Why is it better to sniffle than to blow your nose? ENT specialist Godelieve Damen explains at 'Universiteit van Nederland'

It's autumn and that means more colds. And therefore, blowing your nose more often. But actually sniffling is much better. Or even better against that blockage is rinsing your nose with salt water. ENT specialist Godelieve Damen of the Radboudumc explains why in this video (in Dutch) from the University of the Netherlands.

Blowing the nose is not the best option when suffering from a cold, warns ENT specialist Godelieve Damen of Radboudumc. That creates a lot of pressure in the nose, allowing snot to enter the cavities, including viruses and bacteria. This can lead to sinusitis and ear infections. 

"Better is to sniffle, directing the snot to the back of the throat. The stomach acid then destroys the snot. This is the natural way snot and its associated virus particles are disposed of,” Damen said. If retrieval does not provide sufficient relief, she recommends rinsing the nose with salt water. This not only helps drain snot, but also cleans the nose of mucus.

Damen advises against ready-made nasal sprays because they often contain xylometazoline. This substance can thin the mucous membrane and people can become dependent on it. “It is better not to use these sprays for more than seven days,” Damen said. 

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