Also known as rhinitis or rhinorrhea, a runny nose is characterized by an excess drainage of fluid from your nasal passages and blood vessels in the nose. This could take the form of thin discharge or thick mucus, and it may run out of your nose or down the back of your throat.
While most runny noses are uncomfortable and annoying, they will typically clear up on their own within a few days. However, in some cases, a runny nose is indicative of a more serious problem and it can potentially be dangerous for infants and small children.
If you or your child begin to experience any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor:
- A runny nose that lasts for more than ten days
- Nasal discharge that is green or yellow in color and accompanied by sinus pain or fever
- Blood in the nasal discharge
- Clear discharge that is persistent and occurs after experiencing a head injury
- If your child is younger than two months old and is also running a fever
- If your child’s runny nose is interfering with their ability to nurse or breathe
These symptoms could mean that there is a more serious problem, such as a bacterial infection that requires antibiotics or a head injury that needs to be examined.
Before seeing a doctor, it can be helpful to try some simple remedies to see if they help to relieve your symptoms first. These include:
- Avoiding irritants that can increase your symptoms: Being exposed to cigarette smoke or sudden temperature changes can make your runny nose and nasal congestion worse. They can also contribute to post nasal drip, a condition that causes nasal drainage to go down the back of your throat rather than out of your nose.
- Use a humidifier: Humidifiers can help to add moisture to the air, which will help break up mucus and help it to drain faster.
- Drink plenty of water and other fluids: The more hydrated you are, the thinner your mucus will be, which will help it to drain and keep you from becoming congested.
- Use saline nasal sprays or rinses: Saline solutions contain salt which can help to soothe and heal your irritated nasal passages. This can also help to relieve your throat if it is irritated from post nasal drip as well.
You can also try gently sniffing and blowing your nose to try to keep your nasal passages as clear as possible. For babies and small children, try using a soft rubber suction bulb to gently remove any excess nasal secretion.
If your runny nose is watery discharge and accompanied by sneezing and watery or itchy eyes, it could be the result of being exposed to allergens. This can usually easily be treated with over the counter antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), or diphenhydramine (Benadryl). If your runny nose is due to congestion, an over the counter decongestant such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) may also be beneficial.
