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With review and feedback from CEENTA ENT doctor Michael Falcone, MD (University)
Every time you go out for a jog or work out, your nose starts to run. This frustrating experience is a common phenomenon known as exercise-induced rhinitis. Today we’re going to discuss what causes it and what you can do to treat it.
First, let’s define rhinitis. Rhinitis is when you experience a runny nose, sneezing, nasal congestion, or an itchy nose. Allergies – usually environmental allergies like pollen or dust – often cause rhinitis.
Some people who deal with runny noses and related symptoms when exercising are dealing with allergic rhinitis because they are breathing deeper and therefore inhaling more allergens.
However, some people have non-allergic rhinitis. In some instances, people’s noses are irritated by pollution and other irritants. Another possible cause is vasomotor rhinitis. This is when a person has chronic congestion or a runny nose with no specific cause. Exercise can exacerbate vasomotor rhinitis.
The first step in treating your runny nose is finding the cause. A good first step is to get tested to determine if you have any allergies. If so, a treatment plan can be developed based on the type and severity of your allergies.
A saline spray may also help clean irritants out of your nasal passages.
Vasomotor rhinitis can sometimes be treated with nasal spray. If that doesn’t work, an in-office procedure known as cryoblation may help.
If your nose doesn’t stop running, make an appointment with a CEENTA ENT doctor. They’ll help find the cause and get you breathing clearly again. But no matter what the cause, exercise-induced rhinitis isn’t something to be seriously alarmed about. For, as CEENTA ENT doctor Michael Falcone, MD, joked, “If your feet smell and your nose runs, you may have exercise-induced rhinitis.”
This blog is for informational purposes only. For specific medical questions, please consult your doctor.
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