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Why Is My Nose Cold? 12 Causes, Symptoms, and Effective Cures

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“Why is my nose cold?”

If it is a question you ask yourself often. You don’t need to worry, as this is a common query. Many people worry about their cold noses. The usual cause is simple: blood circulation takes longer to reach the extremities, especially when temperatures are low.

Your limbs, ears, and nose feel cold before the rest of your body.

There can be several reasons for having a cold nose.

Contents

Why Is My Nose Cold?

There is no one definite reason for your cold nose. Let’s evaluate some of the possible causes.

  • Your Body’s Natural Response to Cold Weather

The human body reduces circulation to extremities in cold temperatures, thus conserving its energy and heat against extreme colds. Blood circulation is directed to the vital organs to regulate their proper functioning. It reduces blood flow to your nose, ears, and limbs, making them feel colder than other body parts like the chest and stomach.

The normal functioning of vital organs helps generate heat to combat cold temperatures. The nose starts feeling colder because of its very constitutions. Its composition mainly has cartilage tissue and lacks insulating fats.

You can feel your nose getting colder instantly when exposed to extreme cold during outdoor activities. If this exposure is prolonged, it can lead to Hypothermia, indicated by

  1. Shivering
  2. Perplexity
  3. Discorded actions
  4. Fatigue

Moving to a warmer place as soon as possible is suggested to regain normal body functioning. Otherwise, it can cause severe damage to your body.

  • Stress Turns Your Nose Cold

You may not believe it, but tell your mind to calm down as soon as your nose gets colder. According to research conducted at the University of Nottingham, your nose temperature indicates your stressed mind.

Whys is my nose cold? Stress can cause your nose cold

You may have seen people around who start sneezing as soon as they get involved in a situation that requires a choice or leads to mental pressure. Students often catch the flu during their exams. In such cases, it is not the actual flu or infection but your body’s reaction to stress due to exams. In such conditions, blood circulation gets directed to the brain from facial muscles, thus leaving them colder. This was a surprising discovery for the research scientists.

Some nose cold symptoms

  1. Pumped up feeling due to the Central Nervous System releasing adrenaline in a stressful situation
  2. Prolonged stressful situations lead to increased and repetitive cortisol release. As a result, the human body gets subjected to infections and colds.
  3. Less vitality due to chronic stressful situations

Stress is often found to be the root cause of many physical ailments. One social issue is that instead of facing or solving some stressful situations. People try escaping it and hardly admit to being upset. Once stress gets prolonged, it triggers medical conditions.

Learn to face your fear. If manageable, go ahead and solve it. Solving some stressful issues may take longer, but leaving them unattended can be precarious. Some factors are beyond our immediate control, like the opinions and behavior of other people.

Stop overthinking. Be mindful of your nose running cold while you are overthinking some issues. As soon as you get the signal of stress with your cold nose, stop thinking about it. You can deal with your thoughts in a better mindful state.

  • Thyroid problem

Hypothyroidism can be a medical cause of your cold nose. In this condition, the thyroid gland becomes underactive and releases lesser hormones.

thyroid issue can make your nose cold

Thyroid patients suffer from colds more than other people. Hypothyroidism affects the human body’s potential to convert energy to heat.

With this condition treated thyroid starts releasing balanced hormones, and the body recovers from cold feelings.

  • Frostbite

Extended exposure to freezing temperatures signals itself through your cold nose. One must move to hot and safer places as it may lead to

  1. Reduced circulation to limbs
  2. Numbness
  3. Throbbing
  4. Tingling sensation
  5. Pale complexion

Extreme cold temperatures can affect limbs, ears, nose, cheeks, and nose. You must visit a doctor if affected by frostbite or Hypothermia.

  • High Blood Sugar

Hyperglycemia or High Blood Sugar indicates an increased sugar level in your blood due to lesser insulin production in your body. Diabetes, sickness, prolonged stress, and overeating can be causes of Hyperglycemia.

Diabetes affects normal circulation and leads to cold skin and limbs.

  • Heart Conditions

Poor function of your heart can also lead to a cold nose. Heart disease can show some symptoms like

  • High cholesterol level
  • Palpitation
  • Chest pain
  • High blood pressure
  • Fatigue on the staircase
  • Swelling in ankles and feet

Other than these extreme medical conditions, some other factors are not severe but can make you feel your nose cold.

  • Body Temperatures

Women are prone to feel colder than men, it may sound irrational, but it is true. According to research by the University of Maryland in 1992, the core temperature of women’s bodies is moderately higher than men’s. It makes sense that women with warmer bodies start sensing cold before men.

  • Metabolism

According to studies, the metabolic rate of men is twenty-three percent higher than women’s metabolism. Female bodies burn lesser calories and are prone to feel colder than males. Women may not like these scientific studies, but they have to grin and bear the fact. They can use other measures to combat cold noses, limbs, and overall body temperature.

  • Menstruation

Menstrual cycles affect body temperatures in women. They face fluctuations in their hormones during menstruation. There is a possibility that women’s bodies respond differently to specific temperatures at different times of the month. Women who take oral contraceptives are likely to have increased body temperatures during periods.

  • Difference in Perceptions

People have varied reactions to the same situation and specific temperatures. The human mind can do wonders, people who fear colder temperatures are likely to feel colder. As soon as the human mind perceives cold temperatures, blood vessels get constricted from the nose, ears, and limbs to maintain their actual body temperature.

some people perceive cold more than others

Meditation can help you recover. Just train your mind to feel that your nose isn’t feeling colder than the other part of your body. Gradually, you can overcome this feeling.

People who have outdoor jobs perceive it as something they can combat with. In comparison, those who hardly go out and work from home perceive extreme temperatures as hard to bear.

  • Clothing Style

During office hours, men are dressed up from tip to toe and mostly covered. Women working have formal dressings that can fight the colder temperatures less than men. Again it can be considered as a part of perception and lifestyles. People who are worried and do not feel comfortable with their cold hands, feet, ears, and nose can manage their clothing accordingly.

  • Sleep Patterns

Lack of sleep and improper timing also affects your body’s normal function. Try improving your sleep patterns if you are troubled by a colder nose and limbs. With proper sleep time, your body doesn’t need to provide blood to organs that it finds in urgent need of blood supply.

How to Get Rid of a Cold Nose?

If you assess yourself as not suffering from any of those, as mentioned earlier. Now relax. It is just a simple cold affecting your nose and limbs. If your nose is cold and you don’t feel comfortable. You can try some tips to keep your body warm

  • Enjoy a Hot Beverage

A warm cup of coffee, tea, or soup is all you need on a cold evening. You can even soothe your cold nose with the steam rising from your hot beverage cup

warm cup of coffee can relieve cold nose

  • A Warm Compress

Immerse a small towel in warm water, wring dripping water and place it on your nose. It relieves a cold nose with its mild temperature.

  • Wear a Hood or Scarf

If you live in a cold area and need to go outside, it’s better to cover your head with a hood or scarf. You can even cover your nose with a nose mask. Or you can protect your face, including your nose, with your scarf.

  • Revitalize Your Energy With Healthy Foods

Nuts can help maintain your body temperature. You can opt to eat fish, chocolates, and prawns to maintain a healthy body temperature.

  • Work Out and Walk

You can maintain healthy body temperatures with exercise. It regulates blood circulation and improves digestion. Your body can generate more energy and heat to combat extreme cold weather conditions. Working out regularly to build muscular strength for a healthy living would be best to avoid a cold nose.

  • Yoga

Yoga helps you build mental and muscular strength.

When Should I Be Worried About My Cold Nose and Get Some Medical Consultations?

Cold noses and limbs are something almost all of us face during different parts of the year. We can manage sleep and eating habits to maintain regular blood circulation. If you feel your nose cold for more than a specific period, you must check the normal functioning of your body.

Consult your doctor if you face cold nose issue for long

If the condition persists, you can consult a medical practitioner to suggest some food supplements to cure the issue. In extreme cases, they may tell you to have some blood tests to cure the condition.

FAQs

Q. Why is my nose cold all the time?

Usually, your nose gets cold due to reduced blood circulation during cold weather. Most likely, there is normal and indicates no significant health issue.

Q. Why is my nose colder than the rest of my face?

In cold temperatures, your nose gets a lesser blood supply and becomes cold than the rest of the surface.

Q. What are the common causes of a cold nose?

Besides cold temperatures, some other factors can contribute to your cold nose;

  • Stress
  • Thyroid problem
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Heart conditions
  • Metabolism &
  • Perception of Cold

Conclusion

Why my nose is cold may sound funny to some people. These people may not have faced the feeling for a more extended period. You can also evaluate yourself for other medical conditions. It would be best to focus on keeping your mind stress free as it causes various medical conditions. If you find yourself healthy and a cold nose is your concern. You look forwards to some remedies mentioned in this article.

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