What does it mean when your nose itches? This article will tell you some of the more common causes of an itchy nose and will talk about some myths you may have heard about itchy noses. Finally, we’ll take a look at some ways you can keep your nose from feeling itching.

Meaning of an Itchy Nose

There are several valid reasons why your nose might itch. Most of them are just nuisances that you don't have to see your doctor about. Here are some common reasons for nose itching.

1.   Health-Related Causes

You can develop an inching nose for many different reasons.

• The most common health-related causes include having the common cold or allergies.
• You can develop an itching nose if you inhale certain irritants in the air such as certain perfumes, chemical fumes, dust, or pollen.
• You can also have an itchy nose when you eat foods that are spicy.
• Even exposure to environmental conditions or harsh weather can predispose a person to have an irritated and itchy nose.
• Things like rhinitis or bacterial infections of the nose can also cause the nose to itch.

What does it mean when your nose itches? If it is due to a health-related condition as listed above, you just need to get rid of those things causing the itchy nose in order to have some type of relief. You may need to use an antihistamine or spray a nasal spray into your nose to have some relief. The nasal spray will restore the moisture balance in your nose as will moisturizing ointments, moisturizing lotions, or a humidifier, which can keep your nose from itching.

2.   Superstitious Reasons

Besides having medical reasons behind having an itchy nose, there are several superstitions related to this condition. What does it mean when your nose itches in a mysterious way? Read on to find out:

• You are about to be visited by someone. The side of the nose that itches tells you whether your guest will be male or female. If the left side of your nose itches, you will be visited by a man. If the right side of your nose itches, you will be visited by a woman. This particular superstition is particularly common in the southern part of the US.
• You are about to quarrel with someone at some point in the future. This is folklore from Ireland. If you don’t want to have an argument, you must gently punch the other individual and shake hands with the person.
• You will be talked about by others, cursed or have falsehoods spread about you.
• You will meet a fool in the near future or be kissed by someone.
• You are about to receive money in the near future.
• You are loved by someone. If you have itching on the right side of your nose, your better half or loved one is coming soon.
• You will soon be getting a letter.

This is not an exhaustive list of superstitious reasons why your nose might itch. There are many others, so you need to take it all with a grain of salt even though these are interesting superstitions. If you are interested in learning about superstitions relating to other parts of your body, click HERE.

How to Relieve Nose Itching

Regardless of the answer to the question "What does it mean when your nose itches?" there are things you can do to keep your nose from itching.

• The use of antihistamines. Noses can itch because of a release of histamine in the nasal cavity as part of an immune response. Histamine is released because you are exposed to an allergen or environmental irritant, triggering an itchy sensation, congestion, and sneezing from the nose. You can use antihistamines in a nasal spray or in oral forms. They work fairly well but the results are generally temporary. If you don’t get rid of the underlying cause by removing the allergen or irritant, you will likely have a return of your symptoms.
• Nasal sprays with saline. You can choose over the counter saline nasal sprays as natural remedies for dry nasal passages that are the cause of itching. This helps with itching due to nasal congestion when you have a cold. Saline nasal sprays consist of water and salt that cleanses and moistens the nasal passages.
• Increase the humidity. If you increase the humidity in the environment, your nose will itch less. This means having a regular humidifier to increase the amount of moisture in the air. You can also use a steamy shower to humidify the air if you don’t have a humidifier.
• Remove allergens and Irritants. You need to remove things like animal dander, foods that you are allergic to, dust, and chemical irritants from the air in order to have less nasal itching.
• Ointments or lotions. If the external part of the nose itches, it is probably related to having dry skin on the nose. You can use lotion or ointment on the skin to keep it from itching. OTC corticosteroid creams such as hydrocortisone cream can relieve itching of the skin of the nose.
• See your doctor. If home remedies don’t do the trick or if you don’t know what is causing the itchy nose, see your doctor to find out the underlying causes and what you can do to get rid of the problem. Sometimes a prescription medication is required.