What is periostitis of the nose?
A periostitis of the nose is a somewhat narrower definition of an inflammatory process on the nasal bone. The nasal bone itself is part of the skull bone and the only bony structure of the nose. The remaining part of the nose consists of cartilage and can therefore by definition not suffer from periostitis. The periosteum, in turn, is the outermost tissue layer of every bone and is permeated by small blood vessels and nerves, making it relatively sensitive to pain. As a rule, periosteitis develops either as a result of overloading or as a result of a bacterial infection directly on the nasal bone.
Symptoms of periostitis of the nose
A typical symptom of periostitis is the pain it causes. Typically, these have worsened over time and have an oppressive, dull character. Furthermore, one can notice redness and swelling of the skin, which spreads around the root of the nose.
Relieving the root of the nose, for example by not wearing glasses, leads to a slight improvement in case of inflammation. A blood sample could also be taken to detect an increased number of inflammatory cells and proteins in the blood. However, this symptom is not recognizable for the person concerned, but can only be detected during a visit to the doctor.
Pain is probably the most typical symptom of periosteitis. This means that all periostitis is accompanied by pain. However, there are many other diseases that also cause bone pain.
However, the pain character of periostitis is rather dull in nature. The pain is more pressing than stabbing. In addition, the pain becomes worse if the inflamed area is subjected to further stress. For example, wearing glasses would increase the pain for people who wear glasses. The pain can also be slightly improved by cooling.
Treatment of osteomyelitis
The basis of any therapy for periostitis is the relaxation and relief of the affected bone. Nose blowing, wearing glasses, etc. should be avoided as much as possible to enable a quick healing process.
In addition, antiphlogistic, i.e. anti-inflammatory, medication can be used. Ibuprofen would be one such preparation, which also has the advantage of having an analgesic effect that can relieve the sometimes quite severe pain. However, the maximum daily dose should not be exceeded.
Patients with a weak or bad kidney should also consult their doctor before taking the drug. If these measures are not sufficient, cortisone can be used as the ultima ratio to reduce the inflammatory process. This should only be done after consultation with your doctor.
The root of the nose can also be cooled as a support. This relieves the pain to a small extent and slows down the inflammation. Potentially, ointments can also be used to treat the inflammation.
Since the nasal bone is located quite close to the skin, the application of ointments can have a reasonable local effect. Potentially, two different ointments could be used here. One could be an analgesic and anti-inflammatory ointment.
This has the same effect as an ibuprofen tablet, but can be applied much more locally. Voltaren ointment (with the active ingredient diclofenac) would be one example. However, cortisone can also be applied locally as an ointment. Here too, however, the doctor treating the patient should be consulted beforehand.
