The common experience of a blocked nose during crying is a familiar yet often puzzling phenomenon. Many individuals struggle to breathe nasally when overcome with emotion, leading to a sensation of stuffiness. This response arises from an interplay of anatomical connections and physiological reactions within the body. Understanding these mechanisms helps clarify why tears and nasal congestion frequently go hand in hand.
How Tears Connect to Your Nose
Tears originate from the lacrimal glands, located above the outer corner of each eye. These glands continuously produce a watery fluid that lubricates and protects the eye’s surface. Excess tears drain through a specialized system, beginning with tiny openings called puncta on the inner corners of both the upper and lower eyelids. From the puncta, tears enter small channels (lacrimal canaliculi) that converge into the lacrimal sac. This sac serves as a temporary reservoir before tears proceed into the nasolacrimal duct, often called the tear duct, which empties directly into the nasal cavity, specifically into the inferior nasal meatus. This anatomical connection means that when tear production increases, excess fluid flows into the nose.
Why Your Nose Gets Blocked
When a person cries, the volume of tears produced by the lacrimal glands dramatically increases, and this excess fluid overwhelms the normal drainage capacity, causing a large quantity of tears to flow into the nasal cavity through the nasolacrimal ducts. Once inside the nose, these tears mix with the existing nasal mucus, creating a more liquid discharge that can lead to a runny nose. Beyond the sheer volume of fluid, the nasal passages undergo changes. Crying triggers blood vessels within the nasal lining, particularly in structures called turbinates, to expand. This expansion, known as vasodilation, leads to swelling of the nasal tissues, which narrows the air passages and contributes to the feeling of congestion. Glands within the nasal lining also increase their production of mucus, which further combines with the incoming tears to impede airflow and create the sensation of a blocked nose.
The Body’s Unconscious Response
The physiological changes observed during crying, including increased tear production and nasal congestion, are orchestrated by the autonomic nervous system, which operates largely outside conscious control, regulating many involuntary bodily functions. When emotional crying occurs, it often activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), which is known for its “rest and digest” functions. Activation of the PSNS directly stimulates the lacrimal glands, prompting them to produce the abundance of tears characteristic of crying, and also influences glands in the nose, leading to an increase in mucus secretion. While the sympathetic nervous system, associated with “fight or flight” responses, may show a brief increase in activity before crying, the sustained effects on tear and mucus production are primarily driven by the prolonged activation of the parasympathetic branch. This intricate neural coordination explains how emotional states can profoundly affect nasal breathing and tear flow.