Conditions
Nasal Septal Perforation
When former Eastenders actress, Daniella Westbrook, was photographed at the British Soap Awards in 2000 with her septum eroded from excessive coke-snorting, she not only became the poster girl for the ravages of cocaine, but also brought nasal septal perforation into the limelight. The septum, composed of cartilage and thin bone, can develop a hole in the cartilage, not only through cocaine use, but also as a complication of previous nasal surgery, excessive nose picking, trauma, cancer, or diseases such as tuberculosis or syphilis. As damage reduces blood supply in the septum, the cartilage begins to die, and a hole develops. Many septal perforations don’t need to be closed, and small perforations may need only frequent rinsing with prescription saltwater solutions and applying lubricating gels. Septal ‘buttons’ can also be inserted to fit the hole, which can be an alternative to surgery. However, there are various surgical techniques available for larger perforations, which can be performed under general anesthesia.
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Well i had my surgery on tuesday and no more hole!! However, i did have to spend an extra day in hospitl due to exccesive bleeding. My nostrils are completley blocked at the moment, not sure if this is due to me having a cold or inflamations from the surgery, but either way it is basically imposible to sleep! Am still sufering from slight oozing from the nostril, nothing major, just need a box of tissues with me constantly. Surgen says i cant blow my nose for 6 weeks, and am off work for 2 weeks. I have also assumed that if i cant blow my nose for 6 weeks, i dont think the doc would be too happy if i played rugby! Rather annoying for a 22 year old playing alot of sport. will keep you updated with my recovery
wow, is it painful, I hope this surgery helps you alot. I am really interested in how your nose is after it is all healed. My daughter has to use saline solution everyday so that the hole doesn't get clogged and bleed. Take good care of your nose while it healing, I think that is very important.
Ooops, thinks i put this comment in the wrong place before!! anyways, here it is again 'Hi all! Im actually going for surgery on my perforated septum tommorow morning. I discovered my hole about 8 months ago and was sent to the ENT. Im not really sure what they are planning on doing, but i googled 'mucosal bridge flap' and it seemed to discribe what my specialist said to me. I will let you all know how it goes when i get out of hospital'
My daughter got a perforated septum from cauterization for nose bleeds, I would aslo like to know how your surgery goes. Goodluck. How old are you?
Had this problem for years till an ENT doctor told me to douche my nasal passages with 3x teaspoons of sea salt 1x teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda into 2 pints of boiled water. You need a nasal douche and it needs to be done at least twice daily to begin with but it healed my nose and made breathing much clearer.Just look on the internet for tips on nasal douching and how to do it correctly. i didnt think it would work as i had tried everything but its amazed me how something so simple has cured such a horrible problem. Give it a go....i bet after a week you will be a lot happier with your nose.
I have been searching for days for cases with this and have not really found anything!! i am glad there are other people out there with the same problem as me. i have recently had a lot of pressure build up in my head and experiencing shooting pains in my sinus's i have had antibiotics after antibiotics but still am getting the pressure head/face aches. My eyes feel like they are going to get pushed out of the sockets when experiencing the most extreme headaches. I have been referred to ENT but have heard nothing of the appointment date yet. I have also worked myself into a bit of a frenzy worrying about it. apart from having problems as a child in my adulthood i have never experienced any problems with my sinus's as an adult and this hole has literally just appeared in the space of 2 months after a bad case of labrynthitis! wierd! glad im not the only one!!
Hi all! Im actually going for surgery on my perforated septum tommorow morning. I discovered my hole about 8 months ago and was sent to the ENT. Im not really sure what they are planning on doing, but i googled 'mucosal bridge flap' and it seemed to discribe what my specialist said to me. I will let you all know how it goes when i get out of hospital
Cant believe other people have this problem. I had this terrible smell up my nose and I was referred by my doctor to the local hospital about this, the doctor there looked up my nose and told me about the hole and said I had an infection. He asked if I had surgery up my nose before, He prescribed Naseptin cream and to use it 3 times a day. It is horrible I have only been using it at night, after you put it up it feels like you have the cold and your nose is blocked. In the morning I have to blow really hard to get this stuff down my nose. He sent me for a CT scan, which I have had and I am going back on the 2nd March so see what he says. I think he will be mad cause I havent done it 3 times a day. I will just have to wait and see.
After going to my doctor for 2 years regarding problems with my nose, i finally got my ENT appointment. I have a hole in my nose !! I have been told to use a salt water wash twice daily, along with a nasal spray and cream. puting vasaline up my nose also when feeling dry. I have then to go back in 4 months to see how this has helped. Does anyone have any similar experiance ? if so what were the results ? I just want this sorted, and am annoyed that the doctor did not refer me toi ent earlier i had asked several times !!!!
I, too, have problems with the picking...A few months ago I had an infection in my nose and I treated it with antibiotic nasal cream...It had been bleeding and I'd been picking at it incessantly...then I started the whistling and felt like something was wrong but it wasn't a regular sinus infection...my doctor simply told me to use nasal cream...she never actually looked to see if there was something going on...a couple days later I was blowing my nose and blew hard..and there was a huge scab like thing that came out...(still not knowing there was a hole)...well...when I continued picking at this..as I am a compulsive picker at scabs constantly also AND I also chew the inside of my mouth raw as well...I get canker sores ALOT...I've done the mouth thing since I was a teen..(am 45 now)..My mom used to say..'do you need me to get the pliers for you?!'...she also chewed on the inside of her mouth...AND my 17 year old son is doing it alot as well...I still wonder if it's a hereditary thing...or a 'learned' behavior...back to the nose...I realized after I gave it that final 'blow' that my pinky went through it and there was a hole...I freaked out and have since seen the ENT but he tells me there is nothing they can do because it is so big...(I can now put my ring finger through)...I'm really concerned that my nose will 'cave' in...he never really gave me a straight answer...my doctor said it COULD get bigger...can it I wonder?...ENT mentioned the grommet(sp?) but told me hole was too big..and said I"d have it picked out the first day even if they could...then mentioned taking 'flap' from inside of mouth...but said there's 2 sides on the flap and that I wouldn't be able to breathe long enough while the second was being put in...I still don't understand and I asked him numerous times...I thought I'd understood but now it makes no sense to me...And he told me that obviously it had been there for years...I would think I'd have noticed it long ago...and it had just recently been 'whistling' etc...I did cocaine in my early 20's but not excessive..(altho to me now any amount is excessive)...so I really don't know when it happened...I did plug my nose alot for years having had nose bleeds with tissue...I'd leave it in...and I'm thinking my 'turning' the tissue ..that I've formed as a 'tampon' sort thing..around and around constantly for years could have rubbed away the tissue?...I'm still at it daily...with the scab 'ring' and I can't seem to go a day without picking at it either...I'd really like to know if it's true it's too big to be fixed?...and would like to know if I'm able to pick away at the rest of my nose?...or have I picked at all that can be picked and and shrink?...I really wish the ENT knew what was going on...and I have Medicaid and can't afford a second opinion...so am real worried it could get much worse...
Wow...i can't believe there are actually other people out there with this same problem! I have always had a nervous habit of picking my nose...i would pick 'til it bled and then pick the scab over and over and over. One day (about 10 years ago) i felt something weird when picking...it was hard and it snapped when i caught it with my fingernail... a few weeks of picking later i realized i had broken through to the other side. I STILL pick at the hole, which has gotten to be the size of the area of my fingertip. (I can fit my pinky through it). Every morning there is a fresh scab around the perimeter of the hole and every day i try to go about my day without picking it out (it's like a little scab ring when it comes out intact) but by noon i just can't take it anymore and i have to go in the bathroom and pick it out. Sometimes i need a mirror and tweezers! I'm disgusted by this behavior and disgusted with myself. I'm destroying the inside of my nose (which is ALWAYS running now and when i sniff a LOUD whistle can be heard) I would go to the doctor to have it fixed but i know i will just ruin whatever the doctor does because i CAN'T kick my nervous habit of pick, pick, picking! As a side note, i also chew the inside of my cheeks and lips to the point that they are always sore and bleeding. I fear i may chew through to the other side of my cheek as with my nose. Oh yeah, and scab from a cut or scrape anywhere on my body doesn't stand a chance with me! I just pick, pick pick and i CAN'T STOP. WHAT CAN I DO?? Is this OCD? Is this a mental problem?
I keep getting Nosebleeds and i have headaches and my eyes ache before/during/after it happens, I really need some advice on what to do. xxx
hey laura, i have exactlty the same, i used to get noseblleds a lot and several times a day but being busy i never went to the doctors. then one day i discovered there was a hole, went to doc and ENT and keep getting told not to worry, that was when i was small, it got bigger so i went again to be told dont worry and surgery is unsuccessful, now i can fit my little finger through the hole so will go back but i dont know the answer, if the hole wud just seal then prob solved but it never has, any suggestions anyone?
Laura, I would love to know how you got on with the doctor, if you've been. I've had the same problem as you for years, but doctors and ENT specialists have been less than helpful. My problem started because I was under a lot stress and I got an infection. The stress continued and I subsequently began to suffer from adrenal fatigue and sinusitis. Like you, I inadvertently made a hole in my nose while desperately trying to clear the airways. I have since been told I have rhinitis. I have now discovered that nasal infections and sinusitis (amongst other conditions) can cause perforated septums, although in my case I think the excessive picking was the cause. I have also discovered that perforated septums can cause rhinitis. One ENT specialist I saw diagnosed rhinitis but then prescribed beta blockers which I now know can also cause rhinitis!! I still have the hole which I'm desperate to fix particularly as I believe it will help cure my rhinitis. Have you made any progress? Maria, did you have the surgery and are you happy with it? If so, can you let us know who the surgeon was? I can't tell you all what a relief it is to hear other similar stories. Makes you realise you're not alone. This is a difficult subject as there is such a stigma attached to 'holes in septums' relating to drug-use and I think it's great we're raising awareness of other causes. x
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