6 Strange Dangers of Blowing Your Nose Too Hard

Suffering from a cold is inconvenient, even at the best of times. And having to blow your nose constantly to clear nasal congestion isn’t pleasant either. However, you must be careful. Blowing your nose too hard can lead to some unpleasant consequences.

Find out what the worst outcomes of a hard nose blow can do. Some of these consequences might have you thinking twice before reaching for that tissue box. 

1. Blowing Nose Too Hard Leads to Nosebleeds

When you’re already suffering from a stuffy nose, the last thing you want to do is make the problem worse with a nosebleed. Unfortunately, blowing your nose too hard can lead to this exact situation.

Blowing your nose leads to a much greater pressure buildup, often up to ten times greater than that of a sneeze.

As a result, the blood vessels in your mucous membrane can burst and leave you dripping blood.

Apart from being annoying, nosebleeds also make your breathing troubles worse. It’s best to avoid blowing your nose too hard for this reason. 

2. Ear and Sinus Infections

Did you know that your ears, nose, and throat are all part of the same system?

Thanks to this connection, blowing your nose too hard can create problems in your ear and throat as well.If your stuffy nose is the result of a viral or bacterial infection, you might spread these germs around when blowing your nose. The germs can work their way into your throat or inner ear, resulting in a more severe issue than the common cold.

They can also work their way back into your sinuses.  If you have a stuffy nose and start to experience the symptoms of these infections, you should seek medical attention before it worsens. Talk to a doctor to treat your infection. 

3. Eardrum Ruptures

In addition to spreading a potential infection to your inner ear, you also run the risk of rupturing your eardrum when you blow your nose too hard. While this is uncommon, it is possible because the ear and nose connect via the Eustachian tube.

If your nose is mostly blocked and you blow too hard, you run the risk of building up pressure in the Eustachian tube. With enough pressure from the blow, it could lead to a painful hole in the eardrum.

4. Brain Aneurysm

Studies done by the American Heart Association have found that blowing your nose too hard can even lead to some serious cardiovascular risks.

This action could potentially trigger an aneurysm in the brain and lead to a stroke.

A brain aneurysm is a result of a temporary increase in blood pressure that can accompany forceful blowing.

5. Fractured Eye Sockets

If your blow build up enough pressure, you can even fracture the base of your eye sockets.

Apart from being extremely painful, this also takes a long time to heal. Generally, the recovery for fractured eye sockets takes three to four weeks.

6. Air Pushed Into Your Lungs

While it may seem like a good thing to have air in your lungs, blowing the nose too hard can result in the air showing up in places that it doesn’t belong.

If pressure rises in your lungs, your air sacs (alveoli) can rupture and allow air to enter the tissue between the lobes of the lung.

While this is rare, if it does happen, it comes with considerable chest pain. Overall, this condition isn’t dangerous, but talking to a doctor is always useful. 

What to Do Instead of Blowing Your Nose Too Hard

If you’re suffering from a stuffy nose and want some relief, there are other options besides blowing so hard. You can try a gentle blow with one nostril at a time.

Keep in mind that a more intense blow, even with just one nostril, can lead to unpleasant side effects like nosebleeds or even aneurysms.

An alternative is to use a saline nose spray to loosen up mucus.

Talk to a Doctor About Your Cold or Your Nose

Whether you have a cold, or you blew your nose hard enough to cause some damage, talking to a doctor is only a click away with Carefree MD.

Get unlimited access to a 24/7 doctor on call using your phone or computer at your convenience. Speak to a state-licensed physician about your nasal symptoms, get prescriptions sent to your local pharmacy when medically necessary, and receive personalized advice on treatment options.

Talk to a doctor about your cold, your nose, or anything elseby signing up for a Carefree MD membership today! 

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