We brush our teeth and wash our faces every day. Should we also be adding nose care to our daily routine?
Bioengineer David White certainly thinks so. He says the benefits will include better breathing and sleep, and may even extend to healthier brains. “The nose is a very important organ in managing our wellbeing,” says White.
New Zealand has a high prevalence of allergic rhinitis. It affects up to 30% of adults and is most commonly triggered by airborne pollen from grass and other plants, which can blow long distances in our often windy conditions. Dust mites, pet dander and mould are other common allergens. The nose becomes congested and inflamed in response, and many people rely on medications such as antihistamines and nasal sprays or nasal saline rinses to bring relief.
White and his team at Auckland University of Technology have developed a drug-free alternative, a wearable device called Goodair Nosebuds. This world-first technology is designed to stimulate the nose’s natural defence system.
“I refer to it as supercharging airway defence,” he says.
The technology works by harnessing the user’s breath to create vibrations that massage the inner nasal tissue and cilia, which are tiny nose hairs that work to propel mucus, trapped particles and pathogens out of the nasal system.
“The air we breathe isn’t very clean,” says White. “There are lots of things floating around in it, whether pollens, pollutants or viruses.”
The vibrations, which make a humming sound, also enhance the release of nitric oxide, a gas naturally produced by the body that plays an important role in protecting the airways.
“Many people who experience nasal congestion tend to mouth breathe,” says White. “The problem is the nose is an organ that if you don’t use, you lose; it sort of goes to rest. That’s not good because it really is the frontline defence against infection for our airways and it also heats and humidifies the inhaled air to prepare it for the lungs. The mouth can’t do that.”
He adds: “One of my favourite hobbies when I get on an aeroplane is to look down the length of the plane and judge how many people are mouth breathing. You’d be surprised by the number.”
There is increasing evidence the brain is stimulated by nasal breathing. For instance, researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School in the UK found cyclic breathing while listening to music can lead to a reduction in fear and negative emotions. Cyclic breathing – also known as cyclic sighing – involves a double inhale through the nose followed by a long slow exhale and appears to influence blood-flow changes to the brain. Mouth breathing doesn’t have the same effect.
There is some science to show mouth breathers are more likely to have learning difficulties than nasal breathers and it has been linked to poor school performance. It also negatively affects teeth.
White says Goodair Nosebuds can help train people out of the mouth-breathing habit because they become more aware of the air going backwards and forwards through the nose, and less congested.
His team has two studies under way. In one they are investigating the neurological effects of nasal breathing using the device and how it may influence stress, anxiety and depression. In the other they are examining how using nosebuds can affect the nasal microbiome and help treat chronic rhinosinusitis and chronic allergic rhinosinusitis.
The researchers are also about to embark on a study to see how the device may affect the sense of smell.
Already a small independent trial involving 21 people has found users have less nasal congestion and sinus pressure, as well as improved airflow.
Retailing for $220, the device is intended to be used for at least 10 minutes twice a day. Says White: “If you use it regularly it’s going to maintain your nose working at optimal performance. So it’s like a tonic for airway health.”
