Some runners experience nasal discharge or sinus drainage while running. Sinus drainage results from excess mucus dripping from the nasal cavity and exiting either through the nostrils or down the back of the throat. Eye, nose and throat specialist Dr. Murray Grossan says sinus drainage can result from allergies, a cold or environmental conditions such as a lack of humidity or rapidly changing temperatures. Running outdoors can trigger allergies, while running in cold weather can also cause sinus drainage.
Step 1
Determine if the environment is the cause for the drainage while running. If you are running outdoors, try running inside to see if allergies are the culprit. If you find running indoors also causes drainage, continue to step 2. If running indoors solves the problem, talk to your doctor about the types of allergy medications available to help keep your nose from running when you run outdoors. He may suggest an over-the-counter medicine, or prescribe an allergy medication for you.
Step 2
Blow your nose and check for color in the mucus. Green or yellow color in the mucus could indicate infection in the sinus cavity. This could mean you have a cold or an infection. If it only lasts a couple days, drink plenty of fluids and rest until the cold subsides. If the green or yellow discharge lasts for more than three weeks, you will need to visit your doctor to be treated and probably take a course of antibiotics to help remedy the problem.
Step 3
Blow your nose several times before running to get rid of any excess mucus in your nasal passages. Carry tissues with you while running in case drainage continues during your run. Your body may be producing excess mucus if you live in a dry climate, so you may want to purchase a saline nasal spray to spray in each nostril prior to running. The saline spray helps lubricate the nasal passages and reduce the thick secretions. Saline spray can also help wash out the nasal passages and cleanse them of any infectious agents.
Step 4
Run with a scarf wrapped around your nose and mouth. This will help warm up the air you breathe as you are running if you run in a cold climate. Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene says cold air affects mucus transport, increasing mucus production. He says colder temperatures also make mucus thicker. Breathing the warmer air helps increase the temperature of the air before it enters your nostrils, reducing the chance that the mucus amount and thickness will increase.
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