Runny Nose: Causes and Remedies
Cause of running nose: low body oxygen
Runny
nose (rhinorrhea) is a common symptom that takes place due to allergy, infection
(e.g., cold or flu), inflammation, or physical irritation. Inflammation of the nose (called rhinitis) is a common
cause of the 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.
A runny nose can occur only when one's body- and brain-oxygen levels are much less than the norm. Modern people often have less than 20 seconds for the body-O2 test. Low-cell-oxygen levels are caused by chronic hyperventilation (breathing too much air), upper-chest breathing (which drastically reduces blood oxygenation), and habitual-mouth breathing.
Allergic reactions may lead to a runny nose for some
people, especially in cases of hay fever (also known as allergic rhinitis).
In more rare cases, a 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 the running nose. Certain foods (e.g.,
spices) and other irritants may also trigger this condition. A runny nose
sometimes, but not always, is accompanied by nasal congestion (or a stuffy
nose).
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 with this symptom will notice that his or her mucus is yellow or green. This indicates the presence of dead bacteria and/or viruses in mucosal discharges.
A 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 in this case is going to be clear.
Another possible cause of a 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).
Running nose cure
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.
How to cure running nose due to infections
Up to 90% of individuals with a 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 too. 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
advise 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 pages: Breathing norms and medical facts:
-
Breathing
norms: Parameters, graph, and description of the normal
breathing pattern
- 6 breathing myths: Myths and superstitions about breathing
and body oxygenation (prevalence: over 90%)
- Hyperventilation: Definitions of
hyperventilation: their advantages and weak points
- Hyperventilation syndrome:
Western scientific evidence about prevalence of chronic hyperventilation in patients with chronic conditions
(37 medical studies)
- Normal minute ventilation: Small and
slow
breathing at rest is enjoyed by healthy subjects (14 studies)
- Hyperventilation prevalence: Present in
over 90% of
normal people (24 medical studies)
- HV and hypoxia:
How and why deep breathing reduces oxygenation of cells and tissues of
all vital organs
- Body-oxygen test (CP test)
: How to measure your own breathing and body oxygenation (two in one) using a simple DIY test
- Body oxygen in healthy:
Results for the body-oxygen test for healthy people (27 medical
studies)
- Body oxygen in sick
: Results for the body-oxygen test for sick people (14 medical studies)
- Buteyko
Table of Health Zones: Clinical description and ranges for breathing zones:
from the critically ill (severely sick) up to super healthy people
with maximum possible body oxygenation
- Morning hyperventilation: Why people feel
worse and critically ill people are most
likely to die during early morning hours
References: pages about CO2 effect:
- 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: How alveolar CO2 influences
oxygen transport
- Oxygen transport: O2 transport is controlled by
vasoconstriction-vasodilation and the Bohr effects, both of which rely on CO2
- Free radical generation:
Reactive oxygen species are produced within cells due to anaerobic cell respiration caused by cell hypoxia
- Inflammatory response: Chronic inflammation
in fueled by the hypoxia-inducible factor 1, while normal breathing reduces
and eliminates inflammation
- Nerve stabilization: People remain calm due to calmative or
sedative effects of carbon dioxide in neurons or nerve cells
- Muscle relaxation: Relaxation of muscle cells
is normal at high CO2, while hypocapnia causes muscular tension, poor posture
and, sometimes, aggression and violence
- Bronchodilation: Dilation of
airways (bronchi and bronchioles) is caused by carbon dioxide, and their constriction
by hypocapnia (low CO2)
- Blood
pH: Regulation of blood pH due to breathing and regulation of other bodily fluids
- CO2: lung damage: Elevated carbon
dioxide prevents lung injury and promotes healing of lung tissues
- CO2: Topical carbon dioxide can heal skin and tissues
- Synthesis of glutamine
in the brain, CO2 fixation, and other chemical reactions
- Deep breathing myth:
Ignorant and naive people promote the idea that deep breathing and breathing
more air at rest is beneficial for health
- Breathing control: How is our
breathing regulated? Why hypocapnia makes breathing uneven, irregular and erratic.
Or go back to Symptoms
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