What Causes Itchy Nose & How to Get Rid of it?

Amongst some of the most irritating problems or conditions, itchy nose is a significant one. There are various factors that can cause an itchy nose. Sometimes the itches are so irritating that you simply cannot stop scratching your nose.

Though there are many myths or superstitious beliefs regarding the itching of your nose, these are untrue. There is no real association of nose itching with superstitious beliefs and ideas. The causes are entirely physical.

Whether the skin of your nose causes the irritation and gives you an itchy feeling or if the itchiness is felt inside the nose, there are a number of causes that can lead to this condition. The most common ones are –

• Allergy: The most common cause behind an itchy nose is allergy. There are many common allergens that can cause allergy in the nose. Just as some foods can cause allergic reaction in the entire body, there are some allergens that concentrate the irritation and allergy only to the nose. These include –
  • Mold
  • Pollen
  • Perfume
  • Dust
  • Chemical fumes
  • Animal dander.

As these allergens are directly inhaled by the nostrils, itchiness in the nose is quite likely. The reason behind this condition is that the immune system of the body identifies these elements as foreign particles. Hence, it releases histamines to fight these foreign particles. Thus, the itchiness is felt.

• Cold and Other Environmental Conditions Can Cause Itchy Nose: Itchy nose, caused by a runny nose when you have caught a cold, is quite a common phenomenon. The reason behind this is the dryness of the nasal passages. When the dryness is severe, there are chances that you will sneeze along with an itchy nose. In case of catching a cold, runny nose is quite likely.
• Spicy Foods: Many people, who are intolerant to spicy food, are found to have itchy nose after eating something spicy and hot.
• Itchy Nose: Often the itchiness of the nose is limited only to the skin of the nose and is not experienced inside. This condition is caused by dryness of the skin. When there is a high temperature with a low moisture level in the environment, many people suffer from an itchy nose. Hence, even sun exposure in dry regions can cause this condition. As the UV rays penetrate into the skin, they break the elastin fibres and collagen and this causes the skin to irritate causing itchy nose.

Though itchy nose itself is a symptom of another internal or external disturbance, there are some other symptoms that are often associated with this condition. These include –

• Stuffy or runny nose
• Itchy and watery eyes
• Rashes on the skin
• Sneezing.

If these symptoms are encountered along with an itchy nose, it is most likely that the causes are cold, allergy or the environmental condition.

The treatment of itchy nose is entirely dependent on the cause of the condition. Different causes will receive different treatment methods. The doctor will run diagnostic tests or clinically examine the condition to find out the cause behind itchy nose.

• Treating Itchy Nose Caused by Allergies: In case the cause of the itchy nose is an allergy, the doctor will prescribe medicines like ointments or nasal sprays that contain antihistamines. As the histamine is the reason behind the itchy nose in case of allergy, antihistamines can help get rid of the condition.
• Treatment to Get Rid of Itchy Nose Caused by Cold: If the cause of the itchy nose is cold, the doctor will recommend medicines that can treat or cure the cold. A sterile saline solution of Sodium Chloride can also help with this condition and reduce the irritation.
• Treating Itchy Nose Caused Due to Skin Irritation: There are various over the counter medicines available in the drug stores, such as the Hydrocortisone lotions or the non-prescription ointments that contain urea or lactic acid. These can effectively reduce the dryness of the skin and thus help get rid of itchy nose.

If you are suffering from an itchy nose, you should always take some precautionary measures to get rid of this condition. The usual preventive measures that you must take are –

• Keep the home dust and allergen free. Always keep the house clean and while cleaning, make sure that you cover your nose with a guard or at least a piece of cloth, so that they do not get into your nose.
• Keep the use of perfume and other fragrances as low as possible.
• Wash your hair and clothes regularly and always wear clean and fresh clothes as the clothes are very likely to carry different kinds of allergens.

Apart from these things, you must also keep a few things in mind.

• Always choose the right kind of tissue. Often, people make the mistake of choosing any moistened tissue as opposed to the plain and old dry tissues as they think that this will moisten the skin. However, the pre-moistened tissues are designed to remove makeup and hence, they are mildly to strongly fragranced. This too can cause the allergic reaction.
• Instead of using wipes, use a fragrance-free moisturizer and moisturize the skin several times a day.
• Never wipe the nose. Just pat the nose with the tissue, if you are using one.
• Flush the nose at least twice a day, so that the nasal passages are not congested.

With these simple preventive measures, it will be absolutely easy for you to cope with the problem of an itchy nose.