by KYW's medical editor Dr. Brian McDonough
All of us have blown our noses trying to get rid of nasal stuffiness. But now, a new report finds it might not do any good -- and it could actually make the situation worse.
According to the University of Virginia study, blowing your nose could reverse the flow of mucus and actually slow drainage.
The study used CT scans and other measurements to look at people as they cough, sneeze, and blow their noses.
Coughing and sneezing generate little if any pressure in the nasal cavities, investigators found, but nose-blowing generated enormous pressure and it sent mucus into the sinuses every time.
The proper technique, they say, is to blow one nostril at a time. This prevents a buildup of excess pressure.
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