Dried nasal mucus
Encyclopedia
Dried nasal mucus, pieces of which are colloquially known as bogeys in English and boogers in American, is commonly found in the nose
and is a result of drying of the normally viscous colloid
al mucus
(or snot).
Mucous membrane
s in the nasal cavity
constantly produce a wet mucus that lines the cavity and removes dust and pathogens from the air flowing through. For the most part, the cilia that also line the cavity work to move the mucus down the nasal cavity to the pharynx where it can be swallowed. Not all the mucus stays fluid enough to be moved by the cilia. The closer the mucus is to being in the nasal vestibule
and near the nostril opening, the more moisture it loses to the outside air, and the more likely it is to dry out and become stuck.
in his book Gastronaut discusses eating dried nasal mucus, and says that 44% of people he questioned said they had eaten their own dried nasal mucus in adulthood and said they liked it. As mucus filters airborne contaminants, eating it could be thought to be unhealthy; Gates comments that "our body has been built to consume snot," because the nasal mucus is normally swallowed after being moved inside by the motion of the cilia. Friedrich Bischinger, a lung specialist
at Privatklinik Hochrum in Innsbruck
, says that nose-picking
and eating the result is beneficial for the immune system
.
Human nose
The visible part of the human nose is the protruding part of the face that bears the nostrils. The shape of the nose is determined by the ethmoid bone and the nasal septum, which consists mostly of cartilage and which separates the nostrils...
and is a result of drying of the normally viscous colloid
Colloid
A colloid is a substance microscopically dispersed evenly throughout another substance.A colloidal system consists of two separate phases: a dispersed phase and a continuous phase . A colloidal system may be solid, liquid, or gaseous.Many familiar substances are colloids, as shown in the chart below...
al mucus
Mucus
In vertebrates, mucus is a slippery secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. Mucous fluid is typically produced from mucous cells found in mucous glands. Mucous cells secrete products that are rich in glycoproteins and water. Mucous fluid may also originate from mixed glands, which...
(or snot).
Formation
Mucous membrane
Mucous membrane
The mucous membranes are linings of mostly endodermal origin, covered in epithelium, which are involved in absorption and secretion. They line cavities that are exposed to the external environment and internal organs...
s in the nasal cavity
Nasal cavity
The nasal cavity is a large air filled space above and behind the nose in the middle of the face.- Function :The nasal cavity conditions the air to be received by the other areas of the respiratory tract...
constantly produce a wet mucus that lines the cavity and removes dust and pathogens from the air flowing through. For the most part, the cilia that also line the cavity work to move the mucus down the nasal cavity to the pharynx where it can be swallowed. Not all the mucus stays fluid enough to be moved by the cilia. The closer the mucus is to being in the nasal vestibule
Nasal vestibule
Nasal Vestibule is the most anterior part of the nasal cavity. It is enclosed by the cartilages of nose and lined by the same epithelium of the skin . The other part of the nasal cavity, which is lined by the respiratory epithelium, is called nasal cavity proper...
and near the nostril opening, the more moisture it loses to the outside air, and the more likely it is to dry out and become stuck.
Eating
Stefan GatesStefan Gates
Stefan Gates is a British food writer and television presenter.-Early life:As a child, Stefan, along with his sister Samantha, were photographed for knitwear patterns and appeared separately in commercials and TV dramas, including Poldark. They were the child models on the cover of English rock...
in his book Gastronaut discusses eating dried nasal mucus, and says that 44% of people he questioned said they had eaten their own dried nasal mucus in adulthood and said they liked it. As mucus filters airborne contaminants, eating it could be thought to be unhealthy; Gates comments that "our body has been built to consume snot," because the nasal mucus is normally swallowed after being moved inside by the motion of the cilia. Friedrich Bischinger, a lung specialist
Pulmonology
In medicine, pulmonology is the specialty that deals with diseases of the respiratory tract and respiratory disease. It is called chest medicine and respiratory medicine in some countries and areas...
at Privatklinik Hochrum in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, says that nose-picking
Nose-picking
Nose-picking is the act of extracting dried nasal mucus or foreign bodies from the nose with a finger. Despite being a very common habit, it is a mildly taboo activity in most cultures, and the observation of the activity in another person may provoke mixed feelings of disgust and amusement...
and eating the result is beneficial for the immune system
Immune system
An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
.