Think twice before you spice up your sinuses

When cold and flu medicine can’t seem to clear your runny nose, some may turn to the spiciest hot sauce or foods to help ease symptoms. Dr. Meha Fox, assistant professor in the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Baylor, warns that eating spicy foods to clear your sinuses might not be the best idea and could prolong your symptoms.

“When people eat spicy foods, the spice, often capsaicin, in the food, triggers heat receptors in the skin, causing your brain to think that you are overheating, and triggers actions that cool the body, like sweating,” Fox said. “This also causes inflammation of the mucus membranes of the nose and throat, resulting in runny nose, throat irritation and hoarseness of the voice.”

Although spicy foods may cause mucus in your nose to flow, any benefits are temporary. Once the effects of the capsaicin wear off, normal mucus production resumes and the runny nose will return. People may also choose to eat spicy foods to clear stuffy noses; however, these are not caused by mucus, but rather inflammation of the sinuses due to viral infections or allergies. Excessive nose blowing also can cause inflammation.

Excessive consumption of spicy foods also can lead to acid reflux, which is not helpful for clearing out sinuses. During acid reflux, stomach acid can flow as high as the back of the nose, leading to a chronic runny nose or post-nasal drainage of mucus. Acid reflux can also cause nausea, sore throats and heartburn.

The classic methods of treating a runny nose are the safest ways to ease symptoms. If you have a runny or stuffed nose due to a common cold, flu or allergies, a saline rinse, oral decongestants or oxymetazoline nasal spray, which should not be used for more than three days in a row, will work for short-term use. Saline rinses with distilled water also can be used as often as possible and are very effective in clearing out sinuses without causing too much inflammation.

“For more chronic runny or stuff nose, you should discuss with your doctor to determine why you might have this and engage in directed treatment,” Fox said.

By Aaron Nieto