Rhinorrhea
Encyclopedia
Rhinorrhea or rhinorrhoea is a condition where the nasal cavity
is filled with a significant amount of mucous fluid. The condition, commonly known as "runny nose
", occurs relatively frequently and is not usually considered dangerous. Rhinorrhea is a common symptom
of allergies or certain diseases, such as the common cold
or hay fever
. It can also be a side effect of crying, exposure to cold temperatures, or withdrawal
, such as from opioid
s like methadone
. Treatment for rhinorrhea is not usually necessary, but there are a number of medical treatments and preventative techniques available.
The term was coined in 1866 and is a combination of the Greek
terms "rhin-" meaning "of the nose" and "-rhoia" meaning "discharge or flow".
may result. If the mucus backs up through the Eustachian tube
, it may result in ear pain or an ear infection
. Excess mucus accumulating in the throat or back of the nose may cause a post-nasal drip
, resulting in a sore throat or coughing. Additional symptoms include sneezing
, nosebleeds, and nasal discharge.
s. Over the course of a viral infection, sinusitis
, the inflammation of the nasal tissue, may occur, causing the mucous membranes to release more mucus. Acute sinusitis consists of the nasal passages swelling during a viral infection. Chronic sinusitis occurs when one or more nasal polyp
s appear. This can be caused by a deviated septum as well as a viral infection.
Rhinorrhea can also occur when individuals with allergies to certain substances, such as pollen, dust, latex, soy, shellfish, or animal dander, are exposed to these allergens. In people with sensitized immune systems, the inhalation of one of these substances triggers the production of the antibody
immunoglobulin E
(IgE), which binds to mast cell
s and basophils. IgE bound to mast cells are stimulated by pollen and dust, causing the release of inflammatory mediators such as histamine
. In turn, this causes, among other things, inflammation and swelling of the tissue of the nasal cavities as well as increased mucus production. Particulate matter in polluted air and chemicals such as chlorine and detergents, which can normally be tolerated, can make the condition considerably worse.
are produced, the liquid drains through the inner corner of the eyelids
, through the nasolacrimal duct
, and into the nasal cavities. As more tears are shed, more liquid flows into the nasal cavities. The buildup of fluid is usually resolved via mucus expulsion through the nostrils.
can result in a rupture of the barrier between the sinonasal cavity and the anterior cranial fossa
e or the middle cranial fossa
e. This rupture can cause the nasal cavity to fill with cerebrospinal fluid. This condition, known as cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea or C SF rhinorrhea, can lead to a number of serious complications and possibly death if not addressed properly.
, whooping cough, nasal tumors, hormonal changes, and cluster headaches. Rhinorrhea can also be the side effect of several genetic disorders, such as primary ciliary dyskinesia
.
nasal sprays and Vasoconstrictor nasal sprays may also be used, but may become counterproductive after several days of use, causing Rhinitis medicamentosa
.
In recurring cases, such as those due to allergies, there are medicinal treatments available. For cases caused by histamine buildup, several types of antihistamine
s can be obtained relatively cheaply from drugstores. People with extreme histamine reactions can undergo an alternative medicine approach called Helminthic therapy
. This treatment, which is expensive, but relatively successful, involves becoming infected with a certain type of hookworm
that suppresses the body's allergic response.
People who prefer to keep clear nasal passages, such as singers, who need a clear nasal passage to perform, can use a technique called "nasal irrigation" to prevent rhinorrhea. Nasal irrigation involves rinsing the nasal cavity regularly with salty water or store bought saline
solutions.
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...
is filled with a significant amount of mucous fluid. The condition, commonly known as "runny nose
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...
", occurs relatively frequently and is not usually considered dangerous. Rhinorrhea is a common symptom
Symptom
A symptom is a departure from normal function or feeling which is noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality...
of allergies or certain diseases, such as the common cold
Common cold
The common cold is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system, caused primarily by rhinoviruses and coronaviruses. Common symptoms include a cough, sore throat, runny nose, and fever...
or hay fever
Hay Fever
Hay Fever is a comic play written by Noël Coward in 1924 and first produced in 1925 with Marie Tempest as the first Judith Bliss. Laura Hope Crews played the role in New York...
. It can also be a side effect of crying, exposure to cold temperatures, or withdrawal
Withdrawal
Withdrawal can refer to any sort of separation, but is most commonly used to describe the group of symptoms that occurs upon the abrupt discontinuation/separation or a decrease in dosage of the intake of medications, recreational drugs, and alcohol...
, such as from opioid
Opioid
An opioid is a psychoactive chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central and peripheral nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract...
s like methadone
Methadone
Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and a maintenance anti-addictive for use in patients with opioid dependency. It was developed in Germany in 1937...
. Treatment for rhinorrhea is not usually necessary, but there are a number of medical treatments and preventative techniques available.
The term was coined in 1866 and is a combination of the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
terms "rhin-" meaning "of the nose" and "-rhoia" meaning "discharge or flow".
Signs and symptoms
Rhinorrhea is characterized by an excess amount of mucus produced by the mucous membranes that line the nasal cavities. The membranes create mucus faster than it can be processed, causing a backup of mucus in the nasal cavities. As the cavity fills up, it blocks off the air passageway, causing difficulty breathing through the nose. Air caught in nasal cavities, namely the sinus cavities, cannot be released and the resulting pressure may cause a headache or facial pain. If the sinus passage remains blocked, there is a chance that sinusitisSinusitis
Sinusitis is inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, which may be due to infection, allergy, or autoimmune issues. Most cases are due to a viral infection and resolve over the course of 10 days...
may result. If the mucus backs up through the Eustachian tube
Eustachian tube
The Eustachian tube is a tube that links the nasopharynx to the middle ear. It is a part of the middle ear. In adult humans the Eustachian tube is approximately 35 mm long. It is named after the sixteenth-century anatomist Bartolomeo Eustachi...
, it may result in ear pain or an ear infection
Otitis
Otitis is a general term for inflammation or infection of the ear, in both humans and other animals.It is subdivided into the following:*Otitis externa, external otitis, or "swimmer's ear" involves the outer ear and ear canal. In external otitis, the ear hurts when touched or pulled.*Otitis media...
. Excess mucus accumulating in the throat or back of the nose may cause a post-nasal drip
Post-nasal drip
Post-nasal drip , also known as Upper Airway Cough Syndrome , occurs when excessive mucus is produced by the nasal mucosa. The excess mucus accumulates in the throat or back of the nose...
, resulting in a sore throat or coughing. Additional symptoms include sneezing
Sneeze
A sneeze is a semi-autonomous, convulsive expulsion of air from the lungs through the nose and mouth, usually caused by foreign particles irritating the nasal mucosa...
, nosebleeds, and nasal discharge.
Cold temperature
Rhinorrhea is especially common during winter months. Cold-induced rhinorrhea occurs due to a combination of thermodynamics and the body's natural reactions to cold weather stimuli. One of the purposes of nasal mucus is to warm inhaled air to body temperature as it enters the body. In order to for this to happen, the nasal cavities must be constantly coated with liquid mucus. During cold, dry seasons, the mucus lining nasal passages tends to dry out, meaning that mucous membranes must work harder, producing more mucus to keep the cavity lined. As a result, the nasal cavity can fill up with mucus. At the same time, when air is exhaled, water vapor in breath condenses as the warm air meets the colder outside temperature near the nostrils. This causes an excess amount of water to build up inside nasal cavities. In these cases, the excess fluid usually spills out externally through the nostrils.Infection
Rhinorrhea can be a symptom of other diseases, such as the common cold or influenza. During these infections, the nasal mucous membranes produce excess mucus, filling the nasal cavities. This is to prevent infection from spreading to the lungs and respiratory tract, where it could cause far worse damage. Rhinorrhea caused by these infections usually occur on circadian rhythmCircadian rhythm
A circadian rhythm, popularly referred to as body clock, is an endogenously driven , roughly 24-hour cycle in biochemical, physiological, or behavioural processes. Circadian rhythms have been widely observed in plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria...
s. Over the course of a viral infection, sinusitis
Sinusitis
Sinusitis is inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, which may be due to infection, allergy, or autoimmune issues. Most cases are due to a viral infection and resolve over the course of 10 days...
, the inflammation of the nasal tissue, may occur, causing the mucous membranes to release more mucus. Acute sinusitis consists of the nasal passages swelling during a viral infection. Chronic sinusitis occurs when one or more nasal polyp
Nasal polyp
Nasal polyps are polypoidal masses arising mainly from the mucous membranes of the nose and paranasal sinuses. They are overgrowths of the mucosa that frequently accompany allergic rhinitis. They are freely movable and nontender.-Description:...
s appear. This can be caused by a deviated septum as well as a viral infection.
Allergies
Antibody
An antibody, also known as an immunoglobulin, is a large Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique part of the foreign target, termed an antigen...
immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulin E
Immunoglobulin E is a class of antibody that has been found only in mammals. IgE is a monomeric antibody with 4 Ig-like domains...
(IgE), which binds to mast cell
Mast cell
A mast cell is a resident cell of several types of tissues and contains many granules rich in histamine and heparin...
s and basophils. IgE bound to mast cells are stimulated by pollen and dust, causing the release of inflammatory mediators such as histamine
Histamine
Histamine is an organic nitrogen compound involved in local immune responses as well as regulating physiological function in the gut and acting as a neurotransmitter. Histamine triggers the inflammatory response. As part of an immune response to foreign pathogens, histamine is produced by...
. In turn, this causes, among other things, inflammation and swelling of the tissue of the nasal cavities as well as increased mucus production. Particulate matter in polluted air and chemicals such as chlorine and detergents, which can normally be tolerated, can make the condition considerably worse.
Lacrimation
Rhinorrhea is also associated with shedding tears, whether from emotional events or from eye irritation. When an excess amount of tearsTears
Tears are secretions that clean and lubricate the eyes. Lacrimation or lachrymation is the production or shedding of tears....
are produced, the liquid drains through the inner corner of the eyelids
Lacrimal canaliculi
The lacrimal canaliculi, also known as the lacrimal canals or lacrimal ducts, are the small channels in each eyelid that commence at minute orifices, termed puncta lacrimalia, on the summits of the papillae lacrimales, seen on the margins of the lids at the lateral extremity of the lacus...
, through the nasolacrimal duct
Nasolacrimal duct
The nasolacrimal duct carries tears from the lacrimal sac into the nasal cavity. Excess tears flow through nasolacrimal duct which drains into the inferior nasal meatus...
, and into the nasal cavities. As more tears are shed, more liquid flows into the nasal cavities. The buildup of fluid is usually resolved via mucus expulsion through the nostrils.
Head trauma
If caused by a head injury, rhinorrhea can be a much more serious condition. A basilar skull fractureBasilar skull fracture
A basilar skull fracture is a fracture of the base of the skull, typically involving the temporal bone, occipital bone, sphenoid bone, and/or ethmoid bone....
can result in a rupture of the barrier between the sinonasal cavity and the anterior cranial fossa
Anterior cranial fossa
The floor of the anterior fossa is formed by the orbital plates of the frontal, the cribriform plate of the ethmoid, and the small wings and front part of the body of the sphenoid; it is limited behind by the posterior borders of the small wings of the sphenoid and by the anterior margin of the...
e or the middle cranial fossa
Middle cranial fossa
The middle fossa, deeper than the anterior cranial fossa, is narrow medially and widens laterally to the sides of the skull. It is separated from the posterior fossa by the clivus and the petrous crest....
e. This rupture can cause the nasal cavity to fill with cerebrospinal fluid. This condition, known as cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea or C SF rhinorrhea, can lead to a number of serious complications and possibly death if not addressed properly.
Other causes
Rhinorrhea can occur as a symptom of opioid withdrawal accompanied by lachrymation. Other causes include cystic fibrosisCystic fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...
, whooping cough, nasal tumors, hormonal changes, and cluster headaches. Rhinorrhea can also be the side effect of several genetic disorders, such as primary ciliary dyskinesia
Primary ciliary dyskinesia
Primary ciliary dyskinesia , also known as immotile ciliary syndrome or Kartagener Syndrome ', is a rare, ciliopathic, autosomal recessive genetic disorder that causes a defect in the action of the cilia lining the respiratory tract and fallopian tube, and also of the flagella of sperm in...
.
Treatment
In most cases, treatment for rhinorrhea is not necessary and will clear up on its own, especially if it is the symptom of an infection. For general cases, one can simply blow his nose to get rid of the mucus buildup. Alternatively, salineSaline (medicine)
In medicine, saline is a general term referring to a sterile solution of sodium chloride in water but is only sterile when it is to be placed intravenously, otherwise, a saline solution is a salt water solution...
nasal sprays and Vasoconstrictor nasal sprays may also be used, but may become counterproductive after several days of use, causing Rhinitis medicamentosa
Rhinitis medicamentosa
Rhinitis medicamentosa is a condition of rebound nasal congestion brought on by extended use of topical decongestants that work by constricting blood vessels in the lining of the nose.-Presentation:This condition typically occurs after 5 to 7 days of use of such medications...
.
In recurring cases, such as those due to allergies, there are medicinal treatments available. For cases caused by histamine buildup, several types of antihistamine
Antihistamine
An H1 antagonist is a histamine antagonist of the H1 receptor that serves to reduce or eliminate effects mediated by histamine, an endogenous chemical mediator released during allergic reactions...
s can be obtained relatively cheaply from drugstores. People with extreme histamine reactions can undergo an alternative medicine approach called Helminthic therapy
Helminthic therapy
Helminthic therapy, a type of immunotherapy, is the treatment of autoimmune diseases and immune disorders by means of deliberate infestation with a helminth or with the ova of a helminth. Helminths are parasitic worms such as hookworms and whipworms....
. This treatment, which is expensive, but relatively successful, involves becoming infected with a certain type of hookworm
Hookworm
The hookworm is a parasitic nematode that lives in the small intestine of its host, which may be a mammal such as a dog, cat, or human. Two species of hookworms commonly infect humans, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus. A. duodenale predominates in the Middle East, North Africa, India...
that suppresses the body's allergic response.
People who prefer to keep clear nasal passages, such as singers, who need a clear nasal passage to perform, can use a technique called "nasal irrigation" to prevent rhinorrhea. Nasal irrigation involves rinsing the nasal cavity regularly with salty water or store bought saline
Saline (medicine)
In medicine, saline is a general term referring to a sterile solution of sodium chloride in water but is only sterile when it is to be placed intravenously, otherwise, a saline solution is a salt water solution...
solutions.
External links
- Runny Nose: A Guide for Parents at the Pennsylvania Medical SocietyPennsylvania Medical SocietyThe Pennsylvania Medical Society is the professional association for the state’s physicians and physicians in training.Headquartered in Harrisburg, Pa., the non-profit organization represents about 20,000 physicians, residents, fellows, medical students, and practice administrators.The Pennsylvania...
- Cold and flu advice (NHS Direct)