Runny Nose Causes - Does Cold Weather Make You Sick

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Photographed by Megan Madden.

If you've already deemed yourself ready enough to brave the outdoors this season, you may be struggling with the aftermath of a sniffly, stuffy nose. But some of us have a perpetually runny nose in the winter no matter what. So why does this happen?

Turns out, there are a lot of culprits for the phenomenon, and not everyone's nose is running for the same reason.

"It’s very individualized," says Sherry Ross, MD, OB/GYN and Women's Health Expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA. According to Dr. Ross, one person may be getting over a week-long virus, while another might be struggling with a mild, recurring cold. And another may just have allergies. (Yes, you can still get those in winter.)

Clearly, the answer to your runny nose problems isn't one-size-fits-all. Ahead, we've rounded up nine reasons your nose won't stop running in winter, and what to do about each one.

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