Itchy Nose? Here's What Your Body's Trying to Tell You

There's no shortage of superstitions about an itchy nose — some people believe an itchy nose means you're about to kiss a fool, while others think it's a sign that trouble is around the corner.

But when you're dealing with the nonstop urge to scratch your snout, you might start to wonder what's ‌really‌ going on up there.

Of course, a brief tickle in your nose is usually a tip-off to an impending sneeze. Lingering itching, on the other hand, is usually caused by allergies, environmental irritants or even an upper-respiratory infection, says Abbas Anwar, MD, an otolaryngologist at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Los Angeles.

Here's how to figure out what might be causing your nasal nuisance and the quickest ways to get relief.

In people with allergies, an itchy nose means you've been exposed to seasonal or environmental allergens like pollen, ragweed, grass and dust mites, which causes the immune system to release the chemical histamine, triggering a sensation of itchiness throughout the body, explains Peter Ashman, MD, an otolaryngologist with ENT and Allergy Associates in New York City.

Histamine can make your eyes, nose and throat itchy and cause other symptoms like congestion, sneezing and red or watery eyes. Allergies can sometimes give you a headache, too.

Sometimes a cold, COVID-19 or a sinus infection can make your nose or throat itchy.

"Upper-respiratory infections, particularly viruses, tend to also cause the same release of histamine as part of the body's immune response," Dr. Ashman says.

It's not always easy to tell a cold from allergies. You're likely dealing with a viral infection if you have a cough or sore throat, you feel achy or tired, or you have a fever, the Mayo Clinic notes.

Itchy eyes, on the other hand, are often a telltale sign of allergies.

For some people, especially those with allergies, breathing in smoke, chemicals (like from cleaning products or pollutants) or strong odors (like from air fresheners, perfumes or even scented candles) can cause an itchy nose.

"Like allergens, irritants can trigger the release of histamines due to the body recognizing the irritant as a foreign substance," Dr. Ashman says.

You might also start to cough or feel a burning sensation in your nose.

Nasal polyps are soft, painless nasal growths that can develop from inflammation caused by allergies, asthma or frequent infections, according to the Mayo Clinic.

They're harmless and often go completely unnoticed. But sometimes they can make you congested, cause a runny nose or interfere with your sense of smell or taste.

"They can also cause nasal itching in some cases, but it's less common," Dr. Anwar says.

In rare cases, nasal itching could potentially stem from a tumor in the nose or sinuses. But it's not a common symptom, Dr. Ashman points out.

"The main early symptoms are usually prolonged congestion, nosebleeds and a loss of smell or taste," he says.

More often than not, an itchy nose is caused by minor problems like allergies, a cold or an irritant. But itching that won't ease up could be a sign of an underlying problem.

Let your doctor know if over-the-counter treatments like antihistamines or nasal sprays aren't easing your itchy nose, or if the itch is accompanied by severe congestion, nosebleeds, very severe headaches, a fever or loss of smell or taste, Dr. Ashman recommends.