Rhinorrhea
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Rhinorrhea, commonly known as a runny nose, is a symptom of the common cold and allergies (hay fever). The term comes from the Greek words "rhinos" meaning "of the nose" and "rhoia" meaning "a flowing." Rhinorrhea can also be a sign of withdrawal, such as from opioids.[1] Symptoms display circadian rhythms.[1]
Cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea can indicate basilar skull fracture.
Overview
Nasal discharge is any mucus-like material that comes out of the nose. Nasal discharges are common, but rarely serious. Drainage from inflamed or infected sinuses may be thick or discolored. Excess mucus production may run down the back of your throat (postnasal drip) or cause a cough that is usually worse at night. A sore throat may also result from excessive mucus drainage. The mucus drainage may plug up the eustachian tube between the nose and the ear, causing an ear infection and pain. The mucus drip may also plug the sinus passages, causing sinus infection and pain.
Causes
- The common cold
- The flu
- Allergies
- Hay fever — nasal discharge is usually clear and very thin
- Sinusitis — the nasal discharge may be thick and discolored yellow, brown, or green
- Head injury
- Bacterial infections
- Small objects in the nostril (especially in children)
- Nasal sprays — using drops containing vasoconstrictors for more than 3 days in a row may cause nasal discharge to come back
Non-viral/non-allergic causes
Symptoms are not always caused by specific allergens or similarly a viral infection. Strong smelling substances such as propyl disulphide and allyl disulphide (found in onions and garlic, both of the Genus Allium) and particularly CS gas (which provides an especially intense pepper-like odour) are found to exaggerate the condition.
Differential Diagnosis of Rhinorrhea
| Cardiovascular | No underlying causes |
| Chemical / poisoning | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | No underlying causes |
| Drug Side Effect | No underlying causes |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | No underlying causes |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | No underlying causes |
| Genetic | No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | No underlying causes |
| Iatrogenic | No underlying causes |
| Infectious Disease | No underlying causes |
| Musculoskeletal / Ortho | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | No underlying causes |
| Nutritional / Metabolic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | No underlying causes |
| Opthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose / Toxicity | No underlying causes |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal / Electrolyte | No underlying causes |
| Rheum / Immune / Allergy | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | No underlying causes |
| Miscellaneous | No underlying causes |
Treatment
Keep the mucus thin rather than thick and sticky. This helps prevent complications, such as ear and sinus infections, and plugging of your nasal passages. To thin the mucus:
- Drink extra fluids.
- Increase the humidity in the air with a vaporizer or humidifier.
- Antihistamines may reduce the amount of mucus. Be careful, because some antihistamines may make you drowsy.
- Use saline nasal sprays. Don't use over-the-counter nasal sprays more frequently than three days on and three days off, unless ordered by the doctor.
References
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 . id:Rhinorrhea
