The nose is located at the center of the face and has a decisive influence on the impression. However, it is not only this that the nose has a decisive influence. The nose goes beyond simply being an organ for breathing and smelling, and is silently playing the role of the first line of defense to prevent respiratory diseases. To this end, the nose plays a complex role at the same time, like a multi-home appliance that does not yet exist in the world by combining home appliances with different functions into one.
First, the nose is a humidifier. The air inhaled through the nose is usually so dry that it must be moistened and sent to the lungs. The mucous membranes in the nostrils are packed with glands that secrete fine mucus, and mucus always comes out of them, and this is the runny nose. Adults come out about 1000㏄ per day. This mucus instantly increases the humidity of the dry air and sends it to the lungs.
Second, the nose is a thermostat that acts as both a heater and an air conditioner. The temperature of the air we breathe is not constant, sometimes too cold, sometimes too hot, but it is adjusted to a constant temperature as it passes through the nose. A runny nose does this, too.
Third, the nose is an air purifier. The air contains all kinds of harmful substances such as dust, yellow sand, soot, and pollen, as well as viruses and bacteria that cause infectious diseases. The nose acts as an air purifier that blocks and filters this. Nose mucus contains various antibacterial substances such as lactoferrin and immunoglobulin A, which act as immunity. About 60-70% of nasal mucus is used to adjust the temperature and humidity of the air, and the remaining is about 300-400㏄ per day. This nasal mucus covers the mucous membrane to prevent germs or viruses from penetrating the mucous membrane and absorbs various harmful substances and sends them down the throat. There are very thin and short hairs called cilia in the mucous membrane of the nose, and the cilia move gently to transport nasal mucus. It takes about 20 minutes for mucus to travel from the nose to the throat.
The purpose of the nose working so hard is to protect the lower respiratory tract and lungs below the throat. For the nose to be healthy, in other words, for the nose, which is a multi-home appliance, to function properly and keep the nose and lungs healthy, mucus must secrete smoothly and flow naturally. However, the nose is very sensitive and is greatly affected by the environment. The worst effect on the nose is dry air. When the air is dry, the nose is overloaded and the inside of the nose becomes dry, and the motility of the cilia that carry the mucus decreases. In addition to humidity, air quality is also important. Air pollution such as fine dust, yellow dust, and soot has a bad effect on the nose, and pollen in the air also irritates the nose. These various stimuli cause the nasal mucosa to become inflamed and swollen.
Last spring, all of these conditions were at their worst in years. Due to the spring drought, the air was dry, fine dust and yellow dust warnings were issued more frequently than ever, and as it was the hottest spring in decades, pollen was blown the most and for the longest time. As soon as the corona ended, the number of patients with rhinitis complaining of nasal congestion increased, and the flu epidemic was also largely influenced by this. In addition, summer has started early, and the use of air conditioners has already started drying the room.
Due to such a harmful environment for the nose, the number of chronic nose diseases is increasing. Among the various symptoms of rhinitis or sinusitis, the most difficult thing for patients is nasal congestion. When nasal congestion is severe, it is important to treat the causative disease, such as rhinitis or sinusitis, but improving the environment that aggravates nasal congestion can reduce symptoms and increase the effectiveness of treatment.
First, keep the indoor humidity at 40 to 60%, and ventilate the room twice a day so that dust or pollutants do not accumulate in the room. Drink small amounts of lukewarm water at body temperature often, and occasionally drop a few drops of physiological saline into your nose to supply moisture to your nose. Wash your nasal passages with physiological saline in the morning and evening. Just as you must brush your teeth after eating for oral hygiene, you should make this kind of ‘coaching’ a habit for nasal hygiene.
One last thing. One of the things that patients with nasal congestion do not think about is high blood pressure medication. There are several drugs that lower blood pressure, and among them, vasodilators can cause nasal congestion by dilating blood vessels in the nasal mucosa. If you suspect nasal congestion caused by a vasodilator, consider switching to another medication.
[이상덕 병원장(하나이비인후과병원)]
2023-07-02 07:58:40
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