Have you noticed this when blowing your nose?

[Tycho]

When I have to blow my nose, which is often every 5 minutes, but I sometimes go without for up to 45 minutes, I've found something interesting.

If I don't use a Kleenex, I'll hurl snot out of my unblocked nostril maybe distances of 2-4 feet and it really gets my sinuses clear (for the next 5 minutes).

But when I use a Kleenex, I sort of react like both nostrils are being blocked, and I don't clear my head as well.

Also I hate it when people suck in their snot.

My mom taught me that I have to expel that stuff out of my head. If you don't, it's not going anywhere. You'll get terrible migrain headaches as that stuff starts to collect up there, or it will drip down your throat and you'll feel and talk like you smoke a pack every hour. Where else do you think your snot goes if you don't blow your nose?

But do you think you feel better too when you shoot snot for distance?

[El Chuxter]

I like doing it when in line behind someone in Target. Gets in their hair. They don't find out for hours. Hilarity ensues.

[Tycho]

Like you mean if they have long hair? Yeah. Sending a pretty girl off with snot in her hair. Good one Chux.

But are you getting good clearance in your nostrils from doing that?

In Wal-Mart, the smells of the cleaning fluids they use every night really open your nasal passages up actually.

I think that shooting snot for distance in lines at retail stores would be a more rewarding experience at Wal-Mart versus Target.

[sebillba]

What a charming little thread!! But as a life-long sinus sufferer, it struck a chord with me. I've never really mastered the long distance expulsion, and if a tissue isn't available, I'm afraid I have to hoik and spit... though techically, it's not really snot then, but would be classed as gob. Maybe I should take tips from my persian cat, who is an expert at shooting out the snot - as the orange glob all over my walls will testify.

Colour and consistency can be really satisfying... sometimes mine is really thick and a bright, almost fluorescent yellow - it always feels good to get rid of that from inside my head.

[Tycho]

Yes Sibillba. I too am a life-long sinus sufferer.

Several things about that, and then on to snot.

There is no cure for lifelong sinus-sufferers. I have large sinuses that produce a lot of mucus constantly. Things like dairy products or reactions to spicy foods like tabasco or jalepenos can make the condition temporarily worse, but generally you need nose sprays, a good supply of tissues, and anti-hystamines.

Next, I think a LOT of people are lifelong sinus-sufferers, but they just don't think so. The GOAL HERE is to breathe free and clear constantly. There IS something wrong when you are not breathing this well, and it will hamper athletic performances from competative sports, to your own personal workouts, to just being able to sit at a desk and type and stay awake while you're doing it.

Clear your nose!

I run a vaporizer by my bedside at night to help. (Also helps you have fresher breath in the morning if you haven't been mouth-breathing - or maybe drooling - all night. Plus no snoring.)

Mouth-breathers....snorers....anyway....

Yes, you have an infection when your snot is green, fading to yellow, or any color but clear. You can still have gobs of clear snot - that's normal for sinus-sufferers.

If you are NOT relating to this thread, perhaps you should take advantage of your gifts and be a great athlete.

Others of us are trying to be athletes, but suffer never-the-less. We admire you guys who don't suffer, but hate you never the less because you probably have no sympathy for us.

[mtriv73]

Maybe when you're blocking up one nostril to shoot it out, rather than holding a tissue over your nose and blowing both at once, you're increasing the pressure behind your projectiles. Since you're reducing the potential paths the escaping air and mucus can take by half and assuming you blow for the same amount of time either way, you can double the velocity of your nose projectiles using the one nostril method. This could lead to more effective clearance and the better feeling you're experiencing. As a control, you should try blocking one nostril at a time while you blow into a tissue to see if you get the same effect.

[Tycho]

As a control, you should try blocking one nostril at a time while you blow into a tissue to see if you get the same effect.

Oh I have. That is what this thread is about: my empiracle evidence I've gathered that favors not using a kleenex (initially). You have to wipe your face and clean up the rug after launch of course (unless you use some girl's hair like in El Chuxter's method).

[El Chuxter]

I didn't say it was a girl. It's funnier if it's an old lady or a dude with a mullet.

[sebillba]

There is no cure for lifelong sinus-sufferers. I have large sinuses that produce a lot of mucus constantly. Things like dairy products or reactions to spicy foods like tabasco or jalepenos can make the condition temporarily worse, but generally you need nose sprays, a good supply of tissues, and anti-hystamines.

I think my addiction to dairy products is a factor, but my love of cheese and milk obviously outweighs my hate of snot. I've been on sprays for as long as I can remember, and have had two surgeries - one with scalpels, the other with lasers, neither made much difference.

Having a vaporizer by your bed sounds like a good idea, I may have to try that. I usually just smear my nose with Vicks Vapour Rub at night, after having a soak in a mentholated bubble bath. I have to be able to breathe through my nose - if it's too blocked I wake up. But although I'm not a mouth breather, apparently I still snore like a bulldozer! Thankfully I have an extrememely understanding partner.

Fortunately (well, unfortunate really, but fortunate in this case), I don't have a sporting bone in my body... I just need to be able to breathe easily for general day to day living.

[Snowtrooper]

If nobody else is around and I'm outside, I'll fire off a couple of snot rockets. It does clear out the sinuses a whole lot better than using tissue.