T06:23:32Z2021-09-17T06:23:32ZForget nose spray, good sex clears a stuffy nose just as effectively — and is a lot more fun<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421779/original/file-20210917-17-187fxxo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=28%2C18%2C6225%2C4150&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-couple-suffering-colds-bed-144662084">Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Medical news is full of stories about promising new treatments for challenging conditions, or for additional health benefits of routine behaviours and habits. Who doesn’t want to feel good about <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/27/health/coffee-heart-benefits-wellness/index.html">drinking coffee</a> or eating <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-benefits-of-having-a-healthy-relationship-with-chocolate">chocolate</a>?</p>
<p>In this rich vein, a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0145561320981441">study</a> by German and British researchers published earlier this year — which just <a href="https://www.improbable.com/2021-ceremony/winners/">won the Ig Nobel prize for medicine</a> — suggests orgasmic sex can clear nasal congestion as well as a nasal decongestant. </p>
<p>The Ig Nobels are awarded to “honour achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them think”, with a <a href="https://www.improbable.com/2021-ceremony/ig-nobel-prizes/">ceremony</a> at Harvard University and Nobel laureates among those handing out prizes. </p>
<p>This year’s winner deserves critical appraisal before deciding whether to prescribe orgasm for consenting partners with stuffy noses. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/sniffles-sneezing-and-cough-how-to-tell-if-its-a-simple-allergy-rather-than-the-virus-139657">Sniffles, sneezing and cough? How to tell if it's a simple allergy rather than The Virus</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A small but well-formed study</h2>
<p>When we critically appraise research it’s important to look at “<a href="https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/61300981/Internal_validity20191122-112894-pyhh3-with-cover-page-v2.pdf?Expires=1631846889&Signature=CrqHPcNizuEcQiEuJ0pHgcV5CD4YSmAax5j1AcbilVVq%7E3kPAt9sPNGWdFYPUrzMRk45YnmGNoolFSBVJcsYVPtjzbHfCBKBewVMQGh8KYvngbiQduIeZuHU6UhOVjkh2UVGPxrlc%7EeH5wcMmyHsSeMh%7Ewmhp7LnfKAjfroqwdKNGaOksBJzW9Kp0t9NKzAJ7XAo%7E81sq9uJLLbv9F9Y6bG%7EPCXrTV4nQ4wITSIJhiz%7ENg3j%7Eh1gv3DPK11cQU%7EdqPxPl2NHHnRNDmEvF8PFyVVr7k-5hZj2teSj4tmRSykYYof3YYNtAQG6lnklL4nqEAZlLTCDnHrFDjCQy94n4Q__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA">internal validity</a>” first. Could the results have been caused by other factors, such as bias due to flaws in design or how the research was conducted? The next step is to ask whether the findings have “external validity” or can be generalised to the wider population. </p>
<p>Also, with most studies that aren’t using the “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6235704/">gold standard</a>” study design of double-blinded, randomised controlled trials, we need to consider other factors to establish cause and effect. This includes consistency with other evidence and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6289655/">biological plausibility</a> — or whether the findings tally with established understandings of our bodies. </p>
<p>The German-UK study was clearly not a double-blind study (the couples knew they were having sex) and was small in size (18 heterosexual couples), but each subject was their own “control” subject. That means each person had the intervention — sexual intercourse with orgasm — compared with a nasal decongestant spray applied the following day. </p>
<p>Nasal flow was measured at five time points: before sex, after orgasm and up to three hours afterwards. Subjects were tested with a questionnaire to determine which ones had pre-existing nose blockages over the past month. Nasal function was assessed subjectively by the participant and objectively with a portable device measuring air flow.</p>
<p>As such, this study was well-designed and conducted. That is, apart from one minor flaw: some participants were unable to focus on the device before and immediately after intercourse, leading to some missing data! </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421772/original/file-20210917-27-1n6ixk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C16%2C5590%2C3715&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="couple in bed" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421772/original/file-20210917-27-1n6ixk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C16%2C5590%2C3715&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421772/original/file-20210917-27-1n6ixk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421772/original/file-20210917-27-1n6ixk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421772/original/file-20210917-27-1n6ixk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421772/original/file-20210917-27-1n6ixk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421772/original/file-20210917-27-1n6ixk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421772/original/file-20210917-27-1n6ixk6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some research data was lost in the afterglow.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1585236375981-d38ad25860d3?ixlib=rb-1.2.1&ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1400&q=80">Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/4-things-about-female-orgasms-researchers-actually-study-151015">4 things about female orgasms researchers actually study</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Going with the flow</h2>
<p>The study did find a significant improvement in nasal flow immediately after orgasm and this was of similar size to the benefit from decongestant spray used the following day. </p>
<p>However, the benefit from sexual activity was short-lived and nasal flow was back to baseline within hours. Unsurprisingly, the improved nasal flow was only seen in those with pre-existing nasal congestion.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421778/original/file-20210917-13-1csh6y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="nasal spray" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421778/original/file-20210917-13-1csh6y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421778/original/file-20210917-13-1csh6y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421778/original/file-20210917-13-1csh6y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421778/original/file-20210917-13-1csh6y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421778/original/file-20210917-13-1csh6y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421778/original/file-20210917-13-1csh6y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421778/original/file-20210917-13-1csh6y5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Though effective, nasal decongestant spray is probably less fun than sex.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/spray-nasal-front-black-background-260nw-777753076.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<h2>Wait, there’s a connection between orgasm and noses?</h2>
<p>The research paper notes the theory of “reflex nasal neurosis” was put forward by German otolaryngologist Wilhelm Fliess, a close friend of Sigmund Freud, in 1897. Both believed neuroses were mostly caused by sexual problems. </p>
<p>Fliess <a href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?hl=en&volume=116&publication_year=2002&pages=992-995&issue=12&author=AR+Young&title=Freud%E2%80%99s+friend+fliess">theorised</a> there were specific “genital spots” in the nose that influenced genital function. Yet his theory failed scientific scrutiny and faded into obscurity.</p>
<p>However, exercise is known to cause an improved nasal flow and this benefit <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/00016489709113446">persists</a> for up to 30 minutes after physical activity. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421777/original/file-20210917-27-1rnozm6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="older couple in bed" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421777/original/file-20210917-27-1rnozm6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/421777/original/file-20210917-27-1rnozm6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421777/original/file-20210917-27-1rnozm6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421777/original/file-20210917-27-1rnozm6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421777/original/file-20210917-27-1rnozm6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421777/original/file-20210917-27-1rnozm6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/421777/original/file-20210917-27-1rnozm6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Observational studies have suggested people who have more sex are happier, but that might not be the whole story.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://image.shutterstock.com/image-photo/couple-sicks-seniors-mature-people-260nw-1517677877.jpg">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ive-always-wondered-why-your-nose-runs-when-its-cold-83220">I've always wondered: why your nose runs when it's cold</a>
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</em>
</p>
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<h2>The ‘take home’ message</h2>
<p>There are some limitations of the research, such as the small sample size of volunteer couples, and the timing of nasal air flow measurements. </p>
<p>But overall, the study presents some convincing evidence that orgasm improves nasal obstruction, at least for an hour or so. And, as the researchers note: “I don’t think other methods to relieve congestion are nearly as much fun as sexual activity.”</p>
<p>The Ig Nobel winners suggest further research into whether masturbation has similar benefits, or whether multiple orgasm might provide longer relief of nasal congestion.</p>
<p>So, those with nasal congestion shouldn’t throw away their decongestant sprays just yet. However, all of us can bask in the warm glow of knowing we can add another health benefit to sexual intercourse and orgasm.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/167901/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David King does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A study that finds good sex gets rid of nasal congestion is definitely worthy of careful appraisal.David King, Senior Lecturer in General Practice, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1047722018-11-05T18:46:27Z2018-11-05T18:46:27ZCurious Kids: How do we smell?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240737/original/file-20181016-165909-1rvfclo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The sense of smell helps us know what and where things are, like yummy food. R. Suarez.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>This is an article from <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/curious-kids-36782">Curious Kids</a>, a series for children. The Conversation is asking kids to send in questions they’d like an expert to answer. All questions are welcome – serious, weird or wacky! You might also like the podcast <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/kidslisten/imagine-this/">Imagine This</a>, a co-production between ABC KIDS listen and The Conversation, based on Curious Kids.</em> </p>
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<blockquote>
<p><strong>How do we smell? – Audrey, age 6, Brisbane.</strong></p>
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<p>Audrey, you have asked a question that humans have wondered about for centuries. And it’s only pretty recently we have started to really understand the answer. </p>
<p>Whenever we smell something, our nose and brain work together to make sense of hundreds of very tiny invisible particles, known as molecules or chemicals, that are floating in the air. If we sniff, more of these molecules can reach the roof of our nostrils and it is easier to smell a smell. </p>
<p>The fact that we have two nostrils allows our brain to detect small differences in the number of molecules that reach each one, so we can follow a smell trail just like tracker dogs. Have you ever tried finding where a smell is coming from? See how hard it gets with one nostril blocked.</p>
<p>The sense of smell also help us taste food. That is why food tastes bland whenever your nose is blocked.</p>
<p>Inside your nostrils, there are tiny things called neurons that “talk” to each other using electrical messages (our brains are mostly made of neurons too, by the way).</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240747/original/file-20181016-165897-1twh4z1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240747/original/file-20181016-165897-1twh4z1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240747/original/file-20181016-165897-1twh4z1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=623&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240747/original/file-20181016-165897-1twh4z1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=623&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240747/original/file-20181016-165897-1twh4z1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=623&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240747/original/file-20181016-165897-1twh4z1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=783&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240747/original/file-20181016-165897-1twh4z1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=783&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240747/original/file-20181016-165897-1twh4z1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=783&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Olfactory neurons (green, blue and red), located at the roof of the nostrils, recognise molecules and send electrical signals to neurons in the olfactory bulb (yellow). R. Suárez.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Smell memories</h2>
<p>These type of tiny cells, called olfactory neurons (olfaction means smell), have long cable-like connections that send electrical messages to a spot at the front of the brain, known as the olfactory bulb. Each olfactory neuron connects with a different neuron in the olfactory bulb, which then sends this information to other areas of the brain. </p>
<p>The parts of the brain that get these signals also do other things, such as storing memories or provoking emotions. That is why some smells can bring back old memories. </p>
<p>Even some older adults can remember the smell of their kindy class, or their grandparent’s house. Also, some smells can make us feel scared or happy, such as the smells of smoke or flowers. For example, the smell of freshly mowed lawn can help us relax.</p>
<p>Do you have nice memories of a place or food that you have smelt in the past?</p>
<h2>How animals smell</h2>
<p>The sense of smell is very important to almost all animals, as it helps them find food, recognise family members, and avoid danger. </p>
<p>For example, the nostrils of fish and sharks let them smell underwater, even though they breathe water through their mouths and gills. Some animals, like dolphins and whales, have lost the sense of smell as, over millions of years, their nostrils have moved to the top of their heads and evolved into blowholes. </p>
<p>The way smells are felt by the nose and brain is very similar in all animals. Even the way olfactory neurons work is also very similar to that of insects (but insects smell using their antennae, not with nostrils).</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240746/original/file-20181016-165894-1tltf9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240746/original/file-20181016-165894-1tltf9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240746/original/file-20181016-165894-1tltf9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240746/original/file-20181016-165894-1tltf9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240746/original/file-20181016-165894-1tltf9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=327&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240746/original/file-20181016-165894-1tltf9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=412&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240746/original/file-20181016-165894-1tltf9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=412&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/240746/original/file-20181016-165894-1tltf9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=412&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The sense of smell works in similar ways in both vertebrates (mouse olfactory bulb in orange) and invertebrates (moth antenna in orange). R Suárez.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The way the brain deals with smells is very different to how it deals with other senses, such as seeing and hearing. For example, we can identify the different instruments playing in a band, or the different shapes and colours in a painting. But it is very hard for us to tell the individual parts of a smell mixture. </p>
<p>We can feel the smell “orange” or “coffee” as a single thing, but have trouble identifying the many different parts that make up those smells individually. However, it is possible to get better at this with practice. Professional wine-tasters or perfume-makers can detect more parts of a smell mixture than most people.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/curious-kids-whats-it-like-to-be-a-fighter-pilot-100563">Curious Kids: what's it like to be a fighter pilot?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Hello, curious kids! Have you got a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to us. They can:</em></p>
<p><em>* Email your question to curiouskids@theconversation.edu.au
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<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/168011/original/file-20170505-21620-huq4lj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/168011/original/file-20170505-21620-huq4lj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168011/original/file-20170505-21620-huq4lj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168011/original/file-20170505-21620-huq4lj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168011/original/file-20170505-21620-huq4lj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168011/original/file-20170505-21620-huq4lj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168011/original/file-20170505-21620-huq4lj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<p><em>Please tell us your name, age and which city you live in. You can send an audio recording of your question too, if you want. Send as many questions as you like! We won’t be able to answer every question but we will do our best.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104772/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rodrigo Suarez receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>The parts of the brain that get ‘smell signals’ from the nose also do other things, such as storing memories or provoking emotions. That is why some smells can bring back old memories.Rodrigo Suarez, ARC DECRA Research Fellow, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/832202017-10-11T23:47:38Z2017-10-11T23:47:38ZI’ve always wondered: why your nose runs when it’s cold<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188884/original/file-20171004-6757-cok40q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Even if you're not sick, your nose runs when it's cold. Why?</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>This is an article from I’ve Always Wondered, a new series where readers send in questions they’d like an expert to answer. Send your question to alwayswondered@theconversation.edu.au</em></p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Why does your nose run when it’s cold? It seems counterintuitive - Sonja Dominik</strong></p>
<p>About <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1859038">50-90%</a> <a href="http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ocean/ajr/2001/00000015/00000005/art00002">of people</a> get a runny nose when it’s cold. We call this “cold-induced rhinitis”, or “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1859038">skier nose</a>”. People with asthma, eczema and hay fever seem to experience it more.</p>
<p>It’s the job of your nose to make the air you breathe in warm and wet so that when it gets to your lungs it <a href="http://www.jacionline.org/article/0091-6749(83)90518-3/abstract">does not irritate the cells</a>. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18417052">When inhaling air through the nose at subfreezing temperatures</a>, the air in the back of the nose is usually about 26°C, but can be as high as 30°C. And the humidity of air at the back of the nose is usually around 100%, irrespective of how cold the air is we’re breathing in. </p>
<p>This shows the nose is very effective at making sure the air we breath becomes warm and wet before it reaches the lungs. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-whats-the-right-way-to-blow-your-nose-74977">Health Check: what's the right way to blow your nose?</a>
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<p>So how does it do this? Cold, dry air stimulates the nerves inside your nose, which send a message through your nerves to your brain. Your brain then responds to this impulse by increasing the blood flow to the nose, and these dilated blood vessels warm the air passing over them. Secondly, the nose is triggered to <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/000348942403300313">produce more secretions</a> via the mucous glands in order to provide the moisture to humidify the air coming through.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188886/original/file-20171004-22112-1ptksnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188886/original/file-20171004-22112-1ptksnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188886/original/file-20171004-22112-1ptksnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188886/original/file-20171004-22112-1ptksnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188886/original/file-20171004-22112-1ptksnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188886/original/file-20171004-22112-1ptksnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188886/original/file-20171004-22112-1ptksnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188886/original/file-20171004-22112-1ptksnq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Treatment is usually just to carry a hanky or tissue!</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">from www.shutterstock.com</span></span>
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<p>The cold, dry air also stimulates cells of your immune system (called “mast cells”) in your nose. These cells <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18417052">trigger the production of more liquid</a> in your nose to make the air more moist. <a href="http://www.jacionline.org/article/0091-6749(83)90518-3/abstract">It’s estimated you can lose</a> up to 300-400mL of fluid daily through your nose as it performs this function.</p>
<p>Heat and water loss are closely related: heating the air in the nasal cavities means the lining of the nasal cavity (mucosa) becomes cooler than core body temperature; at the same time, water evaporates (becomes vapour) to make the air moist. Water evaporation, which requires large amounts of heat, takes heat from the nose, thus making it cooler. </p>
<p>In response, the blood flow to the nose increases further, as the task of warming the air that’s breathed in takes precedence over heat loss from the nose (the <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-do-cold-showers-cool-you-down-71004">body’s normal response to cold</a> is to shunt blood away from the surface to the deep vessels to minimise heat loss from the skin). So it’s a difficult balancing act to achieve the correct amount of heat and moisture lost from the nose. </p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ive-always-wondered-why-is-the-flu-virus-so-much-worse-than-the-common-cold-virus-83495">I've always wondered: why is the flu virus so much worse than the common cold virus?</a>
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<p>When the compensatory mechanism is a little too overactive, moisture in excess of that needed to humidify this cold, dry air will drip from the nostrils. Mast cells are usually more sensitive in people with asthma and allergies, and blood vessel changes more reactive in those who are sensitive to environmental irritants and temperature changes. So nasal congestion and even sneezing can be triggered by the cold air.</p>
<p>Treatment is usually simply to carry some tissues or a handkerchief. Although the use of anticholinergic (blocks nerve impulses) and anti-inflammatory nasal sprays such as Atropine and Ipratropium <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1859038">have been trialled</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11732814">with some success</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p><em>Medical student Caitlin Saunders also contributed to this article.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/83220/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David King does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A reader wants to know why our noses run just because it’s cold.David King, Senior Lecturer, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.