What to know about the nose

Most of us don’t think about our nose until it’s stuffed up, dripping and making our lives miserable.  

But maybe we should give our nose more thought, or at least some appreciation. Our nose warms the air we pull into our lungs, filters out irritants and helps us smell our morning coffee.

And it’s full of surprises. Did you know our two separate nostrils and nasal passages take turns being congested and decongested in an alternating rhythm called the nasal cycle?

MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two ear, nose and throat doctors about how our nose works, what causes congestion, how to treat problems of the nasal passages and sinuses and why our sense of smell disappears when we get a cold.  

Guests:  

• Dr. Neal Godse is an assistant professor in the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Department of Otolaryngology and a rhinologist with M Health Fairview.

• Dr. Ian Lalich is an otolaryngologist at Renew ENT and Hearing Center in Edina and previously at M Health Fairview. He also serves on the board of directors at the Minnesota Academy of Otolaryngology.

Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.

Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.