Top Story: What to know about the nose

Our nose has many complex functions, many of which we might be unaware of. It warms the air we breathe, filters out irritants and allows us to take in the smells around us. Most of us don’t think of our nose until it is clogged up and bothering us, but it could use our attention.

Dr. Neal Godse, assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, was interviewed on MPR News with Angela Davis about how our nose works, what causes congestion and how to treat problems in our nasal passages. “The production of mucus in the nose is tightly controlled by the nervous system. The brain will send its signals to congest and create more mucus and then it will tell it to decongest and reduce mucus production,” he said. “As we age or in relation to other inflammatory issues, sometimes that on/off switch from the brain doesn’t work as well. People end up with a constant on signal, creating more congestion and more drainage.”

COVID-19 also had a big impact on some people’s taste and smell, with some having lost both completely. Dr. Godse says that recovering sense of smell is one of the biggest issues doctors who specialize in the nose are facing right now, but there are effective treatments and more research to be done.

To learn more about the nose and its functions, listen to the full interview here.