Health Check: what’s the right way to blow your nose?

[AussieNeil]

With our compromised immune systems, a common cold can lead to secondary bacterial infections requiring antibiotics which can progress into serious and even deadly illnesses - such as pneumonia. Yet just learning how to blow your nose the right way can reduce the risk of serious secondary infections.

'If you have mucus in the nose, it is probably best to get it out, so blow gently or by clearing one nostril at a time. Use of appropriate treatments can lessen the need to blow, and the force required to clear your nose.

If you are repeatedly blowing your nose you probably have a nasal condition, like hay fever or sinusitis, which should be treated more comprehensively.'

David King, Senior Lecturer, The University of Queensland provides background for this verdict here: theconversation.com/health-...

[PaulaS Volunteer]

Yes, I'd heard we shouldn't blow noses too forcefully, or it can do more harm than good. But I find it hard to resist the urge to have a good strong noseblow at times...

Lovely photo Neil, and all that spray is definitely suggestive of an over-vigorous nose-blow! Don't want to spoil the atmosphere of that lovely scenery with such thoughts though...