I have vasomotor rhinitis and get more mucus attacks while wearing a mask. Why?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have vasomotor rhinitus. At certain times of the year, I just go off and get cups of mucus or when it gets really humid. And if I do not take my nose sprays, it builds up so much that I throw it up. I just call these mucus attacks. The question is, when I wear a mask, I am getting a lot more mucus attacks. Why would this be? I know there still is not a lot of understanding of this condition. Could this be because of a build-up of humidity from the mask?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Yes, vasomotor rhinitis can definitely increase when you wear a mask. The reasons are plenty depending on the situation.

If you happen to wear a disposable n95 mask that has completed its half-life of approx 250 hours, the mask starts becoming counterproductive and can create more trouble than benefit. This could be one cause of triggering the vasomotor activity in the nose and lead to congestion and mucus production. If you are wearing a surgical mask, dehydration in the nose can be possible. As a result, your nose can produce thick boogers along with mucus which can cause a stuffy nose. In almost all cases, we give a general guideline to prevent anything under the sky which can trigger vasomotor activity, hence causing congestion and its associated issues. Most commonly, you have a sudden change in temperature, exposure to an intense odor, spicy food, exercise, etc., which can either decrease or increase the intensity of the problem.

If the stuffiness is too much, you can consider the following treatment.

1. Duonase nasal spray (Fluticasone + Azelastine) two puffs in each nostril two times a day for one month.

2. Tablet N-Acetylcysteine 600 mg one tablet in the morning and evening after food for two weeks.

3. Otrivin nasal drops (Xylometazoline Hydrochloride) three drops three times a day in each nostril for the next one week.

4. Steam inhalations four times a day for the next one month.

5. Keep sipping on boiled warm water.

6. Avoid direct exposure to cold air currents especially air-conditioned air.

7. Avoid smoking and alcohol.

Please understand that like allergic rhinitis, vasomotor rhinitis does not have a head-on medical treatment as much, which treats things specifically. In both conditions, precautionary measures are the key to keep the problems at the bare minimum level. Like I said earlier, it is all about the tolerance level of the body to handle the situation, and the reasons causing stuffiness in your nose can actually be a relieving factor for another person. The medications mentioned above are to symptomatically treat the issue and not allow it to further progress into sinusitis which invariably does happen when care is not adequately taken. They do not treat the problem per se.

Please make sure you keep a strict lifestyle and adhere to the do and dont that your body would have by far told you by now.

I hope this answers your query. If there is anything more that you need to know or enquire about, please do let us know, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Warm regards.