Why does your nose breathe better when you pull back your cheek?
In: Biology
The air that is passing through your nose passes through two hallways. The walls of these hallways are made out of meat and are covered with mucus, hair, and all that jazz that can sometimes make rhat hallway narrow. One big factor that also narrows the passageway for the air is the inflammation of the nasal mucosa. When it gets onflamed, the nasal mucosa expands, constricting the pathway, resisting the air flow. This is what makes your nose stuffy and that’s why you can’t breathe. By placing your fingers on your inner cheek and by pulling the cheek towards your ear, you forcibly pull away the walls of your nasal cavity, decreasing the resistance air has to fight to pass. Because the resistance to air flow is lower, more air can pass, making you breathe better.
Imagine blowing up a plastic bag. Let’s say that you’re blowing air into in through a hole the size of a 1 cent coin. Now, widen the hole by pulling on its edges. If you blow again, because the hole is larger, more air can pass, meaning that it’s easier to blow it up. In this analogy, the bag is your lungs and the hole is your nose cavity.
I hope you got the jist of it, but if you want further clarification or have more questions, feel free to ask.
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