Blow Your Nose

Pediatrics for Parents, Jan, 2001

What did mother tell you to do when you had a cold and stuffy nose? Blow your nose. However, a recent study found that nose blowing may actually increase the chances of developing a sinus infection.

The average cold suffer blows his or her nose 45 times during the first three days of cold symptoms. A good nose-blow can propel up to 1 milliliter of nasal secretions into the sinuses. Only a trivial amount of nasal secretions enter the sinuses after sneezing or coughing. The nasal secretions could lead to secondary bacterial sinus infections.

This researchers suggest that cold medicines may work in an unexpected way. They decrease the amount of nose blowing and thus reduce the chance of sinusitis.

Patient Care, 11/30/00, p.23.