The stuffy nose Flashcards
what are the core nasal symptoms?
blockage loss of smell discharge facial pain sneezing itch crusting epistaxis
what are secondary nasal symptoms?
dry mouth sore throat snoring halitosis loss of taste
what do you look for in nasal examination?
airway latency
external nose
rhinoscopy
how to check airway patency?
close one nose and ask to breathe through the other nose
what are the investigations for stuffy nose?
depend on the underlying cause - rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal trauma, unilateral symptoms
what is rhinitis?
inflammation of the nose
what are the two types of rhinitis?
infective and non infective
non infective rhinitis is further divided into?
allergic and non-allergic
what is a cause of infective rhinitis?
viral URTI
what is the two types of allergic rhinitis?
intermittent and persistent
what are the causes of intermittent allergic rhinitis?
grass pollen, tree pollen, fungal spores
what is intermittent allergic rhinitis?
there is a period where the allergy stops
what are the causes of persistent allergic rhinitis?
house dust mite
cat
dog
what is the classification for rhinitis?
ARIA classification: divided into intermittent persistent mild moderate- severe
used in untreated patents
aria intermittent classification:
Symptoms <4 days per week
. or symptoms for <4 weeks
aria persistent classification?
Symptoms > 4 days per week
. and > 4 weeks duration
mild aria classification?
normal sleep
& no impairment of daily activities, sport, leisure
& normal work and school
& no troublesome symptoms
moderate - severe aria classification?
one or more items . abnormal sleep . impairment of daily activities, sport, leisure . missing work or school . troublesome symptoms
nasal polyps:
often associated with non-allergic asthma
treat with oral then topical steroids - if full of polyps might be difficult to get topical steroids in
if no better -> surgery
polyps have no sensation
presentation acute infection rhinosinusitis:
facial pain
discharge
nasal blockage
reduced sense of smell
cause of acute infective rhino sinusitis?
98% are viral and will get better by themselves
treatment for acute infective rhino sinusitis?
treat with analgesics and decongestants
if persisting/worsening add antibiotic
presentation of nasal trauma?
unilateral blockage
cartilage or bones can be fractured
depends on the force and location of trauma
