There are many different ways to take kratom, and they all offer different levels of convenience, fast action, or other benefits. But some methods may also have their downsides, so it’s important to pick the right one.
For users trying oral ingestion, one terrifically unpleasant sensation may emerge after taking kratom: a burning nose.
There’s no two ways about it: if you accidentally get kratom in your nose, the side effects can be painfully uncomfortable. But a few precautions can help you entirely avoid the “kratom burning nose” sensation.
Important: Do Not Snort Kratom
In this article, we talk about kratom getting into your nose. And depending on your ingestion method, that may happen by accident from time to time.
IMPORTANT: you should absolutely not snort kratom or otherwise deliberately inhale it. Snorting kratom is dangerous, will lead to profound discomfort, and will not make your dose more effective — quite the opposite, it’s likely you won’t get any beneficial effects from inhaling kratom powder.
Still, if a small bit of kratom powder accidentally gets in your nose, it’s not the end of the world. It will likely lead to some discomfort (including a “burning nose” sensation) but will pass without causing any meaningful harm.
What Causes Kratom Burning Nose?
When some substances get into your nose, they pass fairly easily through the mucous membranes; not so with kratom. Kratom is a hydrophobic, gritty, natural plant material, and your body simply doesn’t absorb it well through these membranes.
Instead, kratom particles will linger there for some time. Because of their gritty texture, they’re likely to cause irritation that can cause a raw, burning feeling inside the nose.
If you’ve deliberately put kratom up your nose, then you’re asking for a bad time.
But even if you’re using a more traditional way to ingest kratom, it’s possible to accidentally get some kratom powder in your nostrils.
- Kratom powder could become airborne because of wind or jostling your kratom powder container.
- You could accidentally exhale, sneeze, or the like while attempting to swallow kratom powder.
- As with milk, you could laugh so hard that kratom beverages come out of your nose.
- Some users report that drinking carbonated beverages with kratom powder caused them to sneeze out their kratom.
So while you absolutely should not snort kratom, there are a few ways that a bit of kratom powder might find its way into your schnozz. And that’s never going to feel pleasant.
What to Do if Kratom Gets Up Your Nose
Regardless of how it gets up there, kratom in the nose is not going to be a good time. The feeling of kratom burning your nose is real, and it can be really unpleasant.
Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to try to flush the kratom out of your nose, reduce the discomfort, and generally get back to normal.
Gently Blow Your Nose
The longer that kratom powder stays in your nostril, the more uncomfortable the burning sensation will likely become.
By gently blowing your nose, you can help your body to dislodge whatever is stuck up there and, by so doing, reduce the likelihood that the kratom-burning nose feeling will get significantly worse.
Do not, however, try to dislodge the kratom powder with physical touch. If you stick your finger or a hanky up there, you’re likely to grind the powder deeper into your mucous membranes, leading to greater irritation and discomfort.
Perform a Sinus Flush
When you have an irritant in your sinuses or up your nose, performing a sinus flush is one of the most common and effective remedies.
It is important to use only completely sterile saline solutions when performing a sinus flush. It’s generally recommended to buy over-the-counter, pre-mixed sterile saline solutions for this purpose.
The following sinus flush instructions come courtesy of Healthline:
- Stand with your head over a sink or in the shower and tilt your head to one side.
- Using a squeeze bottle, bulb syringe, or neti pot, pour or squeeze the saline solution slowly into the upper nostril.
- Allow the solution to pour out your other nostril and into the drain. Breathe through your mouth, not your nose, at this time.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
- Try not to let the water go down the back of your throat. You may need to adjust your head position until you find the correct angle.
- Gently blow your nose into a tissue when you’re done to clear out any mucus.
How To Avoid Kratom Burning Nose
Once kratom gets up in your schnozz, you’re likely gonna be in for some discomfort for a while.
So as they say: prevention is better than cure. If you find that your kratom ingestion method is leading to kratom getting in your nose, then a few quick tweaks may be just what you need!
- Switch to non-powder kratom
From the reports we’ve received, the vast majority of people with kratom burning their nose are using kratom powder. Switching to kratom capsules, kratom shots, or even tea should dramatically reduce the chance of an errant bit of powder finding its way into your nostrils. - Switch to non-carbonated beverages
If you’re finding that carbonated beverages are causing bloat and a bit of reflux, then they may force up a bit of kratom powder. The simple fix, of course, is to not drink carbonated beverages shortly after taking kratom powder (or even capsules, as the powder they contain could react similarly). And if you just can’t do without the bubbly, then try this kratom-infused soda recipe instead.