Cocaine Nose: Some cocaine users inject it, and others take it orally. But most users snort it. People who use cocaine also find it faster and less cumbersome to snort than to inject or inhale it. Unfortunately, snorting often irritates the nose by minimizing the blood supply in the lining of the nose.
Snorting cocaine frequently results in cocaine nose, which is nose damage resulting from the overuse of the drug. Regrettably, cocaine nose affects the structure of the nose and is sometimes irreversible.
Table of Contents
1) Sinus Infections
Chronic use of cocaine wreaks havoc on the sinuses through chronic inflammation. Cocaine compromises blood circulation in the nose and reduces immunity. This exposes users to unending sinus infections.
The irritating drug also causes swelling that blocks sinus openings and drainage passages. Trapped mucus and debris become breeding grounds for infections. Another trigger for sinus infection is the cocaine particles that get lodged in the sinus cavities.
2) Frequent Nose Bleeds
Damaged sinus tissue from cocaine nose can frequently cause nosebleeds. The caustic drug burns and erodes the delicate nasal mucosa lining. Repeated inflammation from irritation thins out blood vessels close to the surface.
Any blow to the nose then ruptures these fragile, swollen vessels easily. When combined with the risk of small perforations, snorting cocaine long-term turns the nasal cavity into a predisposed injury waiting to bleed at the slightest force.
3) Loss of Sense of Smell
Cocaine nose puts the sense of smell at risk through persistent inflammation and tissue damage in the nose over time. The delicate olfactory nerve filaments inside nasal cavities that detect scents are highly susceptible to degradation.
Swelling from cocaine constricts airways, while direct contact with caustic fumes burns delicate smell receptors. Repeated injury stunts the regeneration of these neurons over time. Eventually, extensive scarring and thinning of the mucosa sever smell-sensing nerves permanently.
4) Palate Perforation
Cocaine snorting causes the highly acidic drug to irritate and inflame delicate mouth tissues. Frequent cocaine use breaks down collagen in the soft palate until a minor breakdown forms an ulcer.
Snorting transforms this sore into a chronic, non-healing wound susceptible to bacterial infection. Repeated cycles of cocaine toxicity and bacterial infection cause progressive destruction.
Eventually, the ulcer grows large enough to penetrate the entire thickness of the soft palate, creating a perforated hole directly into the nasal cavity.
5) Saddle Nose Deformity
Chronic cocaine abuse creates enough inflammation and tissue destruction in the nose to cause a saddle nose deformity over the years. The perforation of the nasal septum leaves the central bridge without support.
Constant irritation causes surrounding cartilage to resorb gradually. As the nose collapses downward and laterally from this erosion of structural integrity, a nasal dorsal depression forms.
The side walls fall inward to compensate, resulting in a hollowed bridge resembling a saddle. Over time, the shape becomes permanently distorted due to repeated injury and delayed healing.
Dealing With Cocaine Nose? Seek Treatment Right Away
When people snort cocaine for a long time, it’s absorbed in the nasal cavity and causes irreversible damage. Signs that someone has a cocaine nose include frequent nose bleeds, persistent sinus infections, loss of smell, destruction of the palate, and nose deformity. If you or a loved one shows those signs, seek professional treatment early enough and prevent further damage.
