Nasal Dryness – Why You Have It & What Can You Do?

There was moisture in the air, until you closed the doors and turned on the heat, until the cold air outside changed the dew point and the moisture fell to the ground, until you moved to a higher altitude and the lower air pressure caused the moisture on your skin to evaporate faster, until allergy season started and your antihistamines dried up your nasal passages, and, and…

Change is always happening, that’s one way we find out how well we can adapt.  Your ability to adapt to dryness in the external environment can reflect the health of your body’s internal environment.  A person whose body tends to run cold doesn’t adapt well to cold weather and a person whose body runs hot tends not to adapt well to hot weather.  It’s the same with dryness.  If your body tends to be dry you may not want to move to Santa Fe, a high and dry climate.

But we can’t all move away every time the weather changes or allergies develop in a family member, so a more practical solution would be to rebalance your internal environment so you become more adaptable.  You may also need to reconsider certain medications that can be drying such as antihistamines, steroidal anti-inflammatories, and certain anti-depressants.  Talk to your doc about that.

Here’s a list of ideas to consider:

1. Drink More Water

If you run on the dry side, the most obvious choice would be to drink more water.

Internal heat can dry up your internal fluids faster, just like heat does outside your body.  If you have chronic internal heat your body will dry up respiratory tract fluids faster than it happens to others so you may need to drink more water than other people.  This also happens to those who run fevers, especially in dry winter conditions.

2. Use Soft Cloths and Moisturizers

In cold weather your nose will run more freely and the action of wiping the discharge will erode the protective layers of skin causing skin moisture to more quickly evaporate from that area.  People who work or play outdoors in the winter (i.e. skiers, ice skaters, etc.) will know what I’m talking about.  You’ll need to add protection and moisturizers.  Wipe your nose with a soft cloth or tissue rather than the rough sleeve of your jacket.

3. Avoid Anti-Inflammatory or Antihistamine Nasal Sprays

Nasal sprays that are anti-inflammatory or contain antihistamines will dry the mucous membranes in the nasal passages causing nasal dryness.  There are alternatives such as switching to a different medication, compensating by drinking more water, and using a moisturizer.

4. Apply Sesame Oil

There is a moisturizing nasal spray sold in Germany and England called GeloSitin that is mostly made of sesame oil.  If you don’t live on that continent you can apply sesame oil yourself with a cotton swab.

5. Use Calendula Cream

Calendula cream or ointment can be helpful.  Boiron makes both a cream and an ointment.  I prefer the ointment.   I don’t recommend topical gel for areas of dryness.  You can find the cream and ointment here.

6. Lessen Your Alcohol Intake

Alcohol and any other diuretic substance that increases urination is drying.  Drink less alcohol or compensate with more water.

7. Avoid Excess Salt and Sugar

When you eat sugar, your body knows to dilute the excess glucose in the blood by causing the blood vessels to absorb water from your body tissue.  A similar effect happens when you consume excess salt.  Because of the consequent redistribution of fluids in your body, both sugar and salt can be drying to your tissues.  Solution, drink more water, avoid sugary drinks and foods as well as highly salted foods.

8. Employ…Unorthodox Methods

When all else fails, try a nose sock.