A burning sensation in the nose is usually a symptom of an impaired or diseased sensory nerve and an inflammation of the nasal mucosa. The commonest cause of burning sensation in the nose is allergy, such as triggered by an allergen or seasonal changes. Other frequently seen causes include – tobacco smoke and air pollution.
Symptoms associated with burning in nose are – sneezing, a runny nose, and nasal congestion.
If you suffer from these problems frequently or have had the disorder for a protracted period of time, it is advisable to visit your health care provider / ENT specialist to understand the exact cause.
What Causes The Burning Sensation In My Nose?
- Inhaled allergens: An allergy is triggered by certain substances called allergens. This causes allergic rhinitisor hay fever. Common allergens include – pollen, spores, airborne cockroach particles, dust, house dust mite and molds.
- Airborne irritants: Smoke, toxic gas and minute airborne particles like sand or coal dust are some of the more common environmental irritants that can lead to a burning nose. You will experience sneezing, a runny nose and/or burning inside the nose.
- Strong odors: Certain odors act as irritants do. Strong smells and odors can cause burning inside the nose; these include – perfumes and deodorants, air fresheners, detergents and industrial chemicals.
- Dry air: The mucous membrane synthesizes and secretes mucus and keep the nose moist. When the air is dry; when it is too hot or too cold, you will experience burning inside the nose, along with a build-up of dried crusty mucus and nasal congestion. Weather changes also alter the flow of blood to the nasal mucosa and this can cause a burning sensation inside the nose. This is known as vasomotor rhinitis.
- Nasal sprays: Medicated nasal sprays used to treat a range of nasal conditions comprise of antihistamines, decongestants, saline and steroids. Even though these sprays are meant to treat a problem they are known to irritate the mucus lining of the nose.
- Infections of the nose: An inflammation of the nasal mucosa is known as rhinitis. The inflammation may be due to an irritant or an infection. Bacteria, viruses and fungi can infect the nasal passages and cause itching, burning and discharge from the nose.
- Non-allergic non-infectious rhinitis: some kinds of rhinitis are caused by allergens; some by infective agents; whilst some are caused by uncommon triggers such as – spicy foods, this is known as gustatory rhinitis. Sometimes rhinitis may occur due to hormonal changes in the body.
- Foreign body in the nose: A foreign body is an object or a substance that should not be in the nose, but gets lodged within the nasal cavity. This is very often seen among infants and small children who place an object in the nose during the course of playing. Any foreign body in the nose can cause an irritation of the nasal passages, and consequently burning.
Discussing with your health care provider to understand the cause for burning sensation in the nose is vital. Once the cause has been ascertained, your doctor will prescribe the correct treatment to manage the problem successfully. Home remedies, natural treatments and homeopathy proffer wonderful results and effectively deal with respiratory disorders.