How does snot form

All of us have had a runny nose, especially when we have a cold or nasal disease, and the large amount of snot brings us a lot of inconvenience.

The formation of nasal mucus

The human nasal mucosa is rich in glands, which can secrete a large amount of mucus to increase the humidity of the inhaled air, prevent the respiratory mucosa from drying out, and maintain the cilia movement. Most of the nasal snot is secreted by the nasal mucosa itself. The nasal mucosa contains a kind of cup-shaped cells, which produce a lot of mucin, which is released outside the cells and absorbs a lot of water which forms the nasal snot for the nasal cavity. Some of the nasal snot is actually tears. These tears flow from the tear ducts that connect the eyes to the nasal cavity into the nose and become part of the snot.

Components of nasal mucus

The main components of the nasal mucus we secrete contain: water, inorganic salts, small amounts of sugar, fat, protein, small amounts of shed mucous membrane cells, adsorbed dust and airborne chemicals.

The destination of nasal snot

Generally, the nasal mucosa secretes hundreds of milliliters of nasal snot every day, part of it is evaporated, part of it dries up into boogers, and most of it flows in the direction of nasal mucosal cilia movement to the posterior nostril to the pharynx, because the nasal cavity is connected with the esophagus, so it is usually swallowed unconsciously. So you won't see it flowing out of the nasal cavity.

The role of nasal secretion

Nasal secretion is very important to human body, nasal snot can moisten the nasal membrane, wet the inhaled air, prevent the respiratory mucosa from drying, and stick to the dust, microscopic dust and microorganisms inhaled from the air, so that they will not stimulate the respiratory tract or cause infection.

Color of nasal snot

Normal nasal mucus is colorless and clear. If the color of nasal mucus changes (yellowish or greenish) and becomes thicker in nature, it mostly indicates that the nasal cavity may be infected by bacteria or virus. 1. Clear nasal mucus: It is mostly seen in the early stage of cold and flu and patients with allergic rhinitis. 2、White mucus nasal discharge: it is common in chronic rhinitis. 3、Yellow pus nasal discharge: common in cold and flu and sinusitis. 4、Green and special smelly nasal discharge: may be atrophic rhinitis. 5、Black nasal mucus: mostly due to the inhalation of a large amount of black dust such as coal dust, soot, metal dust, etc. mixed in the nasal mucus. 6、Red nasal mucus: refers to nasal mucus with blood or small blood clots, which is common in nasal trauma, surgery, inflammation, stones, foreign bodies, and systemic diseases. It may also be the early symptom of nasal malignant tumor.

Causes of runny nose

The common causes of runny nose are as follows. 1, cold: clear water-like or mucus-like at the beginning, and pus snot can appear at the late stage of cold. 2、Chronic rhinitis: the nose is mostly mucus nasal discharge. The amount can be more or less. 3、Allergic rhinitis: clear water-like snot, more volume, accompanied by sneezing and nasal itching. 4, sinusitis: mostly mucopurulent discharge, bilateral or unilateral, accompanied by nasal congestion, dizziness, memory loss, etc. 5、Nasal polyp: infection can be accompanied by pus flow, nasal congestion, dizziness, memory loss, etc. 6, cold air stimulation: the secretion of children is more vigorous, if there is no other discomfort, it may be caused by cold air stimulation of the nasal cavity and does not require special treatment. 7, sinus cysts: flowing yellow watery discharge, may suffer from sinus cysts, it is recommended to conduct sinus CT examination. 8, other causes: cerebrospinal fluid nasal leakage, atrophic rhinitis.