Otolaryngologist Dr Steven C Marks, on behalf of the American Rhinologic Society, explains the physiology:
'The nose and sinuses are lined by a mucous membrane that contains both mucus-secreting glands and small cells called goblet cells, which also secrete a component of mucus. This mucus is produced in normal mucous membranes and in those that are infected or inflamed'
Many medical problems, such as viral or bacterial infections or allergies, can cause your nose to run. But, Marks says, the nose's response to cold is different:
'The nasal and sinus mucous membranes are innervated [stimulated] by nerves which control, to some extent, the rate of mucus secretion. The response of the nose to cold air is in part a reflex mediated by these nerves. The cold air is sensed by the mucosa [mucous membrane], which then sends a signal back to the brain, which then send a signal back to the mucosa: the result is a secretion of mucus.'
What good does a runny nose do anyone but Kleenex? Keith Holmes, an ear nose and throat specialist, believes that it is 'a natural physiologic phenomenon of the organ to protect the warm lining of the nose', as cold irritates the mucous membrane. Marks speculates that 'the increased mucus flow may be necessary to improve the humidification and cleaning of the cold environment.'
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