Question by H. Greschitz from CarinthiaAs soon as I cycle the first few kilometres, my nose and throat start to mucus up and I start spitting and blowing my nose. I don't just have this problem in the cold season, but also in summer - unless it's very hot. Do you have any advice?
Expert adviceThe whole thing sounds like hyperreflective rhinopathy, which translates as "rhinitis due to overreaction". In the past, it was also referred to as vasomotor rhinitis. This is a regulatory disorder: the blood vessels in the nasal mucosa react hypersensitively, in your case most likely due to the change in temperature outdoors. Irritating substances such as smoke and dust, for example from car exhausts, may intensify the reaction. Both temperature changes and irritants are difficult to avoid, unlike substances that aggravate symptoms such as hot or strongly flavoured food, alcohol, cigarette smoke, scented water and the like. In any case, you should first consult an ENT specialist, also to rule out an allergic cause.
As a household remedy, I recommend nasal rinses with saline solution, mixed isotonically: nine grams of salt per litre, i.e. 2.25 grams per 250 millilitres, which corresponds to around half a level teaspoon. Tip: Commercially available sachets of nasal salts make it easier to use and already contain the right amount, but they are expensive. For use in the nose, the salt should be as pure as possible and free from additives such as anti-caking agents. If rinsing does not bring any relief, sprays or drops with the following active ingredients can be considered: antihistamines ("classic" hay fever remedies), corticosteroids (as anti-inflammatories), anticholinergics (block certain nerve stimuli), cromoglicic acid (inhibits the release of histamine) and, for really short-term use only, decongestant nasal sprays with xylometazoline.
