Runny Nose: Causes and Natural Remedies

Causes of running nose

How allergies cause runny nose Runny nose (rhinorrhea) is a common symptom that takes place due to allergy, infection (e.g., cold or flu), inflammation, or physical irritation. Nasal discharges are secreted by the mucous membranes lining located inside the nose.

Inflammation of the nose (called rhinitis) is a common cause of runny nose. Other common causes include the common cold (upper respiratory infection), influenza (flu), and sinusitis (inflammation or infection of the sinuses). The running nose may be accompanied by redness, itching and/or sneezing. Woman with nasal congestion

Allergic reactions may lead to runny nose in some people, especially in cases of hay fever (also known as allergic rhinitis). In more rare cases, running nose can be a symptom of a serious head injury caused by trauma to the brain. Overuse of nasal sprays, especially decongestants, is another cause of running nose. Certain foods (e.g., spices) and other irritants may also trigger this condition. Runny nose sometimes, but not always, is accompanied by nasal congestion (or stuffy nose).

How infections cause runny nose

Runny nose can occur only when one's body oxygen level is much less than the norm. It is usually less than 20 seconds for the body oxygen test. Low cell oxygen levels are caused by chronic hyperventilation, upper chest breathing (that drastically reduces blood oxygenation), and habitual mouth breathing.

While the main superficial causes of runny nose include bacterial and viral infections, meals, sleep, stress, emotions, and many others. However, low body oxygen content, on a cell level, is always the key factor.

When nasal congestion is caused by infections, the person will notice that his or her mucus is yellow or green. This indicates presence of dead bacteria and/or viruses in mucosal discharges.

Runny nose is often caused by allergies or allergic reactions to some airborne substances, like dust, dust mites, perfumes, smoke, proteins due to cats or dogs, tree pollen, and many others. Meanwhile, if this is the case, the main problem is that the hypersensitive state of the immune system is due to chronic hyperventilation (breathing more than the medical norm). As a result, the cause is the same, as you can see on the right diagram, but mucus is going to be clear.

Another possible cause of large production of clear mucus is dairy products. Such allergic reactions occur due to either casein (the main protein in milk) or lactose (milk sugar).

Natural remedies for runny nose due to allergies

If your runny nose is caused by allergic reactions, you need to identify and avoid them. For example, you can test your body reactions to dairy products, if you temporary eliminate all dairy products from your diet (e.g., for 3-4 days).

If you are allergic to tree pollen or cat or dog proteins, these airborne triggers should be avoided. Once you achieve more than 30 s for the body oxygen test, most of these substances (dust, dust mites, tree pollen, cat proteins, dog proteins, and so forth) will not produce an allergic or auto-immune response due to partial normalization of the immune system. Hay fever usually requires over 30 seconds for the body oxygen test and avoidance of all triggers for gradual desensitization of the immune system.

Natural remedies for runny nose due to infections

5 young MDs smiling Up to 90% of individuals with congested or stuffy nose can get a quick relief and easier nasal breathing in 1-2 minutes, if they slow down their heavy breathing and increase body oxygenation using a very simple breathing exercise. This easy respiratory exercise to clear a runny nose was invented and used by more than 180 Soviet and Russian medical doctors practicing the Buteyko method. They taught this most natural remedy to 1,000's of their patients with asthma, sinusitis, rhinitis, chronic mouth breathing, cystic fibrosis, hay fever, and many other conditions. This natural treatment and remedy can also be used by pregnant women and children. The exercise can be applied during sleep (at night) as well: How to get rid of a stuffy nose" in less than 2 minutes.

If you slow down your basal (or automatic) breathing patterns and get closer to the medical norm for breathing at rest so that you will have more than 20 seconds for the body oxygen test, your frequent upper respiratory infections will disappear. This is the permanent solution for a runny nose due to infections.

Related web pages:
- Sleep Positions Medical Research Summary (What is the best way to sleep for maximum body oxygenation?)
- Internet Lies About Ideal Sleep Positions (Over 90% of internet resources advice sleeping on one's back)
- How to Prevent Sleeping on One's Back (Practical techniques and permanent solutions)
- How to Tape Mouth at Night or mouth taping technique to prevent mouth breathing during sleep.
- Mouth vs. Nose Breathing (Medical review of main physiological effects)

References

Bartley James, Nasal congestion and hyperventilation syndrome, American Journal of Rhinology, 2005 Nov-Dec; vol 19(6): p. 607-11.
Waitemata District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This article evaluates the prevalence of hyperventilation syndrome (HVS) in patients who continue to complain of ongoing nasal congestion, despite an apparently adequate surgical result and appropriate medical management.
METHODS: Prospective case series of 14 patients from June 2002 to October 2003 was performed. Patients, who presented complaining of nasal congestion after previous nasal surgery and who appeared to have an adequate nasal airway with no evidence of nasal valve collapse, were evaluated for HVS. When appropriate, nasal steroids and oral antihistamines also had been tested without success. Three patients had end-tidal P(CO2) levels measured and five patients underwent breathing reeducation.
RESULTS: All patients had an elevated respiratory rate (>18 breaths/minute) with an upper thoracic breathing pattern. Twelve of the 14 patients complaining of nasal obstruction had an elevated Nijmegen score indicative of HVS. An average number of 2.5 procedures had been performed on each patient. End-tidal P(CO2) levels were < or = 35 mmHg in the three patients who had expired P(CO2) levels measured. Breathing retraining was successful in correcting the nasal congestion in two of five patients.
CONCLUSION: HVS should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with nasal congestion, particularly after failed nasal surgery. One possible explanation is increased nasal resistance secondary to low arterial P(CO2) levels. Another possible explanation is reduced alae nasae muscle activity secondary to the reduced activity of serotonin-containing raphe neurons. Additional surgery may not necessarily be the answer in HVS patients complaining of nasal congestion.

Reference Web Pages: Breathing norms, Medical Graphs and Tables about Breathing Rates (Minute Ventilation) and Body Oxygen in Healthy, Normal and Sick People
Breathing norms Parameters, graph, and description of the normal breathing pattern
6 breathing myths 6 myths about breathing and body oxygenation (prevalence: over 90%)
Hyperventilation Definitions of hyperventilation: their advantages and weak points
Hyperventilation Syndrome in the Sick. Table 1. Western scientific evidence about prevalence of CHV (chronic hyperventilation) in patients with various chronic conditions (34 medical studies)
Normal Minute Ventilation in Healthy Subjects: Easy and Light Breathing (14 Studies)
Hyperventilation Prevalence Present in Over 90% of Normal People (24 medical publications)
HV and hypoxia How and why deep breathing reduces oxygenation of cells and tissues of all vital organs
Body oxygen test How to measure your own breathing and body oxygenation (a simple DIY test)
Body oxygen in healthy Table 4. CP (body oxygen level) in healthy people (27 medical studies)
Body oxygen in sick Table 5. CP (body oxygen level) in sick people (14 medical studies)
Buteyko Table of Health Zones with clinical description of most common zones
Morning HV Morning hyperventilation effect or how and why critically ill people are most likely to die during early morning hours

References: CO2 Effects Web Pages
Vasodilation: CO2 expands arteries and arterioles facilitating perfusion (or blood supply) to all vital organs
The Bohr effect How and why oxygen is released by red blood cells in tissues
Cell Oxygen Levels and oxygen transport are controlled by alveolar CO2 and breathing
Oxygen Transport depends on breathing and these two effects (Vasoconstriction-Vasodilation and the Bohr effect) are parts of two diagrams that summarize influences of hypocapnia (low CO2 content in the blood and cells) on circulation and O2 delivery
Free Radical Generation takes place due to anaerobic cell respiration caused by cell hypoxia. Hence, antioxidant defenses of the human body are also regulated by CO2 and breathing
Inflammatory Response is controlled by breathing since hypoxia leads to or intensifies chronic inflammation through over-expression of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1, while normal breathing reduces these processes
Nerve stabilization takes place due to calmative or sedative effects of carbon dioxide in neurons or nerve cells
Muscle relaxation or relaxation of muscle cells is normal at high CO2, while hypocapnia causes muscular tension, poor posture and, sometimes, aggression and violence
Brochodilation - dilation of airways (bronchi and bronchioles) by carbon dioxide, and their constriction due to hypocapnia
Blood pH regulation and regulation of other bodily fluids
CO2: Lung Damage Healer: Elevated carbon dioxide prevents injury and promotes healing of lung tissues
CO2: Skin and Tissue Healer
Synthesis of Glutamine in the Brain, CO2 fixation, and other chemical reactions
CO2 myth "CO2 is a toxic waste gas" myth
Breathing control How is our breathing regulated? Why hypocapnia makes breathing uneven and erratic

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