What your nose does
- Filters the air you breathe, removing dust, germs and irritants.
- Warms and moistens it, so your lungs and airways don't dry out.
- Holds the nerve cells behind your sense of smell.
When something goes wrong with your nose, your whole body can feel it. The stuffy nose of a common cold, for example, can make it hard to breathe, sleep or get comfortable.
Common problems
| Problem | What it is |
|---|---|
| Deviated septum | the wall dividing the nasal cavity into two halves is shifted |
| Nasal polyps | soft growths on the lining of the nose or sinuses |
| Nosebleeds | bleeding from the nose |
| Rhinitis | inflammation of the nose and sinuses, sometimes from allergies; the main symptom is a runny nose |
| Nasal fractures | a broken nose |
Sources
Based on "Nose Injuries and Disorders," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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