Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to have rhinitis. And in people who have allergies that cause rhinitis, smoking makes the symptoms worse.
definition
Practically everybody has a runny or stuffy nose occasionally, when they have a cold. But some people have runny or stuffy noses most of the time. Doctors call these persistent nose problems rhinitis. In some people, rhinitis is caused by allergies; in other people, it has other causes.
Rhinitis is annoying and uncomfortable, and it can interfere with sleeping. It can also cause people to breathe through their mouths rather than their noses, which makes the mouth and throat dry and reduces the sense of taste. Mouth breathing may also increase a person's chances of catching colds and other infections because the mouth doesn't filter germs and other gunk out of the air the way that the nose does.
explanation
Some people who smoke, especially those who have only been smoking for a relatively short time (such as teenage smokers) may not notice any nose discomfort. However, damage to this part of the body is happening regardless. The inside of the nose -- and of the sinus cavities behind the nose -- is lined with tiny hairs called cilia, which sweep back and forth and help clear away mucus and irritants. Smoking interferes with the normal movement of the cilia; this is something that happens in all smokers, not just some of them. The malfunctioning cilia cannot do a good job of protecting the inside of the nose. As a result, nose problems will eventually develop. Even though some smokers may not notice problems at first, the symptoms will catch up with the person at some point.
