India, Feb. 7 -- This flue season, many of us have braced for the inevitable cold, often accompanied by a blocked or runny nose. It's annoying and inconvenient, and the natural instinct is to blow your nose to find some relief. But did you know that blowing your nose incorrectly might actually make things worse? Here's the science behind it and how to handle your cold more effectively.

Our noses produce 1 to 2 litres of mucus daily but when we're sick the mucus thickens to trap viruses. Blowing your nose can provide temporary relief by expelling this mucus, but it's important to do so correctly since forceful nose blowing may worsen cold symptoms instead of easing them.

According to ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists, forceful blow...