A runny nose is having fluid run out of the nose. The fluid can range from thin and clear to thick and yellow-green. The fluid might drip or run out of the nose, down the back of the throat, or both. If it runs down the back of the throat, it’s called postnasal drip.

A runny nose is often called rhinorrhea or rhinitis. But the terms are different. Rhinorrhea involves a thin, mostly clear fluid running from the nose. Rhinitis involves irritation and swelling inside the nose.

Rhinitis is the usual cause of a runny nose. A runny nose also might be stuffy, also called congested.

Causes

anything that irritates the inside of the nose can cause a runny nose. Infections — such as colds, flu or sinusitis — and allergies often cause runny and stuffy noses. Some people have noses that run all the time without a known reason. This is called nonallergic rhinitis or vasomotor rhinitis.

A polyp, an object such as a small toy stuck in the nose, or a tumor might cause the nose to run from only one side. Sometimes migraine-like headaches can cause a runny nose.

Causes of a runny nose include:

Acute sinusitis
Allergies
Chronic sinusitis
Churg-Strauss syndrome
Common cold
Decongestant nasal spray overuse
Deviated septum
Dry or cold air
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Hormonal changes
Influenza (flu)
Object in the nose
Medicines, such as those used to treat high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, depression, seizures and other conditions
Nasal polyps
Nonallergic rhinitis
Pregnancy
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Tobacco smoke

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