9.2 Runny Nose

Why does your nose run when it’s cold outside? Is it because you have a cold?  No. A running nose doesn’t always mean that you have a cold. You see, on the inside of your nose is mucus. Mucus catches dust in the air when you breathe. This stops dirt from going into your body. Mucus also makes the air you breathe wetter. This helps to protect your throat and lungs. The colder and drier the air is, the more mucus you need. So in the winter your nose needs to make lots of mucus. When there is too much mucus, it doesn’t have anywhere to go. So it runs out of your nose.