Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

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?
17 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
My fiance has the same issue. I begged him for almost two years to see an EMT and sure enough, one nostril was almost completely closed from a deviated septum. So, he went ahead and had the surgery... recovery was a kind of brutal (tubes up the nose for two weeks, then funky drainage for another two) but afterwards, it seemed to help a little. Then the constant, aggressive triple sniffs started up again. (Like 62 times in about 10 minutes )  God bless him, but it's driving me bonkers. I get woken up by the loud, consistent sniffing... I can hear it in the other room with the door closed... even upstairs from downstairs... and it's such harsh sniffs. If i try to mimic them it gives me an instant headache, i'm not sure how he's surviving like this, poor thing.  Any help past an ENT? I'm thinking Hypnotherapy or NeuroFeedback....??? Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks ya'll!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
A friend of mine. Had this and it turns out. He's had been a cocaine user
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
A friend of mine had always had the sniffles.  His family would get so angry about it when he was younger.  He never had drainage or other cold or allergy symptoms.  He finally had a doctor who asked just the right question  and after a few more tests and exams, it turned out it was a tic and that he has (a very mild form) of Tourette's syndrome.  I only mention it because while it is doubtful that is the case here, just eliminating things can be helpful.  
Helpful - 0
943209 tn?1245443241
Humidifier helped me, enormously with my constant sniffling!!! Before I purchased the humidifier I googled it & found other was so  my house won't be so dry.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I developed a sniff several years ago.  I don't have an obstruction, so I am not really sniffing up snot or mucus.  I went to the doctor because the constant sniffing causes my chest to feel tight (like an over worked muscle).  What I found is that sniffing is a form of anxiety.  I can tell my sniffing gets REALLY bad when I am upset or frustrated, and then it is moderate at other times, almost like a habit.  I am on a small anti-anxiety med now and it has made a difference.
Helpful - 0
17794872 tn?1460171520
I also have sniffles all the time. It turns out I suffer from ocd i am on medication for it. Sometimes it helps and sometimes it's so bad my family says something to me. It's driving me crazy at times. But talk to your Dr. That could be the diagnoses. .
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a problem like this a long time (6 years) ago I found it finally went away when I reduced the stress in my life and got treatment from several alternative health practitioners: regular massage, kinesiology and chiropractic treatments and that eventually allowed my body to relax and eventually the sniffing reduced and disappeared. It took weekly treatments over 3 months to a year to completely return to normal... I hope this helps, originally I was on claratyne, telfast or Zyrtec every 4 hours and even that helped only minimally. Now I'm drug and sniffle free.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My sniffing started about 4 years ago. I live in a dry dusty climate then rainy for about 4 months. I thought the dust may be the cause, but I sniff even when I'm back during the summer in Europe playing golf with no dust around. Even on the beach, swimming, walking etc. Happily it stops when I lay-down so sleeping is ok. Also it stops from time to time with out any reason...I try to analyse why but no results.
Worst is when eating, as sometimes a small particle of food is "breathed-in" with a sniff down the wrong channel with a which makes me cough and cough until it comes out...very uncomfortable and embarassing at  the dinner table with others.
Some solutions which I use are as follows, which may help others:
a) lay-down when ever you can with your head back on a pillow or cushion,(to read, do your home work, watch tv, etc) instead of sitting-up. If you're able to take a break in the middle of the afternoon that helps a lot.
(I find when I try to work the whole day without getting my head-back for an hour , I have a bad case of sniffing and am exhausted all evening)
b) keep your mouth slightly open so as to breathe less through your nose
c) I've tried pushing rolled-up tissue right-up my nose, (so it cannot be seen from the outside by anybody)  it helps a lot.
d) I eat more and more soups to avoid any solid particles finding their way into my breathing (but can't live just on soups, so I have to take care when eating)
I'm trying to discipline myself not to sniff...but its hard.....I need to find a trick to help me do this subconsiously......
Hope this helps some of you out there with the same problem


Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have this problem too. I started in the last year of primary school, I also drive my family insane and myself it's so irritating, it's as if I can't breathe and my nose is inflamed or tight and I need to sniff to clear it even though there's nothing there, it's really embarrassing and it tried loads of nasal sprays and even been to ent had a camera up my nose but he couldn't see anything.... Now I don't know what to do. Anyone anymore advice?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am 30 years old and I have been told that I sniff constently in my sleep. But since I had a bad cold about 2 month ago, I am doing it all the time, even though my nose isn't running or blocked. It's driving me crazy trying to get to sleep and I'm beginning to think it's more of a  habitual thing rather than medical.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm 12 I have the same problem it started like a year ago it drives my mam mad I really want to know what's causing it
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Im only 14 and I sniff all the fricking time its really annoying and I carnt take it anymore. :(. everyone think it is and I try to stop but its every minuet I sniff. it gives me  me headaches and I carnt enjoy myself
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have sniffels all the time. It came on after a bad cold last year.  nothing seems to help, except taking a 1/2 of a 5 mg flexeral at bedtime,  It calms the constant sniffiling and I can sleep. Some spells last for hours, some all day and some effect me breathing as well as I am constantly sniffling. Does anyone have answer.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have the same problem - I had it as a child as well and it   Removing all caffeine helped.  Something like jeopardy would trigger a kind of nervousness. So, cutting out caffeine completely helped a lot, but doesn't help completely.  All stimulants make the problem worse.  Another thing that helps is do things that help hyperventilating - like holding breath for a bit.

So what i noticed with coffee is that it also dries out the sinuses make make coffee a double problem.

The interesting think in all of this is that when I alleviated the sniffing and blinking by removing caffeine, I developed a new problem which is throat clearing.  However, the throat clearing is productive, i.e. there is actually mucus where as with the sniffing there was no runny nose like what happens with allergies.  I think the reason the throat clean occurs is that caffeine esp things like coffee I think are natural bronchial dilators.

Ultimately I haven't found the root cause and some even think it is a form of Tourette's.  I would really like to solve this completely, but I do think my suggestions will help immensely.

And of course always consult with a doctor, but no doctor has helped me with this and when I mention my symptoms and things that have help they have just been dismissive.  But, I'm sure i'm just not going to the right specialists.

I hope this helps.  This problem is annoying for both the person with symptoms and the folks around them.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
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?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
thanks!  i'll pass the info along, it's really appreciated!
Helpful - 0
351246 tn?1379682132
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
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!
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Allergy Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out what causes asthma, and how to take control of your symptoms.
Find out if your city is a top "allergy capital."
Find out which foods you should watch out for.
If you’re one of the 35 million Americans who suffer from hay fever, read on for what plants are to blame, where to find them and how to get relief.
Allergist Dr. Lily Pien answers Medhelp users' most pressing allergy-related questions
When you start sniffling and sneezing, you know spring has sprung. Check out these four natural remedies to nix spring allergies.