Why Do I Get a Runny Nose When I Exercise?

January 19, 2020

by Cathe Friedrich

You expect to have a runny nose when you have a cold or allergies, but what if a stream of mucus drips from your nose every time you work out or you have to stop and wipe or blow your nose every five minutes?

When you’re huffing and puffing during an intense workout, a runny nose is more than a nuisance. A stopped up nose makes it harder to supply your body with oxygen. You may have to slow down and not perform your best when you’re congested or have a runny nose. If you have it, you’re not alone. A runny nose during exercise is a common phenomenon and an annoyance too. Some people have it most of the time while others only occasionally or when exercising in a certain environment. You’re probably wondering what causes a runny nose in response to exercise?

Exercise and Exercise-Induced Rhinitis

You might think of colds and seasonal allergies as being the main cause of a runny nose, but it could be a side effect of your workout. In medical terms, a runny nose or congestion during physical activity is called exercise-induced rhinitis. This non-seasonal type of runny nose causes many of the same symptoms as seasonal allergies–runny nose, congestion, sneezing, stuffiness, and, sometimes, itching. You may experience congestion and nasal secretions when you exercise indoors or outdoors, although it’s more common during outdoor exercise.

How many people suffer from this condition? More than you might think. Estimates are that 27 to 74% of athletes experience congestion and runny nose when they work out. Athletes can have it too. For some, it can impact their performance in a negative way.

Risk Factors for a Runny Nose During Exercise

As mentioned, if you have seasonal allergies, you are at a higher risk of having exercise-induced rhinitis, but even people who don’t experience seasonal allergies can suffer from this condition. However, it’s important to rule out other allergies as a cause of your symptoms. Whether you work out indoors or outdoors, you may be exposed to a variety of allergens that can cause a runny nose and other symptoms and not know it.

Outdoors you may breathe in car exhaust fumes, grass/plant allergens, and ozone whereas indoor air at a gym may be contaminated with formaldehyde, chemicals from cleaning agents, paint, and other sources of chemicals or small particles that irritate the nasal passages. In response to those chemicals, your nasal passages secrete more mucus, leading to a runny nose or congestion. Another trigger if you exercise at home is dust mites and mold. The triggers for allergic symptoms vary with the individual.

Temperature can play a role in allergic rhinitis symptoms too. Some people experience sniffles and congestion only when they exercise in a cold environment. You may lessen your risk by working in a warm room and not doing outdoor exercise, especially in the winter.

Why Does Exercise Cause a Runny Nose?

When you exercise, especially at high intensity, you release more of a hormone called noradrenaline that speeds up your heart and causes some blood vessels to constrict and some, like those that carry blood to your muscles and skin to dilate. When you launch into a fast-paced workout, the blood vessels in your nasal passages may also dilate and release more secretions that give you a runny nose. If you’re exposed to pollutants in the air or allergens, this can worsen the symptoms.

Are There Treatments for Exercise-Induced Rhinitis?

By now, you probably want to know what to do about that annoying runny nose. Sometimes physicians prescribe decongestants or antihistamines to relieve the symptoms. However, these medications have side effects. Decongestants can raise blood pressure and certain antihistamines can cause sleepiness, lightheadedness, or dizziness. In addition, some antihistamines can interfere with the body’s ability to sweat and release heat. On the plus side, drugstores also sell second-generation antihistamines that are less likely to cause drowsiness. Athletes must also know that decongestants, other than those you apply to the nasal passages, are banned from Olympic competitions.

Another treatment with few side effects that helps some people is intranasal corticosteroids. They’re available at most drugstores in a spray bottle that you squeeze the contents into your nasal passages. Unlike corticosteroids you take by mouth, you don’t get the systemic side effects when you use them as a nasal spray.

Clear Those Nasal Passages

If you have exercise-induced rhinitis, you may also get relief from spraying saline nasal spray into your nasal passages. It’s particularly beneficial for relieving nasal stuffiness and for clearing irritants from your nasal passages. Also, if you exercise at home, make sure your exercise environment has high enough humidity. Dry air can worsen nasal congestion and a runny nose. In addition, a dry environment makes you more susceptible to viruses that cause upper respiratory infections and colds.

Be aware of what triggers your symptoms. Keep a journal and write down the workout you did, the temperature in the room, indoors or outdoors, how long it lasted, etc. and look for patterns. Stay hydrated too to thin out your nasal secretions. Also, ask your physician about allergy testing to rule out allergies to things in your living environment if you get the symptoms when you work out at home. If you discover your runny nose worsens when you work out outdoors, carry out your sweat sessions inside in a room with a moderate temperature and good humidity.

The Bottom Line

A runny nose during exercise is inconvenient! You now know what causes it and how to deal with it.

References:

Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2006 Feb;96(2):334-40.
Rhinology, 40, 211-214, 2002. ”Treating Allergic Rhinitis in the Athlete”
com. “Nonallergic Rhinitis”
com. ‘Exercise-Induced Rhinitis May Be Common in Athletes”
International Journal of Otolaryngology. Volume 2017, Article ID 8098426, 5 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8098426.
Rhinology, 40, 211-214, 2002.