Even though they seem dangerous, chilies often make food taste better, healthier, and even more popular. And while it enhances the taste of food, it also makes your nose runny when eating chilli and spicy food. Although this is a common occurrence, these are also symptoms of other conditions.

Medically known as rhinorrhea, if your nose starts running after eating spicy food, it is caused by a food allergy – also known as allergic rhinitis. According to experts, the distinctive spiciness of chillies originates from the chemical capsaicin – which causes a burning sensation when it comes in contact with bodily tissues.

what causes burning sensation,

Chilli plants produce capsaicin in their fruits to defend against hungry mammals. According to the European Parliament’s Scientific and Technological Options Assessment report, its irritant properties are so pronounced that pepper sprays made from it are more harmful than tear gas.

According to experts, capsaicin is the single most well-known irritating ingredient in spicy food. The second, allyl isothiocyanate, is an oil that gives radishes, horseradish, wasabi, and mustard their flavor. Manufacturers also use it as an ingredient in insecticides and fungicides.

What does all this have to do with your runny nose? Capsaicin and allyl isothiocyanate irritate the mucous membranes that protect your lungs and various pores and cavities of the body from infectious agents such as fungi, bacteria and viruses.

What is Signs and Symptoms of Allergic Rhinitis,

According to experts, you may experience a runny nose and other symptoms after eating a particular type of food or, in some cases, after eating anything at all.

• feeling of stuffiness in the nose
• post-nasal drip, or excess mucus in the back of the throat
• sneezing
• cough

Other important causes of runny nose while eating spicy food

In addition to allergic rhinitis, causes of runny nose you may experience when eating spicy foods include the type of food you are eating, food allergies, seasonal allergies, and other causes. Read further to know these in detail,

flavored rhinitis

Gustatory rhinitis occurs when you have a runny nose after eating without any allergy symptoms. According to doctors, taste-related rhinitis affects many people after consuming cold-packed food. When you eat these, a nerve called the trigeminal sensory nerve gets stimulated, causing a runny nose.

You can prevent taste-related rhinitis by avoiding trigger foods.

food allergies

Almost everyone around the world has some food allergies. This gives rise to a variety of symptoms and one of them can cause nasal congestion and other symptoms which usually appear within an hour or two of eating a particular food.

Severe food allergies can be a medical emergency.

Food allergy symptoms can range from mild to severe, and may include:

• nasal congestion
• wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath
• hoarse or hoarse voice
• hives and itchy skin
• facial swelling, including the lips, face, tongue, and throat
• swelling in the body
• Dizziness

In many severe and severe cases, food allergies can even cause anaphylaxis – a life-threatening allergic reaction.

vasomotor rhinitis

Also known as idiopathic rhinitis, this type of runny nose symptom is not actually caused by an allergen, but by certain environmental and physiological changes, which cause the lining of the nose to become inflamed.

what to do in case of runny nose due to chilli,

Spicy food can have a tear-inducing, runny nose effect on you. According to experts, the capsaicin present in spices has oily properties which prevents it from dissolving in water, so drinking water directly from the tap will not benefit you.

On the other hand, according to research published in the Journal of Physiology and Behavior, milk extinguishes the fire of capsaicin quite effectively. It contains a protein called casein, which is a fat-loving molecule that engulfs the capsaicin molecules and washes them away, just as detergent washes away grease.

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