Itchy Nose Superstition
Itchy Nose: Superstition vs. Reality
An Itchy nose, superstition says, is the sign that you will soon kiss a fool. This is one of the many things that an itchy nose is supposed to signify! The other itchy nose superstition that is prevalent is the belief that it means you can soon expect a guest or that you may get i.nto a fight. A slightly more optimistic reading of an itchy nose it that you may get a gift shortly.
Whatever it’s meaning, it can be an annoying sensation because an itchy nose is hard to ignore and difficult to handle discreetly while in company. Whether you are concerned about it as a symptom of a health problem or because of its implications for your life in general, this is one problem that most people want to avoid. Whether or not you believe in the superstitions surrounding an itchy nose it seems a lot better to not have to deal with it rather than deal with it and hope for some far-fetched development.
An itchy nose in reality is often a side effect of a cold or an allergy. The nasal passages are likely reacting to some irritant and that stimulant makes you feel like scratching your nose. The body releases something called histamine when it is having an allergic reaction and this is said to be the chemical responsible for symptoms such as nasal itchiness, eye- watering and bouts of sneezing. Antihistamines are the best way to tackle these kinds of allergy related symptoms. There are over-the-counter and prescription antihistamines and the severity of your symptoms may dictate the best course to follow. A medical practitioner will be able to help you choose the one most suited to your problem.
Sometimes an itchy nose is triggered by a strong smell or scent. Some chemical smells such as those associated with household cleaners seem to trigger this reaction in some people. A systematic approach to isolating the trigger will be a good way to reduce or even eliminate the problem. By trying out one chemical or perfume or lotion at a time, you can figure out what causes the sensation and then avoid using it. The other choice is to stop all such smells and then re-introduce them one-by-one into your environment to study whether one of them causes the itchy nose. In such cases medication is not usually necessary. Removing the stimulant from the atmosphere seems to solve the problem.
Doctors point out that a dry environment can also cause an itchy nose. In places where there is a significant winter weather stretch, the extended use of heaters in houses and offices sometimes leads to people living and working in extraordinarily dry conditions. So, it is important to use a humidifier to counter the effect of the drying heaters. This is particularly necessary in bedrooms as sleeping through the night in a dry room seems to be particularly hard on the human body. Human skin in general feels the impact of such dryness but the sensitive skin inside the nasal passage is quick to react and that is what is felt as itchiness. Other than the use of humidifiers, there is one other suggestion to deal with this issue – people can try irrigating the affected nasal passages with saline water.
While the phrase ‘irrigating nasal passages’ sounds complicated all it means is making sure to inhale and run some salt water through each nostril. There are specific pots available in drug stores that make such irrigation fairly simple. Even young kids are capable of mastering this technique and it is a quick and effective way to deal with nasal discomfort such as itchiness.