His constant sniffling - Anyone know what might be causing this?

I posted this under Rhinitis because it's the closest thing I've found so far.  

So here's the deal: my boyfriend sniffles.  All the time.  Every day.  While watching Jeopardy the other night, I kept tallies (privately, I didn't show him) and found that in 8 minutes, he sniffed 31 times.  I love him, but it's driving me absolutely up the wall.  I know he can't help it, but hearing it all the time is so irritating, I just can't take it anymore.  And I know he's self-conscious about it, because he told me he was.  He's done it at least since he was a kid, which I can guess because in pictures of him as a little boy, playing in his room, looking out the window, there's a roll of toilet paper or a box of tissues nearby.
The sniffling isn't really an "inhale" motion.  It's kind of a sharp, forceful expulsion of air through the nostrils, but it makes a sniffing sound.  My only other leads are polyps or a deviated septum, but I really can't find a lot of information on it.  Anyone have any ideas?

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
Your friend needs to consult an ENT specialist. Since he has the problem since he was a child there is always a chance that he has either a deviated nasal septum (DNS) or high eosinophils or allergic rhinitis. All can cause sniffling. DNS results in poor drainage of nasal discharge and hence sniffling.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[moony239]

thanks!  i'll pass the info along, it's really appreciated!

[ElizabethD]

I just read your post describing your boyfriend's sniffling and was thinking that could be me writing that post. My boyfriend has the same problem. And has had it since he was a child. He says it's allergies and that the allergy medicines make him drowsy...but I'm not so sure it's even allergies. I really can't take it anymore. I'll be studying in one room with the door shut and can still hear him sniffling in the other room. Has your boyfriend gone to an ENT? Had any luck?