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Have Anxiety, Hypochindria And Recurrent Sinus Infection. Diagnosed With Deviated Septum. Proper Diagnosis And Cure?
Question: I'm a 36 yr old female who admittedly suffers from anxiety and hypochindria. I have been dealing with recurrent sinus infections in the past six months or so. My doctor finally wants me to have a ct scan of my sinuses. I've had one done by an ENT about three years before. I had no serious infection then but was diagnosed with a deviated septum.
My question is about a sore/scar-like area on the septum side of my left nostril. I've had it for a few years and although its beer grown bigger its also never gone away. It will occasionally weep a little and scan up and when I do get drainage mucous will deg around it. This is disgusting but when it's like that it is hard for me not to pick at it. When nothing about it is flaring up it still has a bump like feeling, like a scar.
I didn't mention this to my doctor and I don't remember if I've ever showed him. My worry is that it is somehow some form of cancer and that I've made this develop by hardly ever leaving it alone. I've googled nasal cancer and what I find is very scary. This round of sinus infection has caused my eyelid to swell slightly. When I asked my doctor about blockages he was looking for in the ct scan he said "not cancer". Should I point out the sore to him or would he have seen that?
My question is about a sore/scar-like area on the septum side of my left nostril. I've had it for a few years and although its beer grown bigger its also never gone away. It will occasionally weep a little and scan up and when I do get drainage mucous will deg around it. This is disgusting but when it's like that it is hard for me not to pick at it. When nothing about it is flaring up it still has a bump like feeling, like a scar.
I didn't mention this to my doctor and I don't remember if I've ever showed him. My worry is that it is somehow some form of cancer and that I've made this develop by hardly ever leaving it alone. I've googled nasal cancer and what I find is very scary. This round of sinus infection has caused my eyelid to swell slightly. When I asked my doctor about blockages he was looking for in the ct scan he said "not cancer". Should I point out the sore to him or would he have seen that?
Hi
Thanks of posting the query
After a thorough study of your description, I do feel the sore area over the left side of the nasal septum could be a septal spur with a thinned out mucosa covering it.
Do not worry! Septal spur is a bony/cartilagenous projection from the deviated nasal septum. The mucosa covering over this spur is thinned out because of the stretching. This stretched out mucosa is always exposed for the dry air which we inhale. The air thus inhaled dries the secretions overlying the mucosa leading to recurrent crusting. When the crust becomes hard, it causes irritation inside the nostril, prompting an individual to clear it off. Recurrent drying of the secretions combined with nose picking makes that part of the mucosa sore and bleed.
You can try using saline nasal ointment 3-4 times a day and saline nasal spray for a few days till the soreness disappear. Drink plenty of water to keep the tissues hydrated. Avoid smoking if any.
I can assure you, this is not a sign of any impending cancer.
Hope I have answered your queries; I will be available for the follow up queries.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
Thanks of posting the query
After a thorough study of your description, I do feel the sore area over the left side of the nasal septum could be a septal spur with a thinned out mucosa covering it.
Do not worry! Septal spur is a bony/cartilagenous projection from the deviated nasal septum. The mucosa covering over this spur is thinned out because of the stretching. This stretched out mucosa is always exposed for the dry air which we inhale. The air thus inhaled dries the secretions overlying the mucosa leading to recurrent crusting. When the crust becomes hard, it causes irritation inside the nostril, prompting an individual to clear it off. Recurrent drying of the secretions combined with nose picking makes that part of the mucosa sore and bleed.
You can try using saline nasal ointment 3-4 times a day and saline nasal spray for a few days till the soreness disappear. Drink plenty of water to keep the tissues hydrated. Avoid smoking if any.
I can assure you, this is not a sign of any impending cancer.
Hope I have answered your queries; I will be available for the follow up queries.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
This does not come very far off my septum, hardly a bump at all, and is on the left nostril towards the front. Can a spur be very small? It doesn't block my airway in any way. It's not even as raised as a pimple would be. Also my septum seems to lean towards the right as far as I can feel and lost if my sinus pain is in the left side. The eye that is suddenly (though slightly) swelling in the eyelid is on the left side. Can the septum go one way and then the other? My pain is usually always on the left. When I do pick at this small raised area it sends pain up through the left side of my nose and down into the bone above my teeth. I have tea that nasal cancer is very rare. I try very hard not to google symptoms and self diagnose but this is one of those cases I just couldn't stops self.
Hi
Welcome back
1. The septum can be deflected in various shapes 'C', ' S', high deviation, associated with septal spur, etc.
2. Swelling of the left eyelids could be either due to blockage of the ethmoidal sinuses secondary to septal deviation and blockage of the osteomeatal complex or lack of sleep.
3. But, there are no other causes which can present as swelling over the septum and then lead to swelling of the eyelids.
4. I did make a probable diagnosis based of the history. If you can mail me the images of the sore lesion along with the CT scan reports, I can help you in a better way.
5. I can assure you, going through the description, it doesn't appear to be a cancerous lesion. Cancerous lesions will be fast growing, associated with swelling of the nasal framework, nasal block, bloody discharge, pain, etc.
6. The pain you feel while nose picking is because of the similar innervations between the nose, hard palate and the maxilla.
I wish you good health and good luck
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
Welcome back
1. The septum can be deflected in various shapes 'C', ' S', high deviation, associated with septal spur, etc.
2. Swelling of the left eyelids could be either due to blockage of the ethmoidal sinuses secondary to septal deviation and blockage of the osteomeatal complex or lack of sleep.
3. But, there are no other causes which can present as swelling over the septum and then lead to swelling of the eyelids.
4. I did make a probable diagnosis based of the history. If you can mail me the images of the sore lesion along with the CT scan reports, I can help you in a better way.
5. I can assure you, going through the description, it doesn't appear to be a cancerous lesion. Cancerous lesions will be fast growing, associated with swelling of the nasal framework, nasal block, bloody discharge, pain, etc.
6. The pain you feel while nose picking is because of the similar innervations between the nose, hard palate and the maxilla.
I wish you good health and good luck
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty
Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist
Practicing since :2001
Answered : 2540 Questions
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