Causes of Common Nasal Symptoms

Nasal Symptoms are common in all ages. There are many diseases which require urgent medical and surgical attention. As well some require routine surgical intervention. Here are a list of some common nasal symptoms and their causes. As for example nasal obstructions, nasal foul-smelling, crusting conditions or smelling problems.

These causes are frequently asked in the medical viva examinations. SO important for the medical students too.

A nasal polyp is quite common. I will discuss it later. It is basically two types. Ethmoidal polyp causes bilateral nasal obstructions. While Antrochoanal polyp causes unilateral obstructions.

Common Nasal Symptoms:

List of common nasal symptoms cases are listed below.

Causes of Unilateral Obstructions:

1. Deviated Nasal Septum (DNS)
2. Antrochoanal polyp
3. Rhinosporidiosis
4. Ringerts papilloma
5. Nasopharyngeal angiofibroma
6. Cancer of Maxillary antrum
7. Olfactory neuroblastoma
8. Foreign body in the nose, it is the most common findings in the pediatric age group.
9. Rhinolith

Causes of Bilateral Nasal Obstructions:

1. Ethmoidal polyp
2. Adenoids
3. Bilateral choanal atresia
4. Allergic rhinitis
5. Vasomotor rhinitis
6. DNS with opposite hypertrophied inferior turbinate

Causes of Foul Smelling Discharge:

1. Atrophic rhinitis
2. Old Foreign body impaction
3. Rhinitis caseosa
4. Purulent sinusitis
5. Infected nasal polyp
6. Nasal malignancy

See more: Tonsils In children Causes, Features, Diagnosis, Treatment of Tonsillitis

Causes of Crusting conditions of Nose:

1. Atrophic Rhinitis
2. Unhealed septal perforations
3. Rhinoscleroma
4. Rhinitis Sicca
5. Post Inferior Turbinectomy
6. Post Radiotherapy
7. Tuberculosis
8. Syphilis

Causes of Anosmia/Hyposmia:

Hyposmia means reduced ability to smell the odour.

1. Head injury involving a cribriform plate of the ethmoid
2. Allergic rhinitis
3. Ethmoidal polyp
4. Olfactory neuroblastoma
5. Viral neuronitis

Source: Otolaryngology Book by our beloved Teacher Prof M A Matin Sir (Tripple FRCS).

Thanks, everyone. If you have any questions, please ask me in the comment section.