Your Nose - Why it is so important

Don’t underestimate the importance of your nose!
1. Your nose is your built- in filter, warmer and humidifier of the air you breathe.
2. Obstruction of airflow through your nose can lead to sleep apnea, which can lead to chronic fatigue and even heart damage.
3. If you have trouble breathing through your nose, your defense against disease is reduced. Your asthma is more likely to flare up, and you are more likely to become tired and even depressed.
4. You need your sense of smell to enjoy the taste of food.
So, what can you do to ensure the proper functioning of your nose:
1. Use nasal saline to wash out the mucous that is obstructing your airflow (remembering to look down, squirt up and blow out of one nostril at a time).
2. Use nasal saline gel to moisten the lining of your nose if the air is very dry.

3. Use a nasal steroid spray (e.g., Flonase, Nasonex, Veramyst, Nasacort AQ, Rhinocort Aqua) to reduce the swelling and obstruction of airflow that is often the result of allergies or infection.

4. Take oral antihistamines (e.g., Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra, Xyzal, Clarinex, Benadryl) to reduce nasal congestion resulting from allergies. There is even a nasal antihistamine spray available.
5. Watch for signs of obstruction of nasal airflow such as snoring and consult your doctor.

The providers at East Cobb Pediatrics can help you maximize the function of your nose and thereby prevent disease and speed your recovery from illness.

Eric Karlen, MD, FAAP