Posted by Dr. Science on 03/02/2012 in
Question |
Why do you get a stuffy, runny nose when you cry?
———- from Elizabeth Steward of Champaign, IL
I haven’t shed tears since 1954, when my first wife, Evelyn and I said “I do”. At that moment I realized I had made a terrible mistake, one that would distract me from my research and seriously impede my life’s work.. I wept for the lost hours in the lab, the grants I would never get, the numbers I wouldn’t crunch. Fortunately, we were divorced within six months, so my grief was largely anticipatory. You probably have these nasal symptoms because of a congenital occlusion of the sinus. Although you could probably repair it yourself using common plumbing tools, if you have medical insurance it would make sense to call your doctor. The tears may indicate you’re uninsured. I won’t hazard a guess…human grief is simply too complex for this forum.
