Chronic Runny Nose

Most people think nothing of a runny nose. However, if your nose is always dripping – whether that excess nasal drainage is going down the back of your throat (postnasal drip) or out your nostrils – you may want to consider doing something about it.

A runny nose, or rhinitis, occurs because your nasal passageways are irritated and inflamed. This is different from sinusitis, which involves the sinus passageways. Rhinitis may be caused by a cold, flu, or allergies – basically, anything that irritates or inflames the tissue in your nose.

If allergies are the cause, a condition is also known as hay fever, you will likely experience other symptoms of an allergic reaction like itchy, watery eyes and a scratchy throat. In many of these cases, treatment involves therapies aimed at relieving your symptoms.

However, a surprising number of people have a chronic runny nose for no obvious reason. As many as 40 million Americans are estimated to suffer from it. ENT physicians like Dr. Scott W. Franklin in Georgetown, Texas may refer to this as nonallergic rhinitis or vasomotor rhinitis.

You may also experience sneezing or nasal congestion if you have this type of chronic runny nose. To treat this, Dr. Franklin may want to first rule out the presence of any food or environmental allergies that may be causing your symptoms.

Hormonal changes, certain medications, nasal trauma, and a history of acid reflux or GERD may increase your risk of nonallergic rhinitis. Triggers may include cold weather and air pollution. An overly sensitive nervous system is thought to be involved in nonallergic rhinitis.

A Permanent Solution for Your Chronic Runny Nose

A chronic runny nose is more than an inconvenience – it can lead to health complications such as recurring sinus infections or the development of nasal polyps. So, you’ll want to get it treated.

While there are many over-the-counter as well as prescription medications that can treat your symptoms, we see many patients at Georgetown ENT who long for a permanent fix for their chronic runny nose.

ClariFix® Cryotherapy is the clinically proven solution we recommend for many of them.

Dr. Franklin performs this minimally invasive, tissue-freezing procedure right in our Georgetown, Texas office, using local anesthesia. During the procedure, Dr. Franklin will use a handheld device to guide a thin probe with a cryotherapy balloon into your nasal passageway through the nostrils. It delivers cooling technology to destroy the area of the posterior nasal nerve triggering your nasal symptoms. The entire procedure takes less than an hour.

Most people notice an improvement in their condition within a few weeks of the procedure. Many of our patients who have undergone ClariFix Cryotherapy report long-term relief of their symptoms.