Cold or allergy season leaves many of us with a trademark symptom, right in the middle of our faces: dry nose.
You can get dry nose for many reasons, the most common being blowing your nose too often, whether that’s because of the common cold or allergies. Dry nose is also common among people who live in dry weather and people who smoke tobacco or marijuana.
Chronic dry nose can also be caused by certain medical conditions. Also, infection, nutritional deficiencies, and chronic atrophic rhinitis — nasal inflammation caused by having too little nasal mucus — can cause dry nose.
Dry nose is also a common symptom of certain medications, like antihistamines, nasal spray, and decongestants used for the common cold or allergies.
Is Dry Nose a Serious Symptom?
Outside of being annoying and painful, a case of dry nose is rarely serious. The linings of your nose and the crease underneath it just happens to be a little sensitive and painful. Excess dryness and irritation can cause the skin to crack, and bleed.
However, if you have dry nose for more than 10 days or experience signs of infection — fever, discharge, bloody noses that won’t stop, and weakness — you should contact your doctor immediately.
Try These Home Remedies
Many remedies for treating a dry nose can be purchased with a single trip to your neighborhood drugstore, or with things you already have in your home!
- Petroleum Jelly
Use your fingers to apply a small dab of petroleum jelly to the lining inside of your nose. Not only is it good for keeping your nose moisturized, it’s also safely handled by your stomach in small amounts. Lip balm works as well.
- Humidifier
Sleeping with a dry mist humidifier in your bedroom can help increase the humidity in your room, which can provide relief to your nasal passages. Place the humidifier in the center of the room. Here’s a tip: don’t point it at furniture because the excess moisture can promote mold growth and damage wooden surfaces.
- Nasal Spray
Nasal sprays can be used to wet the nasal passages. Just don’t overuse them because this can lead to chronic dry nose.
- Damp Wipes
Moisten a facial tissue with water using a spray bottle, and wipe along the lining of your nostrils. This can help prevent drying and irritation. You can also use baby wipes, which are designed for cleaning sensitive areas without causing over-drying.
- Steam or Sauna
A common home facial treatment, steam can also help relieve a dry nose. You can even hang your head over a sink of hot water, but the effects of steam won’t last for long.
Bonus Tip
Besides using moisture in the air, make sure you help your body from the inside by staying hydrated. Drinking plenty of fluids like water or tea — especially if you have a dry nose during a cold — can help moisturize your nose from the inside out.
Website:http://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/ways-to-treat-dry-nose
