Why Does My Nose Burn? Causes & Treatments

Are you struggling with a burning sensation in your nostrils? Whether it feels like nasal burning, sinus burning, or a stinging in your nose, this uncomfortable symptom can result from various factors, like allergies, dry air, and even a sinus infection. So, why does my nose burn? Pinpointing the cause of a burning sensation in the nose is the first step on your path to healing.

Read on for a complete overview of nasal burning, including potential solutions for calm, comfortable nostrils.

Why Is My Nose Burning?

Let’s get started with the key question: Why does the inside of my nose burn? The most prevalent triggers for nasal burning include allergic rhinitis, sinus infections, environmental factors, and airborne irritants.

Allergic Rhinitis

If the inside of your nose burns, allergic rhinitis may be the culprit. More commonly known as hay fever or seasonal allergies, allergic rhinitis is your body’s response to an allergy trigger, like pollen, pet dander, or mold. Allergic rhinitis is a very prevalent health concern, affecting around 400 million people across the globe.¹

Exposure to allergens kicks your immune system into high gear, triggering inflammation in the nasal passageways. Allergy-related inflammation and irritation in the nose can create a burning sensation, along with other symptoms like:²

Itchiness in the nose, eyes, and throat

• Nasal congestion
• Nasal congestion
• Constant runny nose
• Burning, red, and/or watery eyes

Sinus Infections

If you’ve ever wondered, “why does my nose burn when I have a cold?”, the answer comes down to sinus inflammation. Sinus infections (also known as sinusitis) develop when the sinus lining becomes inflamed, often following a cold or other respiratory infection. This inflammation and swelling in the sinuses (the nasal bones, eyes, and cheeks) can cause a burning sensation.³

Other symptoms of sinusitis include:

• Nasal congestion
• A cough that tends to worsen at night
• Sinus headaches
• Post-nasal drip
• Sore throat

Note that respiratory infections, like the common cold and COVID-19, can cause nasal burning without the presence of a sinus infection. However, this symptom isn’t as common as other cold and COVID-19 symptoms.⁴

Nose burning doesn’t always mean that your immune system is working overtime. It may simply be caused by changes in your environment, like air becoming colder and drier in the wintertime.

Dry air wicks away moisture from the mucous membranes in your nose, leaving them parched and sensitive. This is why when you inhale this cold, dry air, your airways may feel irritated, leading to nose burning. 

While dry winter air is the most common environmental factor to cause stinging on the inside of the nose, it’s not the only one. Other environmental irritants include:⁵

• Air pollution
• Smoke from fire or tobacco use
• Chemicals, including the chemicals found in home cleaning products
• Dust

When these irritants are airborne, you may inhale them through your nose, creating the risk of a burning sensation in the nose.

Why Does My Nose Burn When I Inhale?

Pondering why your nose burns when you breathe? Possible reasons include:

• You’re breathing in dry, cold air.
• You’re experiencing symptoms of hay fever (allergies).
• You have a sinus infection.
• You’re inhaling an airborne irritant, like smoke or pollution.

Nasal burning is rarely a serious cause for concern, although you should continue monitoring your symptoms and contact your doctor if they become severe.

How to Cure Nose Burning

Thankfully, if your nose burns inside when you breathe, there are several home remedies that you can try for relief, including nasal decongestants, saline nasal sprays, using a humidifier, and avoiding allergens.

Over-the-Counter Medications

If your nose and nostrils burning is caused by congestion, an over-the-counter nasal decongestant may offer relief. These medications work by constricting the blood vessels in your nose, bringing down swelling. As a result, you’ll be able to breathe more freely and comfortably. 

One example of a popular over-the-counter nasal decongestant is Mucinex^® D. This 12-hour expectorant and nasal decongestant helps relieve nasal congestion due to common cold, hay fever, or other upper respiratory allergies, chest congestion, and sinus pressure for more comfortable breathing. 

If you experience uncomfortable symptoms from seasonal allergies, including persistent nasal burning, you can also consider taking antihistamines. This type of allergy medication works by blocking histamines, the chemicals your immune system produces in response to an allergen. Many antihistamines are available over-the-counter, although prescription options are also available for more severe allergy symptoms.⁶ 

Talk to your doctor before starting any new medication to ensure it’s safe for you.

Saline Nasal Sprays

Saline nasal sprays moisturize the nasal passageways while helping to clear excess mucus, crusting, and allergens.⁷ They’re widely available over-the-counter at drugstores, making them a convenient treatment option for nasal burning caused by colds, sinus infections, dryness, and allergies.

Nasal sprays, like Mucinex’s Nasal sprays, like Mucinex’s Sinus Saline Nasal Spray, can temporarily relieve nasal and sinus congestion, helping you feel more comfortable while you recover from a cold or sinus infection. Mucinex’s Sinus-Max® Severe Nasal Congestion Relief Clear & Cool is another spray option to help with nasal congestion. This product contains the active ingredient oxymetazoline HCl 0.05%, a medication used to temporarily relieve nasal discomfort from colds, sinus pressure, and allergies.⁸

Use a Humidifier or Inhale Steam

If you’re struggling with stinging in your nose on the inside, using a humidifier or steam to moisturize your nasal passageways may do the trick. This is especially helpful in the winter when the air becomes drier, or if you live in an environment with low humidity all year round. 

If you don’t have a humidifier, you can boil water, put it in a bowl, and breathe in. Alternatively, take a hot shower and inhale the steam, making sure the water isn’t so hot that it dries out your skin. While steam inhalation isn’t a solution to chronic sinus problems, it may temporarily relieve burning sinuses.⁹

Reduce Exposure to Allergens and Irritants

If allergies or environmental irritants are the most likely cause of your nasal burning, reducing your exposure to allergens and irritants may calm your symptoms. To keep your home as allergen-free as possible, try these tips:¹⁰

• Use an air filter to keep your home’s air clean. Make sure to change the filter regularly.
• Dust, vacuum, and wipe down surfaces regularly to eliminate dust mites and other allergens.
• If you have a pet, keep them out of your bedroom to limit your exposure to pet dander, a common allergen.
• Close your windows and doors to keep pollen out—especially when pollen counts are high.

Is It Different If I Feel Both My Throat and Nose Burning?

Throat and nose burning can happen simultaneously or separately, depending on the cause. 

Sometimes, throat and nose burning both result from a post-nasal drip, stuffy nose or runny nose. As the mucus drains from your nose and drips down your throat, it may create a burning sensation. 

Although post-nasal drip is a common cause of throat burning, other possible causes include:¹¹

• Acid reflux or GERD, which occurs when stomach contents are sent back up to the esophagus
• Other infections, like the flu, strep throat, or mononucleosis (mono)
• Burning mouth syndrome, a condition involving an ongoing or chronic burning in the mouth without a clear cause¹²
• Esophagitis is a condition involving inflammation of the lining of the esophagus

When to See Your Doctor

As you consider how to stop a nose from burning, it’s also crucial to seek medical care if necessary. Although nasal burning is rarely cause for concern, it can point to a serious health condition in some cases.

Contact your doctor if:

• Your nasal burning lasts longer than a week and doesn’t go away with at-home remedies, like over-the-counter medication and using a humidifier.
• You experience sinus infection symptoms, like congestion, headache, runny nose, and sore throat, for longer than a week. You may have a bacterial infection that requires prescription antibiotics.¹³
• You experience symptoms of esophagitis, including:

• Difficulty swallowing

• Painful swallowing

• Burning in your chest

• Acid reflux

• Getting swallowed food stuck in the esophagus

• You experience serious symptoms with nasal burning, like:

• A high fever

• Hives

• Dizziness or fainting

• Rapid heartbeat

• Throat tightness

• Difficulty breathing

• Blood in nasal discharge 

When home care fails to alleviate burning in the nose, a trusted medical professional can provide a personalized treatment plan to start your recovery process.

Resources

1. Alnahas S, Abouammoh N, Althagafi W, Abd-Ellatif EE. Prevalence, severity, and risk factors of allergic rhinitis among schoolchildren in Saudi Arabia: A national cross-sectional study, 2019. World Allergy Organization Journal. 2023;16(10):100824. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.waojou.2023.100824
2. “Allergic Rhinitis: Your Nose Knows.” Harvard Health, Harvard Health Publishing, www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/allergic-rhinitis-your-nose-knows.
3. Sinusitis Information. Mount Sinai Health System. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/diseases-conditions/sinusitis
4. Symptoms of COVID-19. CDC. Published June 25, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/covid/signs-symptoms/index.html
5. Higgins TS, Reh DD. Environmental pollutants and allergic rhinitis. Current Opinion in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery. 2012;20(3):209-214. doi:https://doi.org/10.1097/moo.0b013e3283534821
6. Antihistamines for allergies: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Medline Plus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000549.htm
7. Saline Nasal Sprays & Irrigation How Do Saline Nasal Sprays Work? Michigan Medicine. https://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/AmbulatoryCare/SalineNasalSprays.pdf
8. Oxymetazoline Nasal Spray: MedlinePlus Drug Information. Medline Plus. Published September 15, 2016. https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a608026.html
9. Humidifiers and health: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Medline Plus. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002104.htm
10. Control Indoor Allergens. Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. https://aafa.org/allergies/prevent-allergies/control-indoor-allergens/
11. Feeling the Burn? NIH News in Health. Published October 29, 2018. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/11/feeling-burn
12. Burning mouth syndrome - Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/burning-mouth-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20350911
13. Sinus Infection Basics. CDC. Published April 23, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/sinus-infection/about/index.html