Think of your nose like an iceberg.

Real quick, before you get too hung up on this, remember - this is an illustration. If you went to med school or took anatomy and physiology, please don’t email my wife telling her that her drawing is all out of whack. Think 3rd grade level science here.

One thing I should point out that you’ve probably already noticed: if the outside of your nose looks anything like this iceberg version, definitely come see me. It shouldn’t look at all like that. That would be worrisome.

Back to the original point.

The next time you hear, “that’s just the tip of the iceberg”, I want you to think of your nose.

It’s often estimated that the visible part of an iceberg (the part above water) only accounts for only about 10% of the full ice formation. That leaves about 90% that lies under the water, invisible to the naked eye.

Well, your nose is kinda like that. We typically think of our nose as just the triangular bump that sticks out of the middle of our face; but there’s quite a bit more to it than that. Your nose goes all the way back to meet up with your throat, so if you open your mouth, you can see how deep it goes.

Ever wonder why we need so much room? Beyond allowing us to smell, our nose has a very important function: healthy breathing. We don’t think about it, but it is far healthier to breathe through our nose than our mouth. It is much more comfortable, too. There are structures called turbinates that project into our nose from the sides of it, and the largest turbinates (the middle and lower ones) play a big role in humidifying and warming air that we breathe. Warm and humid air is much healthier air for our lungs to take in. That is why we prefer to breathe through our noses when we can, and it is a BIG reason why so many people come to me complaining that they can’t breathe well through their nose. It is easy to breathe through our mouths, but far less comfortable. So, if your can’t breathe through your nose, give me a call. There are a lot of things I can do to fix you right up.

Speaking of icebergs, this lat year my wife and I traveled to Patagonia and we had the chance to kayak right up next to and touch these beasts.

Look how blue they are! We learned that the color was a result of an iceberg “rolling” as it melted. The blue is the color created under the surface of the water because the ice is more dense. When it “rolls” the more compacted ice reflects the color blue.

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Nose, Teach & LearnErin ShellenbergerJune 9, 2020nose, breathing