SNOT HORROR
‘Snorting other people’s snot’ could ‘cure hayfever and relieve stuffiness’
Plus, how to un-block your nose while snot-transplants are remain unavailable...
SNORTING other people's snot could help cure your blocked nose, experts say.
New - rather gross-sounding - research has found that just a few days of mucus treatment could cure a blocked nose and hay fever for up to three months.
1
Swedish scientists think people's snot can improve the make-up of the nasal microbiome - the microorganisms found throughout the nose and sinuses.
Previous research has suggested that people with a more diverse array of nose bugs are less likely to suffer from chronic congestion or hay fever.
Now, scientists from the University of Lund have discovered that squirting some of that bug-rich snot directly into the nose of someone with a permanently blocked schnozzle clears the airways.
They think the new bugs reduce nasal inflammation that makes it hard to breathe properly through the nose.
Already, something similar is being used on the NHS - but instead of snot, they're using poo.
Faecal transplants - as they're medically known - come from heathy donars and are implanted into people's intestine, or swallowed in tablet form, to treat C. difficile, which kills thousands of Brits every year.
They are also being trialled to treat liver disease.
A permanently blocked nose, or chronic sinusitis, happens when the nasal cavity becomes inflamed, usually because of an infection or allergies.
Most read in Health
The painful condition can make it hard to breathe, cause bad breath and even lead to a reduce sense of smell.
Symptoms of chronic sinusitis can last for months or years.
What is hay fever: Hayfever season strikes early as mild winter sparks early pollen 'explosion'
Symptoms improved for three months
The latest research, published in the International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, looked at how snot transplants affected 22 adults with blocked noses.
Each participant was first given a two-week course of antibiotics to clear their noses of existing bacteria, so their nose microbiome was ready to be recreated by donor mucus.
The new snot - taken from healthy friends and partners - was then shot up the noses of the volunteers using a syringe.
This process was repeated each day for five days.
They found the severity of symptoms, including coughs and facial pain, declined by almost 40 per cent up to three months after the trial had finished.
There was a significant increase in the number and variety of bacteria in nasal mucus, the scientists said.
They now hope to confirm the findings by performing the same tests on many more people.
Chronic sinusitis: symptoms and how to treat
Chronic sinusitis is when the symptoms and swelling of the sinuses is present for longer than 3 months. These can include:
- Bad breath or loss of smell
- Cough, often worse at night
- Fatigue and general feeling of being ill
- Fever
- Headache
- Pressure-like pain, pain behind the eyes, toothache, or tenderness of the face
- Nasal stuffiness and discharge
- Sore throat and postnasal drip
How to treat it
If your sinus symptoms do not get better after three weeks you should go and see your GP who can best advise you.
If a GP thinks your sinusitis needs treatment, they may prescribe medicines such as:
- Steroid nasal sprays or drops to reduce the swelling in your sinuses – you might need to take these for a few months
- Antihistamines if an allergy is causing your symptoms
Rarely, you may need antibiotics. This is not common, as sinusitis is usually caused by a virus, not bacteria.
The GP may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist if you:
- still have sinusitis after three months of treatment
- keep getting sinusitis
- only have symptoms on one side of your face
The specialist may recommend surgery for some people