How does snot form so fast

This is often experienced as post-nasal drip — thick mucus at the back of your throat that's much more noticeable than the thinner mucus you swallow unconsciously. One cause is dehydration: if your body doesn't have enough water, it'll cut back on the secretion of serous fluid. An excessively dry environment — often caused by central heat or air conditioning — can also cause the same problem, as can smoking cigarettes.

Instead of taking a decongestant to relieve post-nasal drip, Ellis recommends using an expectorant, which will increase the amount of serous fluid your mucus is diluted in. Most of the mucus in your nose gets swept by your cilia to the back of your throat. But sometimes — especially in arid environments — some of the mucus near your nostrils in an area formally called the nasal vestibule begins to dry out first, becoming too viscous to be swept by cilia.

If it sits there long enough, it dries even further, becoming the crusty accretion colloquially known as a booger.

Boogers, as it happens, are the subject of some scientific study. Several researchers have considered the question of why people pick their noses. One theory is that people simply derive pleasure from the act of "cleaning up," and while tissues aren't always available, your fingers are.

Whatever the reason, it's widespread. The authors of one small survey finding that 91 percent of adults admitted to picking from time to time. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea: Dutch researchers, among others, have found that nose-picking can spread infections.

Mucus, in its natural state, is clear. But that doesn't mean that colored mucus is necessarily a bad thing. Grey, whitish, or yellowish mucus could simply be the result of dust, pollen, or other particles you've inhaled from the air around you.

On the other hand, these colors can be a sign of an infection , as they can be caused by an excess of white blood cells or pus. And darker colors — like pink, red, or brown — can be a sign of bleeding in your nasal cavity. Don't use this. The nasal decongestant spray Afrin which has the active ingredient Oxymetazoline works really, really well. Too well. Mucus is made by mucosal glands that line the body's respiratory tract , which includes the nose, the throat and the lungs, Lebowitz said.

Related: Why do we sneeze? Most of the mucus that people sneeze out comes from the mucosal glands lining the nasal passages, Lebowitz said. People often think it's also coming from their sinuses , but in fact only a very small amount of mucus is produced in the sinuses, he said.

Allergies are often a temporary problem, like a pollen bloom that keeps the allergens in the air for several days. If you know the source of your snot is an allergy, an over-the-counter antihistamine may be enough to dry out your nose.

Antihistamines may cause side effects in some people, such as:. Prescription and over-the-counter decongestants may help you get through a cold. However, these drugs can have an effect in the body similar to that of a shot of adrenaline.

They can make you jittery and cause a loss of appetite. Read the ingredient list and the warnings before taking any medication, including a decongestant. Do you want to learn more about relieving a stuffy nose? Here are eight things you can do now to clear up your congestion.

If you have excess nasal congestion from a cold or allergies, over-the-counter medications and a little patience should help treat the symptom. If you find yourself reaching for a tissue, remember to blow your nose gently. Vigorous nose blowing can actually send some of your mucus back into your sinuses. Are you sneezing or coughing? Have a runny nose or watery eyes? You may have allergies or a cold. These conditions share many of the same symptoms…. When you cough up phlegm, it's called sputum.

If your sputum is green, yellow, or another color, it's likely a sign of illness. But sometimes, it becomes too viscous or copious, and you get loogies or boogers aplenty. Boogers, then, show up for a variety of reasons. It is, after all, a defense mechanism for the body: The mucus and your nose hairs are working in tandem to trap dirt and other gross things from being inhaled into the body. Never pluck them, Moche stresses. Essentially it can behave like pulling off a scab from a healing wound and cause injury to the underlying mucosa.