Self induced nose damage and change

[Jswtich90]

Hello

Around 3 weeks ago I was listening to music, I was miming the words without actually singing and I strained myself. Ever since then my nose and the area around my nose has been numb and I have a tingling sensation across the bridge of my nose. Psychologicaly this made me think my nose had somehow gotten bigger and wider through straining so I have been constantly rubbing, pinching, molding and putting presure on my nose for the last 2 weeks to get it into the shape it once was, I play with my nose until I can hear the bones in it click and this has caused it to become even more numb and pain has started to form in the bones/cartilage in my nose, also the pressure it puts  on my head can be quite intense. This further makes me think that my nose has gotten bigger and its sent me into depression, I can't enjoy anything, I'm moody and everything seems pointless.

The pain varies through the day, sometimes it doesn't feel numb or painful at all, sometimes the pressure and numbness in my nose and head becomes so intense it feels like it's going to explode. I should also mention I have a hard area of skin on the left side of my nose which I don't have on the right it feels like a lump or hard skin, when I put my finger in my nose I can feel it aswell...Although I'm not sure this wasn't there before this whole ordeal started.

I have been to the doctors and he told me my nose was blocked, which is complete nonsense because I know what caused all of this is me straining myself, he gave me some spray to spray in my nose but so far it hasn't helped.

this is really ruining my life at the moment and I would appreciate your help.

[dankeviciustomas]

Hello,
I did the biggest mistake of my life - tried snorting cocaine on New years party. It was the first and the last time I used it. It was really small amount of cocaine that I snorted, up to 100 mg in total. The thing is that it was enough for me to have terrible consequences. It's been 3 months and I am still suffering nose problems. What exactly? First week after using coke my nose was clogged but that's normal symptom I guess. After that week my nose more or less unclogged but I started to feel pain while breathing in. It was horrible. Especially when I was trying to sleep. I was suffering this pain for a month straight until it disappeared completely. I was SUPER happy and delighted about it and expected to be fine from that moment. But I was wrong. A month and half was passed from using cocaine and suddenly one evening my nose went completely numb. A few days of suffering passed and that strong numb feeling became much smaller but it continued till now. It's not that bad now but when I touch my nose or simply eat or do any other activities that make my nose skin to stretch I feel my nose septum numb a little bit and I have to scratch my nose to make that feeling go away. Also, even if I don't touch my nose and lay in my bed calmly and quietly it still tingles sometimes and I have to scratch it. IT IS SO ANNOYING, I am really worried about my nose. I went to ENT specialist and he said that my septum of nose looks completely fine and it's neither deviated nor a hole in it exists. He prescribed to me Dymista spray because I also had post nasal drips and one of my nostril clogged sometimes that I haven't mentioned to you guys but that spray is not helping at all to remove that numb and tingling from my nose septum. I guess that cocaine was cut with something and I damaged my nerves. Or maybe that small amount of coke was even enough to shrink my blood vessels permanently.
PLEASE help me anyone who has experience with cocaine or simply have any ideas what is happening to me.
Will this damage heal one day or am I going to suffer this numbness of septum permanently. My life is ruined now, I have no motivation to keep going to university and other things I used to do before this horrible night because I can't stop thinking about my nose tingling and numbing. I also heard that anxiety might cause numbness of nose but I don't think it's my case because it appeared when I hadn't any anxiety or stress.
SORRY FOR SO LONG QUESTION BUT I AM DESPERATE TO FIND SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW AS MUCH DETAILS AS POSSIBLE...

[mishamisha]

hello, I'm going through the same thing. I pretty much messed with my nose for about a 1 1/2. I was actually on drugs (not all the time, thank god!!)  and got fixated on my nose trying to make it small but it got bigger. The worst part is when I stopped the drugs my nose rapidly got bigger and I feel like it still growing. It *****. I am going to go see an ENT soon. I noticed that by using a retinol cream and serum it help the skin on my nose. the products that I'm using are "tree of life moisturizer with hyaluronic acid"and "oz natural vitamin 20% amino blend hyaluronic acid". if you copy and paste each quote on amzon you will find them. I'ts only 2 products. I hope this helps. I am so sad, I don't see me anymore. I am going to have to save up and get plastic surgery eventually. Hope this helps.

[Brittany0724]

Wow. I have been searching for people with the same sort of anxiety and it makes me feel SO much better that I'm not alone. Every time I rub my nose when it feels itchy, I get this swollen sensation that makes my nose feel bigger. That being said, the psychological part plays it's role and all I could think about is if my nose really did grow bigger or lose its original shape. The more I think about it the more I message my nose and the worse it gets :( it's like a cycle. Itch. Worry. Panic. Massage. And then all over again.  Also is it normal for a nose to make a cracking nose when you move it side to side because my nose does and it really freaks me out. I think I have anxiety/paranoia/OCD issues. Stupid brain.

[nursegirl6572]

Hello and welcome!  I'm glad you found us, and even more glad you found the courage to post about your nose issue.

It sounds for sure, to me anyway, that you've developed a psychological obsession regarding your nose.  All of the advice I gave earlier on the thread to the OP would apply to you as well.  I would recommend the same course of action, leaving your nose COMPLETELY alone and give it some time (at least a few weeks) to see if you feel any differently about it, and how the nose feels.  You also should really seek out the help of a mental health professional, and PLEASE understand that there is no shame in doing so.  You'd be amazed at the kinds of thoughts/ideas people can become "stuck" on due to anxiety.  To me, it sounds like you're stuck on these issues with your nose.  Even if it didn't start OUT that way, it has certainly morphed into an obsession.

Please let us know how you're doing okay?  Hang in there...with some help, both medically and psychologically, you can get this under control.

[saf192]

Hi there,

I'm 25 year old woman, never commented on anything before but I saw this and it's the first sign of some of the answers I've been looking for secretly and been looking for a long time to see if any one has ever gone through this. Need advice and cannot talk about it to anyone because I told my boyfriend and he thinks I'm crazy and paranoid but I cannot stop obsessing about my nose. I am experiencing the exactly same sort of anxiety about my nose. Ever since I started doing coke a 3 years ago, in the last 6 months I started playing with nose thinking it would help clear my nose and make my nostrils smaller and even. I never had any nose bleeds or anything but I convinced myself one nostril was uneven so i stated putting a cotton to rub the inner nostril. And then I couldn't stop, thinking i could "massage" it into shape. then eventually it became a paranoid obsession and now out of control with touching. I cannot help myself. Now my nose is bulbous like you say and definitely shorter than it used to be. My boyfriend says it isn't. but if i can notice it then everyone else must notice it. maybe not everyone but those that are more observant to detail. I cannot stop messing with it and am convinced I have done more damage to it that meets the eye. I already saw a doctor about it and she said I had an abrasion and I have been putting cream in my nose ever since and because I have to stick something up my nose three times a day- it's makes me even more self conscious therefore start playing with it even more with intention to even each nostril and septum. I am literally going insane with irrational paranoia probably from self-guilt of what I did and it's narcissistic if anything and I don't even recognise myself anymore. I'm paranoid that every one can see my nose has changed or looks different but just not saying anything out of politeness.  and it is probably still not as half as bad as I'm thinking it is yet when I talk to people and I think they are staring at my nose and I feel anxious all over agin.
It's gotten really ridiculous now and I am obsessing with it so much. It is possible that I could have made my nose smaller this way? If i keep rubbing my fingers all round my nose and nostrils could I have flattened it slightly?? If so or if not what is wrong with me? I cannot stop thinking about the fact that I did this to myself and keep doing it. I think my nose is changing shape or Im hallucinating. I have massive anxiety and it's getting worse.
I am so embarrassed to even be admitting this let alone writing it. My nose always feels tight at the end and im scared at even the slightest tap of it, thinking its been knocked out of place or pushed over to one side and I have to keep checking it to make sure. The worst part is that I'm going round in circles with paranoia that I'm starting to not be able to look people in the eye for too long in case they notice some of the things that I do about my nose.

. I cannot stop playing with my septum and because I have been doing so I think I have made it thinner and have pushed my nostrils back in too much. This has become a real problem and I dont know what to do or who to speak to it about. Is this body dysmorphia or has my nose changed? or both? Sorry for all of this I know it sounds so weird but have to come clean to stop it further. Thank you

[nursegirl6572]

Well, messing with it will certainly cause some swelling, which is what everyone is probably noticing (OR, you are being very persistent about it and eventually people just give in and agree with you, lol), but messing with it would not permanently change the shape of your nose.  You really are selling your nose short!  

You posted a reply to my advice 4 days ago, stating you would stop messing with it and give it some time.  Four days is not nearly enough.  Like I said, you should give it at least a couple weeks, 2-3 before rushing back to the doctor.  You haven't given it time to "heal" from all your prodding.  Have you been REALLY leaving it alone?  If so, that's great.    If not, you haven't even begun to let it heal.  But, again, it's too soon to be making any judgements, certainly not worrying about the cost of plastic surgery!!  You are way too premature with all of these worries, but that's anxiety for you.

My advice to you remains the same.  Give this some TIME.  Not just a few days.  In the meantime, make yourself an appt with a psychiatrist to discuss these self image issues you have.  Even IF there is some problem with your nose (which I doubt), your anxiety about it is disproportionate to the actual concern (if there even is one.)

Patience.  I know it's hard to have it when you are worrying about something or experiencing symptoms of some sort, but with anxiety, it is a necessity.  Now, come back and give us an update, in no less than two weeks!  ;0)

My bet is you AND your nose are perfectly fine.

[Jswtich90]

Hello, an update

It definitely looks like I will have to go back to the doctor as the feeling of numbness/pressure and tingling has not subsided.

I am more concerned with the damage I did to my nose in the week I was constantly playing with it. As for the shape of it, it has definitely changed, I have even been told by other people that it has gotten bigger, wider and looks swollen. My nostrils are atleast twice and big, where as before I had quite a long nose but it was sort of but only a little wide, now it's swollen and bulbous, this is not in my head..I know what my nose looks like and it is different. Everytime I look in the mirror I don't recognose myself.

This is made me feel so depressed I don't know what to do, if my nose has changed what am I supposed to do to correct it? The only thing is plastic surgery which I is expensive and a lot of hassle, will this swelling ever subside and will my nose ever go down because it seems to be getting worse and I don't think I can live my life knowing this,

[nursegirl6572]

I suspected as much.

Well, you definitely need to get in to see a p-doc.  He/she will thoroughly assess you and give you an accurate diagnosis.  Then, you can start discussing treatment options.  Don't put it off, get the ball rolling!!

[Jswtich90]

Thank you for your reply

The symptoms I described started exactly after I thought I 'strained' myself, which is why I thought it was the cause, my first thought was that it was some kind of nerve damage. I will leave my nose alone and see what happens in 2-3 weeks.

Yes I have a history of anxiety, depression and OCD, I have even been to the doctor before because I thought I was too thin for my age and there was something wrong with me, he said there wasn't. I know I have a body image problem but have yet to see a psychiatrist about it.

Thanks

[nursegirl6572]

I have to be honest, in my almost 19 years of being a nurse, I have NEVER heard of someone "straining" their nose in ANY way, let alone in the manner you describe.  Unless you were stretching your mouth FAR beyond it's normal anatomy, it would be nearly impossible to injure your nose by singing or mouthing words to a song, and even in that case, I doubt that would be possible.  I've never seen a nose cast, a nose sling, or any other device that would be indicated in such an injury.

My guess is, for whatever reason (could be a million of benign reasons actually), you experienced the numbness in your nose and started searching for a culprit.  You then came up with the singing scenario.  Your doctor's assessment is MUCH more likely.  An upper respiratory infection (or a cold) that causes nasal congestion, or a sinus infection would easily cause the sensations you describe.

First and foremost, you need to STOP messing with your nose.  You are trying to "get it back to its original shape"....for one, that's impossible.  You can not change the anatomical structure of your nose just by bending it, and pushing it, etc.  You CAN however cause injury to your nose by doing so (which is probably what you have going on now, with the pain).  

My advice to you is to LEAVE your nose well enough alone and give it a few weeks (after seriously not touching it...you have to be honest with yourself) to rest and heal from all your prodding.  If, after 2-3 weeks, you're still having trouble with your nose, head back to the doctor.  You may even need to see an ENT.

Lastly, do you have a history od anxiety, or any other mental disorder (OCD, depression?).  I have a hunch that you do.  Have you ever had any other issues with your perception of your body (ie...thinking you are heavier than you are, or thinner than you are?...or thinking you're ugly when everyone around you says the opposite?).  The reason I ask is, this nose deal almost sounds like a mild case of body dysmorphic disorder.  I think a visit to a psychiatrist wouldn't hurt, especially since this seems to be causing you an awful lot of anxiety.

Best of luck...let us know how you're doing.  One last stern warning.....I MEAN it when I said to leave your nose alone...completely ALONE.  Do not mess with it, other than the typical blowing, picking (LOL), or itching that may occur a few times a day.  Trust me when I say you are doing harm to yourself.  You did not injure your nose singing.  I can promise you that.