Alzheimer's risk can be lowered by doing three things to protect your nose
Scientists have issued a warning that picking your nose could potentially increase the risk of harmful micro-organisms entering your body. And that could heighten your chances of developing Alzheimer's disease.
A study published by the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) suggests that the seemingly harmless act of picking your nose could play a part in triggering what is the most common form of dementia according to World Health Organization (WHO) data. Out of the over 55 million cases of dementia recorded by WHO, Alzheimer's accounts for between 60% and 70%.
So why exactly is picking your nose bad for you? The research - conducted by Xian Zhou, Paayal Kumar, Deep J. Bhuyan, Slade O, Jensen, Tara L. Roberts and Gerald W. Münch - explains that our nasal cavity is "lined with cilia and mucus-producing cells that help trap and expel foreign particles, such as dust, allergens, and pathogens."
When these particles accumulate, it can result in dried mucus - or snot - which, according to the study, can eventually obstruct breathing, reports Surrey Live. Hence, the urge to pick your nose.
The paper, initially published in From Biomarkers to Therapy to Puzzle Out Alzheimer's Disease, suggests that while nose picking might offer temporary relief by improving airflow, it's safer to opt for two other methods.
The study warns: "Nose-picking is generally not safe, in and outside of healthcare environments." Instead of picking your nose, scientists recommend simply blowing it as a healthier way to care for it. They also suggest using saline nasal rinses as an alternative to nose picking, which research indicates can be harmful.
Research provides evidence about the dangers of nose picking
A 2006 study found that people who pick their noses surveyed at an ENT clinic were more likely to have Staphylococcus aureus in their nostrils than those who didn't. This bacteria can cause a wide range of clinical diseases, according to the National Institutes of Health.
In another case, a woman with a long history of nose picking and blowing presented at an emergency room with acute delirium and several physical issues, only to return with additional problems. Medical professionals concluded her nose was likely the source of infection.
More recently, nose picking has been identified as a risk factor for COVID-19. A study among 404 healthcare workers in the Netherlands found that the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 was approximately four times higher in those who picked their noses compared to those who did not.
What could link nose picking to Alzheimer's
A study has made a connection between the habit of nose-picking and the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers, including Henderson, have discovered that behaviours such as starvation/malnutrition and nose-picking are "positively associated with later-onset Alzheimer's." However, they caution, "However, it is essential to understand a fundamental principle of epidemiological studies: they can only prove association, not causation."
The separate study by Xian Zhou and colleagues, with which we began this article, concluded: "we suggest that nose-picking increases the transfer of pathogenic microorganisms from the hand into the nose changing the nasal microbiome from a symbiotic to a pathogenic type, with possible consequences of a chronic low-level brain infection via the olfactory system, subsequent neuroinflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease."
The early symptoms of Alzheimer's
When it comes to Alzheimer's, the NHS outlines that the condition develops gradually over several years, often being mistaken for other issues or simply attributed to ageing. The NHS website states: "Sometimes these symptoms are confused with other conditions and may initially be put down to old age."
The NHS categorises Alzheimer's disease into three main stages: early, middle-stage, and late symptoms, with the initial stage presenting signs that should prompt individuals to seek medical advice.
Ways to stop picking your nose
Experts at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center warn that habitual nose-picking can cause significant damage. "When nose-picking becomes habitual, that's when a problem can begin," explained Bradley Otto, MD, the director of rhinology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
"It doesn't take much of a scratch to the surface of your nose to make you bleed pretty significantly. If you have long fingernails or you're a little bit rough, you can scrape that lining and cause scabbing that then may allow bacteria from the nasal skin to collect there."
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