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Why Does My Nose Run?

Medically reviewed by: KidsHealth Medical Experts

You may have heard the old joke: If your nose is running and your feet smell, you must be upside down! But why does your nose run? Read on to find out the whole story.

What's Running?

To understand why your nose runs, you need to know what mucus (say: MYOO-kus) is. This is the gooey, sticky, slimy material that's made inside your nose (also known as snot). Believe it or not, your nose and sinuses make about a quart of snot every day!