There is a serious scientific argument against nose picking
Author:
Kolesnik Dmitry
1 minute
Nose picking is an unsafe activity that threatens the health of both the person picking it and those around them, shows a new study published in the European Respiratory Journal.
In a study of 40 adults, British scientists found that bacteria that can cause a dangerous form of pneumonia can be spread by picking or rubbing your nose.
It was previously known that pneumococci, which cause pneumonia and some other diseases, are spread through the air through coughing and sneezing, and the new study shows for the first time that they are also spread through hand-to-nose contact.
“Pneumococcal disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It kills 1.3 million children under 5 years of age every year,” says study lead author Victoria Connor of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.
In addition, an increased risk of infection is observed in older people and people with weakened immune systems due to chronic diseases.
In the study, the hands of 40 healthy adults were contaminated with pneumococci. People were divided into four groups. Participants in the first group were asked to smell their wet hands, which were moistened with a wipe contaminated with pneumococci. In the second group, people sniffed their hands, which had been coated with “dry” bacteria. Participants in the third group picked their nose with fingers soaked in liquid with bacteria, and in the fourth group they did the same, but with dry hands.
The study results showed that pneumococci were easily ingested into the nose in all test groups, but most so in the wet-exposure groups, likely because the bacteria usually die in a dry environment.
The authors suggest that good hand hygiene, as well as cleaning children's toys, can help protect children from becoming infected and spreading the bacteria to other children. The researchers also noted that such measures will help reduce the spread of bacteria and infection of the child's older relatives, who may be more susceptible to infection.
At the same time, Connor admits that it is impossible to force a child not to pick or rub his nose at all. Having a child pick their nose may have its benefits, she said, since the presence of bacteria can stimulate children's immune systems and reduce their chances of getting sick later. However, the spread of these germs can cause real harm to the health of others.
So, Connor says, stopping children from picking their nose is especially important if they are in contact with elderly relatives or relatives with weak immune systems.
“In this situation, ensuring good hand hygiene and clean toys and surfaces in the home will reduce the risk of transmitting bacteria and developing pneumococcal infections such as pneumonia,” says Connor.
Nasal septum is damaged
The fact is that when you pick your nose, crusts form. And every time they become more and more. And by picking them out, a person injures the mucous membrane, which receives less nutrition and dries out. Over time, this can lead to atrophy of the mucous membrane, and in some cases, even to perforation (formation of a hole) of the nasal septum.
“And this is a rather serious condition that will have to be treated only with surgical methods. Moreover, it is not at all a fact that the hole will completely disappear,” says Vladimir Zaitsev.
Read also: Dr. Stephen Cowan: 11 tips for child health
Causes of bad habit
In most cases, the child does not know where to put the contents of the nose. Before eating, he is in a state of indecision for several seconds. What to do? Wipe? Then about what? My mother will scold her clothes, someone else’s aunt will scold her against the wall. You have to hide the “evidence” in your mouth.
In medical sources you can read about deviations in development and behavior from the norm or psychological disorders. Special cases are called attention deficit syndrome and increased activity. The natural process of clearing the nasal cavity may be a symptom of a serious disease - Smith-Magenis syndrome.
A recent study in India has shocked the scientific community. A secret survey of more than 200 schoolchildren found that almost all of them admitted to picking more than four times a day. 20% of respondents called this a serious problem that complicates life. At the same time, many were identified with concomitant bad habits, which indicate psychological and neurological abnormalities.
Another reason for eating boogers is their taste. Some children like the taste of dried mucus, which makes them periodically look for new “sweets.”
Often it is not possible to find a reason for a child’s behavior. All doctors' hypotheses are only assumptions and cannot be considered indisputable. The only truth: eating boogers does not correspond to the norms of human behavior and is considered an uncivil gesture.
There is no point in mindlessly nagging a child. He will begin to move away from his parents and hide his actions in the future. The level of trust will be broken.
Is it worth weaning a child?
Statistics indicate that in almost 91% of people, a finger periodically ends up in the nose, clearing the cavity of dried mucus. So you shouldn’t punish your child for what most adults do.
Children are more exposed to a variety of new germs and their immune systems are still developing. Therefore, compared to adults, a child has more mucus. The physiology of children's sinuses complicates the situation - the mucus has nowhere to go, it remains in the nose. This is the main reason for the abundant number of boogers in children's noses.
Moderate picking in the nasal cavity is harmless for health, but it is very unpleasant for others to witness the process of cleaning the nasal cavity. Pediatricians recommend that parents teach children to clean their nose alone, without witnesses. This will prevent neurosis and disobedience in this regard.
Nosebleeds open
“If you pick your nose too often, you can sooner or later injure the mucous membrane of the nasal septum and provoke nosebleeds,” says Vladimir Zaitsev.
True, many people treat this with disdain - just think, blood from the nose, throw your head back and everything will go away. But according to doctors, even with mild nosebleeds, a person’s blood pressure drops sharply, tachycardia and weakness appear. And in approximately every fifth case, emergency medical care is required - rapid blood loss can threaten not only health, but also life.
Well, don’t you feel like picking your nose anymore?
How to cope
Picking is a signal that negative processes are occurring in the nasal sinus. If you want to clear your nose of dried mucus, this must be done, but with a sterile instrument.
Picking caused by psychological reasons needs a comprehensive consideration. Without determining the root cause of why the habit of picking in the nasal passage develops, it will not be possible to get rid of it.
For children
To wean a child, it is necessary to eliminate the disease and get rid of snot. The irritant will disappear and the desire to pick the nasal passages will disappear. If the cause of concern is dry mucous membranes during the heat, parents need to worry about the child’s comfort. The more causes of nose picking are eliminated, the less likely it is that the bad habit will take root.
Interesting activities will help children break the habit. Psychologists say that children often do this out of boredom. You need to keep your child busy and find something interesting to do. Playing will help you get rid of a bad habit: children better perceive generally accepted rules of behavior if they are presented in a playful way. You cannot punish children for a bad habit or establish prohibitions; such parental behavior will only harm the child’s psyche.
For adults
For adults, getting rid of bad habits begins with understanding them. They can control themselves and understand the logical reasons why picking their nose is harmful. An unconscious habit is eradicated by constantly monitoring one’s actions.
In adults, the process of withdrawal occurs gradually: every time, having noticed a bad habit, a person stops and thinks about his own action. It is useful to carry out cleansing medical procedures for the nasopharynx if an adult suffers from chronic diseases. Discipline and patience will allow you to quickly get rid of incorrect behavior.
Ideal conditions are created for infection to enter the body
As recent research by scientists has shown, you can become infected with pneumonia, meningitis and other serious infections not only through airborne droplets. In some cases, it is enough to simply pick your nose with a not too sterile finger. Moreover, this route of infection works especially well in young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
Read also: 10 things that are useful for a mother of boys to know in advance
Harm from eating boogers
The bigger concern is not the picking, but the eating of the boogers. For most children, the bad habit goes away on its own during the process of growing up and socialization. If parents are not ready to wait and calmly observe, then conditions should be provided in which the appearance of crusts will be minimal:
- Pay more attention to the child’s health and begin treating a runny nose in the early stages of the disease.
- Give great importance to the humidity and temperature in the rooms where the child spends time. Dry air causes the nasal mucosa to dry out, which is the culprit in the appearance of boogers. In a house with small children, it is better to have an air humidifier, frequently ventilate the room, organize wet cleaning, and walk in the fresh air.
- In order not to disrupt the integrity of the surface of the mucous membrane, the child must constantly cut his fingernails.
- Try to distract the child from a bad habit with the help of finger games and fakes.
Some scientists call boogers a “vaccine” against most diseases. Microbes that did not get inside accumulate on the mucous membrane. Eating boogers forces the immune system to fight new irritants that are in a weakened form. The body's protective functions are activated. Domestic pediatricians recommend using more traditional methods of boosting immunity.
American physiologists assure: picking in the nasal cavity is a finger massage of the mucous membrane, which significantly increases brain activity.
Cleaning your nose
The nose performs two physiological functions:
- is an organ of smell;
- breath.
Inside the nasal cavity is covered with a layer of epithelium, on the surface of which there is mucus. It not only contains olfactory receptors, but also many sensory endings. When foreign microparticles enter the nose, dried mucus accumulates, sensitive areas become irritated, provoking a sneeze reflex. For the proper functioning of the nose and the functioning of the receptors, periodic clearing of mucus from the sinuses is required. The body strives to independently rid the nasal cavity of foreign objects in various ways. Since constant breathing causes discomfort, it is imperative to systematically empty the nasal cavity of excess.
Nasal picking is an instinctive habit of extracting dried mucus from the nose using your fingers. You should not scold your child for such behavior.
Mucus and lint become a barrier for small dust particles. This is required to protect the respiratory system and prevents many complications. When the mucous membrane is irritated, automatic release of debris occurs. If it has dried out and formed a crust, then sneezing will not help clear the nasal cavity. A person strives to mechanically free his nose. Such behavior is justified and is not considered a bad habit.
Why do some children not limit themselves to simply taking boogers out of their noses, but also eat them? Everything is quite simple - a unique method of understanding the world. There comes a time when a child thinks about the origin of boogers in the nose and their purpose, because they make breathing difficult. He does not realize that the main reason is ordinary dust settling on the nasal cavity. If the baby likes the taste of boogers, then he will probably eat them: when he is bored, there is nothing to chew, etc.
It is very unpleasant to watch an adult remove and then eat boogers. This disgusts those around him, and many different microbes enter his body. It is much more difficult for an adult to get rid of a bad habit.
