Advertisement
Trending

‘It could potentially cause some damage’: Expert shares the right way to blow your nose. You’re probably doing it wrong

‘FINALLY I’M DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.’

Photo of Melody Heald

Melody Heald

Side by side photos of a man blowing his nose at a desk and a screenshot from @rubin_allergy's Tiktok.
@rubin_allergy/Tiktok; Shutterstock (Licensed)

If you’re the type to blow your nose forcefully, Dr. Zachary Rubin (@rubin_allergy) has some bad news for you.

Featured Video

The TikTok-famous pediatrician, who specializes in allergy and immunology, often posts medical content for his 1.6 million followers. However, he emphasizes in his bio that he does not give medical advice.

In a clip with 1.3 million views, he says that “many people” don’t blow their nose correctly.

“They’re blowing their nose very hard and doing it with both nostrils at the same time,” he says. “It could potentially cause some damage.”

Advertisement

A recipe for an ear infection

He then details the ramifications of improper nose blowing.

“The problem with this is that when you have that increased pressure, especially when it’s dry out, like it is now, you could increase the risk of having damage to the nasal passages, leading to nosebleeds,” the pediatrician explains.

He continues, “Also, that built-up pressure in your nasal passages could end up going in multiple directions, including in the back of your nasal passage where the eustachian tubes are. That connects to the middle ear. So, you could be displacing mucus, bacteria, viruses, etc., into the eustachian tube and potentially increase the risk of having an ear infection.”

Advertisement

The right way to blow your nose

Dr. Rubin then shares what the “best way” to blow one’s nose is. He says to cover one nostril and slowly blow out into a tissue. “Don’t do it too hard. It should be comfortable. Then, you do that on the other side. Afterwards, wash your hands with soap and water to make sure you’re not spreading germs to others,” he says.

The Daily Dot reached out to Dr. Rubin via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment. 

Is Dr. Rubin convincing viewers to blow their noses properly?

Some viewers shared that they always blow their noses this way.

Advertisement

“Wait people don’t plug one side when they blow their nose???” one questioned.

“FINALLY I’M DOING SOMETHING RIGHT,” another cheered.

However, Dr. Rubin’s video wasn’t enough to convince others.

“But if I do it gently the giant boogers from way up there don’t come out. Sincerely, someone with chronic sinitis and sinus infections,” one user remarked.

Advertisement

“Nah I have chronic sinusitis if I blow softly it does nothing,” a second agreed. “I know that blowing too hard will exacerbate it but I literally cannot breathe thru my nose if I don’t.”

A third commented, “But I’m so insanely congested all the time. I have to blow like crazy or it’s ineffective.”

Can blowing your nose too forcefully create problems?

Since the mouth, ears, and nose are all connected, blowing one’s nose too hard can result in bacteria shooting up to the middle part of the ear. And that can lead to an ear infection. Improper nose blowing is one of the reasons children are more predisposed to ear infections. In addition to ear infections, one can rupture their eardrum if they blow too hard. If one hears a “pop,” that’s a sign they blew their nose too hard and need to tone down the intensity.

Advertisement
@rubin_allergy How to blow your nose correctly. If you blow your nose too forcefully, it may increase the risk of causing pain or an ear infection. For general educational purposes only. #nose #tiktokdoc #learnontiktok ♬ original sound – Dr. Rubin, MD

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

 
The Daily Dot