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Does running clear stuffy nose? (Read 148 times)

Wing


Joggaholic

    It seems to happened to me, I don't know whether it's just a coincidence or not. I've been having runny and stuffy nose all week, but the stuffiness goes away during a run, and returns after a run (I recall similar experience the last time I was sick too). Does this happen to others? Is there any scientific explanation to this?

    cmb4314


      It seems to happened to me, I don't know whether it's just a coincidence or not. I've been having runny and stuffy nose all week, but the stuffiness goes away during a run, and returns after a run (I recall similar experience the last time I was sick too). Does this happen to others? Is there any scientific explanation to this?

       

      Happens to me consistently.  If I had to guess, I'd say that your body decides that opening your swollen shut nostrils is important, since you are doing something that necessitates so much oxygen.

       

      When I have a head cold, I love the hour or so halo of free breathing that I get after a run.

      My wildly inconsistent PRs:

      5k: 24:36 (10/20/12)  

      10k: 52:01 (4/28/12)  

      HM: 1:50:09 (10/27/12)

      Marathon: 4:19:11 (10/2/2011) 

      mab411


      Proboscis Colossus

        Now that you mention it, yeah.

         

        'Course, whether it was stuffy before or not, during this time of year, I almost always have a runny nose when I run (no pun intended).

        "God guides us on our journey, but careful with those feet." - David Lee Roth, of all people


        Feeling the growl again

          Unless I'm feeling week or too exhausted, this is why I go running when sick.  Not sure about the science behind it, other than I blow all the crap out and it takes awhile to congest back up again.  Big grin

          "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

           

          I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

           

          LedLincoln


          not bad for mile 25

            Yes, I think as a result of running, I'm less congested generally.  I breathe through my mouth when running, but primarily through the nose at other times, even while sleeping.

              Oh, c'mon guys...!  It's got nothing to do with the act of running.  It's because of the elevated body temperature!!!  You go sit in sauna, ride a stationary bike, whatever!  You can very much easily blow your stuffed nose and "spit" (I don't know if there's any specific vocabulary for this action)  the snot out of the nostril easily.  It doesn't have to be running.  Seriously, guys???

               

              It seems to happened to me, I don't know whether it's just a coincidence or not. I've been having runny and stuffy nose all week, but the stuffiness goes away during a run, and returns after a run (I recall similar experience the last time I was sick too). Does this happen to others? Is there any scientific explanation to this?

              kcam


                Oh, c'mon guys...!  It's got nothing to do with the act of running.  It's because of the elevated body temperature!!!  You go sit in sauna, ride a stationary bike, whatever!  You can very much easily blow your stuffed nose and "spit" (I don't know if there's any specific vocabulary for this action)  the snot out of the nostril easily.  It doesn't have to be running.  Seriously, guys???

                 

                LOL!  You're right, I guess, but we don't typically sit in saunas or ride stationary bikes, man .... we RUN!  I have had fairly bad hayfever issues for many years and I know that I can get excellent relief from congested sinuses from a nice run.   'course it comes back afterwards but at least I had a beautiful uncongested run!

                  It seems to happened to me, I don't know whether it's just a coincidence or not. I've been having runny and stuffy nose all week, but the stuffiness goes away during a run, and returns after a run (I recall similar experience the last time I was sick too). Does this happen to others? Is there any scientific explanation to this?

                   

                  so if you never stopped running, your stuffiness would be gone forever :-)

                  xor


                    Although probably not was intended by the Wing, I will say that some types of TRAIL running absolutely clear out my sinuses.  The rough kind that might have some hoop-ti-doo sections where I have to jump down a little, especially onto rock, I call that "snot cleaner trail".

                     

                    Anyway, in general, if I have nasal stuffiness before, I will have it after.  And sometimes if I do not have it before, I will have it after.  My nose will drip a lot when I run as well.  When it is COLD.  When it is warm, no.

                     

                    I kind of don't understand how heating up (running, sauna, biking, dancing) does much.

                     

                    But general road running has never cleared out my nose either.

                     


                    Feeling the growl again

                      Oh, c'mon guys...!  It's got nothing to do with the act of running.  It's because of the elevated body temperature!!!  

                       

                      A sauna has high humidity....that helps clear the sinuses too.

                       

                      i've had colds in the summer...unfortunately, being warm enough to sweat profusely alone does nothing to clear my sinuses.

                      "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                       

                      I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                       

                        I never thought we would be arguing on "snot" at a running forum but here goes...

                         

                        Your body temperature will be relatively stable even during the summer--that's what "sweating profusely" does for you.  On the other hand, exercise will definitely elevate your BODY temperature.

                         

                         

                        A sauna has high humidity....that helps clear the sinuses too.

                         

                        i've had colds in the summer...unfortunately, being warm enough to sweat profusely alone does nothing to clear my sinuses.

                          ...And this, in your case, perhaps whatever in the air when you do trail running, might have helped the degree of clearing (like pine fragrance).  But, again, in general, most--not all--liquid become looser when the temperature rises.  When your nose is stuffed and you do pretty much anything to raise your INTERNAL body temperature, it'll become EASIER to come out.  It won't disappear, if that's what the OP was talking about when he said "clear stuffy nose".

                           

                          The only liquid I can think of, off the top of my head right now, is egg; both egg white and egg yoke.  It hardens as the temperature rises.  That, by the way, is what Leonardo da Vinci took the advantage of when he dissected the eye ball.  Now, I have a feeling someone who loves to argue might come back and ask about corn starch.  That's not a liquid; that can go dispersed (I don't think it dissolves) into liquid and harden as it's heated up.

                           

                          Although probably not was intended by the Wing, I will say that some types of TRAIL running absolutely clear out my sinuses.  The rough kind that might have some hoop-ti-doo sections where I have to jump down a little, especially onto rock, I call that "snot cleaner trail".

                           

                          Anyway, in general, if I have nasal stuffiness before, I will have it after.  And sometimes if I do not have it before, I will have it after.  My nose will drip a lot when I run as well.  When it is COLD.  When it is warm, no.

                           

                          I kind of don't understand how heating up (running, sauna, biking, dancing) does much.

                           

                          But general road running has never cleared out my nose either.

                            By the way, just to let people know, when I worked for Breathe Right Nasal Strip, we did that sort of "research" too.  Anybody wants to discuss horse's nose?  There's a horse Breathe Right and I exclusively worked on that (my name is on the patent along with the actual inventors).  Anybody wants to know the mechanism of horse nose breathing??? ;o)


                            Feeling the growl again

                               

                              The only liquid I can think of, off the top of my head right now, is egg; both egg white and egg yoke.  It hardens as the temperature rises.  That, by the way, is what Leonardo da Vinci took the advantage of when he dissected the eye ball.  Now, I have a feeling someone who loves to argue might come back and ask about corn starch.  That's not a liquid; that can go dispersed (I don't think it dissolves) into liquid and harden as it's heated up.

                               

                              It's actually not the liquid in the egg that solidifies; the proteins denature and solidify, and actually push the liquid that had contained them out.  Link.

                               

                              It would appear that most all the suggestions given here....movement, humidity, body temp, certain fumes you may inhale....are generally supported as ways to clear sinuses.

                              Link (there are others with a quick search)

                               

                              So the answer appears to be "yes it does" and there is probably several things about it that help drain the sinuses.

                              "If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does.  There's your pep talk for today.  Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

                               

                              I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

                               


                              an amazing likeness

                                Yes, running usually makes the snot flow.  So it feels cleared for until it re-stuffs.

                                Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

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