2006-08-25 05:19:12 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
The perception of smell is called as olfactory sense, it is sensed primarily by olfactory epithelium,.. but for stronger stimuli there is nasopharyngeal epithelium which directly stimulates through vagus nerve (I Think) anyway thats not important, what is imp is that this stimuation is different from the olfactory (cant we still smell somethings like spices even when we have cold and cant smell almost anything)
So when we eat very spicy food there is activation of the latter pathway, which in turn causes running of nose by causing increased blood supply to nasal epithelium.
This causes running nose,.. also this phenomenon will not continue through the meal for most of the people it is self limiting
2006-08-26 09:18:53 · answer #1 · answered by Dr.Gagan Saini 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Spicy food makes the eyes water, which makes the nose run.
Spices are generally potent chemicals suspending in oil. They are irritants (which is why you cry when you slice onions).
2006-08-25 12:23:02 · answer #2 · answered by TychaBrahe 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Nose gets scared of the heat and hence wants to go away and starts running.
2006-08-25 19:23:59 · answer #3 · answered by sweet.m 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
nose never runs away if you hold your nose firmly with your other hand while eating spicy food
2006-08-25 12:37:00 · answer #4 · answered by peter j 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋
so when your nose runs, you go chase it, it will take your mind off how spicy the food really is.
2006-08-25 12:24:36 · answer #5 · answered by ManFromMumbai 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
spicy foods clear out your sinuses and therefore you have a runny nose and watery eyes.
2006-08-25 12:25:26 · answer #6 · answered by happy go lucky tonight 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Due to stimulation of autonomic nervous system
2006-08-27 13:48:36 · answer #7 · answered by Mantu S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋