There are lots of people who suffer from dry nose. Mostly dry nose is caused due to lack of humidity in the atmosphere. Though not a serious condition, dry nose is equally troublesome as is running nose. Many times dry nose can cause cracks and bleeding in the nose. It can be a painful condition.
Causes Of Dry Nose Or Nostrils
The inner side of nose is lined by mucus membrane. It produces mucus, a thin watery like material that keeps your nose moist. This mucus is useful to trap the dust, pollens, bacteria and viruses from the air that we breathe. For some reason, the mucus membrane gets dried out and does not lubricate your nose naturally. This causes dry nose. Some of the triggering factors for dry nose are:
- Environmental conditions such as dry hot climate, decreased humidity in the air.
- Certain medications such as antihistamines, regular use of nasal spray, etc are some of the causes for dry nose.
- Certain disease such as Sjogren’s syndrome and keratoconjuctivitis sicca can be a cause for dry nose. Together with dry nose, there is dryness in the throat and mouth in Sjogren’s syndrome.
- Menopause can be one of the causes for dry nose.
- High blood pressure.
- Rhinitis and other upper respiratory infections can also cause dry nose.
- Drinking too little water may result in dehydration, which may also contribute to dry nose.
Natural Remedies For Dry Nose Or Nasal Passage
Here are some simple recommendations for the management of dry nose,
- Drink enough water and keep your body well hydrated. You can also drink fruit juices.
- Avoid colas and other aerated drinks.
- Avoid extreme cold and extreme hot climate. Try to remain in warm environment with clean air.
- Do not use medicated nasal sprays.
- Saline water is best natural remedy for dry nose. Saline nasal drops are available in medicine stores. What you need to do is tilt your head slightly, and drop two or three drops in your nostril. This helps to keep the nose moist and make your nasal passages more clear.
- Inhale steam, all you have to do is boil water in a bowl; once it has started to boil remove the vessel from the stove. Inhale the steam. The moisturizing effect of steam will help to relieve pain and dryness in the nose. It will also open the pores.
- Scabs in dry nose are very common. Forceful removal of scabs can cause bleeding. To remove crusts, gently apply sesame oil in the nose. It will also act naturally to lubricate the inner nasal passage and relieve dryness.
- Use of humidifier is an effective dry nose remedy. It keeps the air moist. When you sleep switch on the humidifier.
- Nothing works better than exercise. The moisture inhaled while you do exercise will help to hydrate the mucus membrane of the nose.
My nostrils become dry as soon as I enter in air conditioned room. This was not so on previous occasions. It has started of late, what should I do?
The best preventive measure you can follow is to avoid cold temperature. However, on certain occasions it is not practical. To keep the inside of your nose well lubricated, you can apply sesame oil or coconut oil.
For me relaxing in sauna bath is effective whenever my nose becomes dry.
My father is 60 years old. He often complains of headache with dry nose. Is it always the case? Are there any other reasons for headache?
Headache with dry nose is not regular symptom. Sinusitis is a common reason for headache that many people are not aware of. At his age, the other common reason can be high blood pressure. He needs to be examined by the doctor for further evaluation.