This is my second day snuffing and I am finally feeling like I am getting some better control of what I am doing,However, in the process of making adjustments during my learning curve I am noticing differences in the way each nostril is taking snuff currently.
For example, it seems while my left side is able to take larger amount at a single go off the back of the hand, trying to use a smaller amount even with the bullet or using a drier snuff seems to end up with me getting the snuff in to sinus and throat. Meanwhile small amounts of the dry snuff find their way perfectly up the right side with no problem However the right side cannot take much more than a small dose or only a couple of small doses in succession.
Also the Left side has no trouble taking snuff from the back of the hand,box car or bullet and yet the right seems to really require the bullet or a very small amount off the back of the hand.
I’m four months in and I notice a big difference between my nostrils.
My right nostril has good airflow so it makes most snuffs pretty hard to take. Even with the gentlest sniffs…
My left nostril has poor airflow so I can practically snort it up without issue. =)
If you close one nostril and kink your nose around a bit while sniffing through your open nostril you should be able to find an optimal position that will allow airflow… but not TOO much airflow.
Most people experience a nasal cycle whereby one nostril is more open than the other, this cycles (for me at least) randomly. Right now my right nostril is more open, this afternoon it may be my left. You (like most of us) have gone your whole life without even noticing this odd bit of your physiology. You’ll learn to deal with it as we all have. For example (this works for me), before I pinch or tap a boxcar I’ll take a sniff, paying attention to which nostril is more open. Then I start with the more closed one. The reason being that, if I start with the more open one, when I use the larger force for the more closed one afterwards I end up over snuffing what’s already in the open one. Anyway, you’ll figure it out. Hope this makes sense and is helpful.
I’d echo SandwhichIsles comments above, and add the following: Sometimes, depending on conditions, I may just use a really coarse snuff in the open side, knowing I’ll not properly load the closed side right now, and then wait for the process to reverse nefore loading the other side. Likewise, if a snuff is drying out and starting to do a little dusty, I’ll only use it on a closed side as the reduced air flow helps immensely (then I’ll rehydrate the snuff overnight for easier snuffing the next day)
Could be a deviated septum. While it may not be enough to restrict airflow, it may change the way that the air flows within your nose. My right nostril takes fine snuff like a champ, while the left requires a bit more care.
I usually use the more constricted of the two nostrils to take the majority of a box-car, and then use the clear one to clean it up. Works great. Interestingly enough, the nostril that gets bombarded with snuff opens up, and the two nostrils reverse making it possible to pack both nostrils in a short time.
Deviated septums are a lot more common than people suspect. It’s exceedingly rare for any person to have a perfectly symmetrical skull and face. Just as people have chirality (handedness) they have stronger nostrils, eyes and ears on one side or the other. Even the act of chewing food tends to favor one side over the other. People would be shocked if they really payed attention to just how much sidedness takes place in their perceptions and actions in the world.
