The allergic salute (sometimes called the nasal salute) is the characteristic and sometimes habitual gesture of wiping and/or rubbing the nose in an upwards or

transverse Transverse may refer to: *Transverse engine, an engine in which the crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the wheels of the vehicle * Transverse flute, a flute that is held horizontally * Transverse force (or ''Euler force''), the tange ...

manner with the fingers, palm, or back of the hand. It is termed a ''salute'' because the upward movement of the hand acts as an unintentional gesture. The habit of using the hand to wipe the nose is observed more often in children but is common in adults as well. Saluting most commonly temporarily relieves nasal itching as well as removing small amounts of nasal mucus. In people who are experiencing seizures, nose wiping has been observed as a semivoluntary action.

Process

The upwards wiping of the nose and nostrils allows for running mucus to be wiped off quickly and easily. Also, as the nostrils are being pushed up the air passages through the nose become temporarily propped open. This is especially beneficial if the air passages are swollen and the nostrils are itchy due to irritations such as

allergic rhinitis Allergic rhinitis, of which the seasonal type is called hay fever, is a type of inflammation in the nose that occurs when the immune system overreacts to allergens in the air. Signs and symptoms include a runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, red, ...

. The mucus that is wiped onto the hand will most likely carry bacteria and other germs which could then in turn be passed along to other people. Habitual as well as fast or rough saluting may also result in a crease (known as a transverse nasal crease or groove) running across the nose, and can lead to permanent physical deformity observable in childhood and adulthood.

References

{{Gestures Allergology Euphemisms Gestures Habits Nose Rhinology

Process

See also

References