MEDICAL MISCELLANY

WhY does my nose run when it’s cold outside? ONE of our nose’s jobs is to produce mucus to trap harmful substances and bacteria, preventing them getting to the airways, says Sean Carrie, a consultant ear, nose, throat specialist and president of the British Rhinological Society.

Nasal lining helps warm inhaled air to body temperature. ‘When it’s cold outside and we breathe in this air, it dries the lining of the nose,’ says Dr Carrie.

‘This makes the cells produce more mucus to maintain the nasal cavity lining

‘ The water vapour we breathe out mixes with cold air at the front of our nostrils and condenses into droplets — they produce more fluid than can fit in the nasal cavity, causing a runny nose.’