Hypermobility, hEDS, and Your Nose: Why Nasal Symptoms Are So Common and What You Can Do

If you have hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) or joint hypermobility, you've probably noticed your nose has opinions. Strong ones.

Maybe it's the chronic stuffiness that switches sides like it's playing a game. The nosebleeds that appear out of nowhere. The way certain smells trigger an instant headache. Or that maddening post-nasal drip that's worse when you're trying to sleep.

Here's what often gets missed: your nose is made of the same flexible, delicate connective tissue as your joints. The collagen and elastin that make your shoulders hyperextend or your ankles roll also shape how your nasal passages hold their structure, how your blood vessels behave, and how sensitive your nerves are to the world around you.

Let's talk about why this happens, what you might be experiencing, and most importantly what actually helps.

The Nasal Symptoms Many People With hEDS Experience

You might recognize one, several, or all of these:

• 👃 Chronic congestion that comes and goes without obvious reason

• 💧 Dryness, crusting, or frequent nosebleeds

• 🌬️ Heightened sensitivity to smells, temperature changes, or air quality

• 😮‍💨 Post-nasal drip with throat clearing or nighttime cough

• 🤕 Sinus pressure or headaches that worsen when you bend forward

These symptoms often shift with:

• Weather or seasonal changes

• Hormonal fluctuations (especially menstrual cycles)

• Stress, fatigue, or sleep quality

• Temperature or humidity changes

If your symptoms seem to "take turns" or feel unpredictable, you're not imagining it. Your tissues and nervous system are responding dynamically to internal and external changes; that's actually how hypermobile bodies work.

1. That Stubborn Congestion (Even When You Can Technically Breathe)

What's really happening:

Your nasal passages stay open thanks to collagen-based connective tissue and a network of tiny blood vessels. When that collagen is more elastic, as it is in hEDS, the nasal walls can:

• Swell more easily from fluid shifts

• Partially collapse inward when you inhale

• React more dramatically to changes in blood flow

If you also have POTS or autonomic dysregulation, these blood-flow changes explain why your nose can feel blocked one moment and totally clear the next. Add mast cell activation to the mix, and you get histamine-triggered swelling; often after meals, strong smells, or temperature changes.

You might notice:

• Blockage that alternates from side to side

• Worsening congestion when lying down or after eating

• A "pressure" sensation across your nasal bridge

What helps:

• Saline rinses: Use isotonic saline sprays with lukewarm, filtered water to gently flush irritants and histamine

• Calm your nervous system: Slow breathing or gentle humming can engage the vagus nerve, helping stabilize blood flow and settle mast cells

• Reduce triggers: If MCAS is part of your picture, avoid perfumes, smoke, and high-histamine foods

• Consider medication: Talk with your clinician about antihistamines (H1 blockers like loratadine, H2 blockers like famotidine), mast cell stabilizers, or gentle nasal steroids

⚠️ When to get checked: Persistent one-sided congestion, facial pain, or symptoms lasting beyond 2–3 weeks despite care may indicate infection, polyps, or structural issues.

2. Dryness, Crusting, and Those Sudden Nosebleeds

The nasal lining in hEDS can be thinner and more fragile, with tiny blood vessels sitting closer to the surface. They break more easily, especially when the air is dry, you're at altitude, taking antihistamines, or using forced-air heating.

What helps:

• Switch to saline gels if sprays sting

• Use a humidifier in your bedroom overnight

• Apply a thin layer of petroleum-free balm or lanolin just inside your nostrils to protect delicate tissue

• Be gentle: Avoid frequent nose blowing or picking

• Nutrients that support tissue strength:

  • Vitamin C + quercetin to strengthen capillaries and support collagen

  • Omega-3 fatty acids to aid tissue repair and calm inflammation

  • Magnesium for circulation and inflammatory balance

⚠️ When to get checked: Heavy, frequent, or prolonged bleeding should be evaluated for fragile vessel clusters or infection.

3. Sinus Pressure That Won't Quit

That fullness or throbbing behind your eyes, cheeks, or forehead? It's often worse in the morning, when bending forward, or lying down.

Here's why it happens:

The openings to your sinuses are supported by connective tissue. When that tissue is lax, the openings can narrow or become "floppy," creating a drainage problem. Mucus gets stuck, pressure builds, and inflammation follows.

A sluggish lymphatic system, also common in hEDS, makes this worse by failing to drain inflammatory fluid efficiently.

What helps:

• Steam inhalation or a warm compress to encourage drainage

• Gentle facial massage: Using very light pressure and clean hands, stroke from the inner corners of your eyes down beside your nose, from the center of your forehead out toward your temples, and from your cheeks down toward your jaw and neck. You're "sweeping" fluid gently downstream.

• Support tissue health: Vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, quercetin, and omega-3s

• Move gently: Even light movement helps pump lymph fluid throughout your body

⚠️ When to get checked: Persistent or worsening pressure with fever, vision changes, or facial swelling needs medical evaluation.

4. When Smells (or Temperature) Feel Overwhelming

Strong perfumes, cleaning products, or even subtle temperature shifts can trigger headaches, dizziness, nausea, or a burning sensation in your nose.

Why you're not "just sensitive":

People with hypermobility often experience heightened sensory reactivity. The trigeminal nerve (facial sensations) and olfactory nerve (smell) are both closely tied to connective tissue and autonomic regulation. When the surrounding tissue is sensitive or inflamed, normal stimuli can feel overwhelming.

This is especially common if you're also neurodivergent or experience sensory processing sensitivity.

What helps:

• Control your environment where possible, this is a valid sensory accommodation and a mast-cell support strategy

• Ground yourself when you encounter a trigger: breathe slowly, notice your feet on the floor

• Keep blood sugar steady with balanced snacks, autonomic reactions worsen when you're hungry

• Prioritize rest and magnesium to support nervous system resilience

⚠️ When to get checked: Sudden or complete loss of smell warrants a visit to an ENT specialist.

5. That Constant Post-Nasal Drip

The sensation of mucus trickling down the back of your throat, frequent throat clearing, a mild cough, or tickle—often worse at night or first thing in the morning.

Why it's happening:

Several systems can contribute:

• Elastic connective tissue slows mucus drainage

• Autonomic dysregulation causes nasal tissues to swell and produce extra mucus

• Mast cell activation increases histamine and mucus production (especially after meals or temperature changes)

• Sluggish lymphatics prolong mucus accumulation

What helps:

• Hydrate to thin mucus

• Saline rinses to clear irritants

• Steam or warm compresses

• Elevate your head at night to prevent pooling

• Track your triggers: histamine-rich foods, strong odors, environmental changes

⚠️ When to get checked: Persistent drip with significant throat pain, frequent infections, or blood in mucus should be evaluated by an ENT.

Supporting Your Whole System (Because Your Nose Isn't Separate From Your Body)

Managing nasal symptoms in hEDS requires more than just treating your nose. These strategies support the underlying systems at play:

🌿 Hydrate and Humidify: Small sips + moist air = happy tissue.

💨 Calm your nervous system: Notice your polyvagal state; are you feeling calm, mobilized, or shut down? Respond accordingly (rest, gentle movement, or grounding).

👐 Support Lymphatic Flow: Gentle facial massage and light movement like walking help drain stagnant fluid from the head and sinuses.

🧠 Soothe Mast Cells & Systemic Inflammation: Omega-3s, Vitamin C, and quercetin (a natural mast cell stabilizer) are your friends.

🧴 Support Connective Tissue: Nourish your body's building blocks with Vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium.

🍎 Stabilize Blood Sugar: Balanced meals prevent autonomic dips and dives.

🧘‍♀️ Manage Your Spoons: Gentle movement and rest are non-negotiable for balancing your system.

What About Nasal Surgery or Procedures?

If you're considering septoplasty, turbinate reduction, sinus surgery, or even frequent cauterization for nosebleeds, extra caution is essential with hEDS or hypermobility.

Key risks include:

• Slower healing due to collagen abnormalities

• Fragile tissue that tears or bleeds more easily

• Structural instability; cartilage and soft tissue may shift or collapse post-surgery

• Persistent symptoms despite a "successful" procedure

• Increased risk of swelling, infection, crusting, or dryness

If surgery becomes necessary:

• Work with an ENT experienced in connective tissue disorders

• Support healing with hydration and tissue-nourishing nutrients (vitamin C, zinc, quercetin)

• Follow post-operative care meticulously

• Set realistic expectations, tissue fragility, mast cells, and autonomic factors will still influence your nose

Other Structural Concerns You Might Encounter

Beyond the common symptoms we've discussed, hypermobility can contribute to:

• Septal deviation or collapse from flexible cartilage

• Turbinate instability that exaggerates the natural "nasal cycle"

• Chronic sinus infections from slower mucus clearance

• Nasal valve collapse during inhalation

• Frequent nosebleeds after minor trauma (even gentle nose-blowing)

• Sleep disturbances from congestion, post-nasal drip, or structural issues

• Overlap with MCAS and POTS that makes symptoms more variable and unpredictable

Understanding these connections helps explain why nasal symptoms in hEDS can be persistent, complex, and sometimes resistant to standard treatments. Specialized care and a whole-body approach make the difference.

When to See a Specialist

You don't need to "push through" these symptoms. Seek professional help if you experience:

• Constant blockage on one side

• Severe or recurring nosebleeds

• Persistent facial pain or swelling

• Headaches that worsen when leaning forward

• Loss or change in smell or taste

A rhinologist or ENT specialist familiar with connective tissue disorders can evaluate structural, vascular, or inflammatory factors.

💛 A Kind Reminder

If your nose feels reactive, congested, or painful, it doesn’t mean you’re “too sensitive.”It means your body’s connective tissue, blood vessels, and nervous system are interacting in complex and real ways.

When we understand that these reactions are rooted in our body's unique design, the flexible connective tissue, a sensitive nervous system, and often reactive mast cells, it doesn't make the struggle disappear, but it can transform our frustration into insight. This knowledge is a tool, empowering us to move from fighting our bodies to partnering with them through compassionate, gentle care.

🦓 At ParaMotion, we take this into account in our movement programs, education and consulting so that you are guaranteed results with our no pain, no strain method customized for the hypermobile body. Ready to take the next step? 👉 [Book your Free 15 mn call here!!]