By K. Nepsa
A young reader asked me why his nose runs when he eats spicy food. I admitted to him that my nose does it too. Although, I also admit that my nose recently started to run when eating any foods, not just the spicy variety. I was curious about this phenomenon when it first started, but it took my young reader’s question to motivate the research into it.
Spicy food contains chemicals that trick the body into cranking up its internal air-conditioning system, triggering responses from head to toe and involving everything from the respiratory to the circulatory system. One bite can set off a body-wide response and chain reaction.
A burning sensation spreads across the lips and ignites the tongue. Mucous membranes, which protect the lungs from inhaling harmful substances, go into overdrive, making the nose run. A surge of blood travels through dilated vessels and body temperature shoots up, triggering a full on sweat meant to evaporate the heat away. The lungs send an alert to the diaphragm to hiccup quickly and repeatedly in an attempt to evict the fiery invader. A full-blown reaction to spicy food is born.
It’s important to note that a person’s reaction to eating foods can be for a variety of reasons. Some people may experience a runny nose due to the food they ate, a food allergy, seasonal allergies, and other causes.
Food Allergy: While food allergies do not typically cause a runny nose, they can cause nasal congestion and other symptoms that typically appear within 2 hours of eating a particular food. Food allergy symptoms may range from mild to severe, and may include: nasal congestion, wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath, throat tightening or a raspy, hoarse voice, hives, itchy skin, a tingling or itching sensation in the mouth, facial swelling, including the lips, face, tongue, and throat, body swelling and dizziness.
Gustatory rhinitis: When a person’s nose runs after eating without any other symptoms of an allergic reaction occurring, this is referred to as gustatory rhinitis. Gustatory rhinitis affects many people after they eat hot or spicy foods. When a person eats these foods, a nerve called the trigeminal sensory nerve is stimulated, which causes the nose to run. A person may prevent gustatory rhinitis by avoiding trigger foods. If their nose runs after eating any food, they can take certain medications to manage their symptoms.
Allergic rhinitis: is a condition affecting up to 60 million people within the United States. People can experience it seasonally or all year round. Typically, an environmental trigger can trigger symptoms, such as dust mites, pollen, or pet dander. Some people may have this kind of allergic reaction to certain types of food. Some symptoms include: a runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, mouth, throat, or skin, dry or watering eyes, sneezing or fatigue.
Vasomotor rhinitis, also called idiopathic rhinitis: is a type of runny nose that is not triggered by an allergen but by certain environmental and physical changes that cause the lining of the nose to become swollen. Triggers that may bring on vasomotor rhinitis include: certain odors, such as perfume, cigarette smoke, inks, weather changes, including temperature, humidity, and air pressure, hormonal changes, bright lights, changes in emotions, eating certain foods, such as alcohol and spicy foods as well as congestion, sneezing, postnasal drip, headaches, feeling pressure in the face and coughing.
So, my young reader, maybe avoiding the spicy foods might help stop your runny nose. But, if spicy tacos and Takis are life…I’d just remember to ask for extra paper napkins.
Reference(s):
Smith, Lori, Medical News Today, April 30, 2018, Why does eating Give Me a Runny Nose?
K. Nepsa has a B.S. in Geology and a Master’s in GIS. She has lived in Arizona, HI, CA and Shanghai, China. Her hobbies include enjoying the outdoors via Jeep, Kayak, horse or foot. She has been a Vail resident since 2005.
