Even after the passing of the season of colds problem for many people with colds do not fade because it quickly dropping entering a period of spring allergies . One of the most annoying and unpleasant manifestations of runny nose is difficulty breathing through the nose with periodic occlusion of the nostrils . Interestingly, they almost never obstruct at the same time, and most of the time breathing is more difficult than one of them .
This phenomenon is most pronounced in the nose, but the truth is that even in the normal state one nostril of our nose is always more impassable than the other. Moreover, the nostrils seem to alternately intermittently obstruct and perish almost imperceptibly. It turns out that this phenomenon has its biological explanation.
The process of constantly changing the patency of the two nostrils is inappropriately regulated by the structures of the vegetative nervous system . These are the same structures that support the flow of other involuntary life processes such as digestion, cardiac activity, and so on. Regarding the nose, the vegetative nervous system is the regulator of the so- nasal cycle, ensuring that each nostril continually performs its functions seamlessly. It was found that this cycle is restarted several times a day, and the change in patency of the nostrils may not be felt at all. The process is more pronounced only in the nipple when breathing is difficult and the perforation of one nostril is noticeable.
The patency of the two nostrils is controlled by a change in blood flow to the lining in both nose compartments. Increased blood flow to the mucous membrane of one nostril leads to the swelling and diminishing of its enlightenment and, hence, the patency of the air through it.
The process is called congestion. During each nasal cycle, the congestion of the lining of the two nostrils is alternated with gradual attenuation and increased passage for the inspired air. Changes in patency occur automatically every 3 to 6 hours.
Changes in the patency of the two nostrils are regulated completely unwittingly by the autonomic nervous system , but the changes can be unlocked and volitional. This is most clearly understood when occupying a lying position and periodically rotating the head in different directions. At these times, it is possible to stimulate the autonomic nervous system more often to change the patency of the individual nostrils.
