Painful Boil Inside the Nose
Boils inside the nose may not be as harmless as they may seem.
Sometimes, you may have experienced a throbbing pain inside the nose and discovered that the culprit was a boil. Although they are small, boils on the insides of the nose can be doubly irritating than those on the other parts of the body. The insides of our nose are already sensitive. When a boil develops there, everyday activities like washing your face and rubbing or blowing your nose can make you see stars in the day. But if it is deep inside your nose, you can neither see it nor treat it with any topical medication. We asked dermatologist Dr. Rajat Kandhari about these annoying boils that develop inside the sensitive areas of your nose.
What causes these boils?
The villain, as usual, is a pesky gram-positive bacterium called Staphylococcus Aureus. Dr. Kandhari says, “Some individuals in a carrier state where the bacterium lies dormant inside them.” In this state, the person may be carrying the pathogen, but he doesn’t show any symptoms himself. “From this state, it can become pathogenic at times,” says the doctor.
The membrane inside the nose can get injured due to scratching or picking with fingernails. Sometimes, the cold weather can dry up the nasal membrane. At such moments, the opportunistic bacterium takes over and causes a condition known as nasal vestibulitis or folliculitis of the nasal hairs. “People who have atopic dermatitis are also at risk of developing these conditions,” says Dr. Kandhari.
What are the complications?
Although we may brush it off as a simple skin problem, Dr. Kandhari warns against treating it lightly. “The boils may sometimes merge and form a conglomeration or a group,” he says. The doctor reveals that sometimes it can also give rise to nasal abscess, which is a pocket of pus that forms following bacterial infection.
“One should not take nasal boils lightly because it is formed on what is known as ‘the most dangerous area of the face,’” reveals the doctor. The triangular area formed from corners of the mouth extending up to the bridge of the nose is a sensitive section of the face. The network of blood supply in this area makes it easy for any infection to spread to the brain.
“Diabetics and people who are immunosuppressed should especially watch out if there are boils in the area,” warns the doctor. “Diabetics are particularly more prone to such conditions. If left untreated, it can get aggravated.”
What care should be taken?
• “First and foremost, no picking the nose,” states Dr. Kandhari. If you are a chronic pimple popper, resist the temptation to reach into your nose and squeeze the boil. This can cause the infection to go deeper into the skin.
• “Do not use any oils or moisturisers inside the nose,” says the doctor. This might cause clogging of the pores or could irritate the membrane of the skin further.
• Avoid any trauma to the nose by blowing or squeezing the nose too hard.
• It can go away on its own. But if it doesn’t, visit the doctor at the earliest.
Source: The Health Site
