Inflammation of the periosteum of the nose

What is periostitis on the nose?

Periosteum inflammation of the nose is understood, more narrowly, to mean an inflammatory process on the nasal bone. The nasal bone itself is part of the skull and the only bony structure of the nose. The rest of the nose consists of cartilage and therefore, by definition, cannot suffer from periosteum inflammation.

The periosteum, in turn, is the outermost layer of tissue of every bone and is permeated by small blood vessels and nerves, which is why it is relatively sensitive to pain. As a rule, periosteum inflammation arises either as a result of excessive stress or a bacterial infection directly on the nasal bone.

Read more on the topic: Pain in and around the nasal bone

Symptoms of periostitis on the nose

A typical symptom of periosteum inflammation is the resulting pain. Typically these have gotten worse over time and are oppressive, dull in nature. You can also notice reddening and swelling of the skin that spreads around the bridge of the nose. Relief of the bridge of the nose, for example by not wearing glasses, leads to a slight improvement in the case of inflammation.

A blood sample could also reveal an increased number of inflammatory cells and proteins in the blood. For the person concerned, however, this symptom is not recognizable, but can only be determined when visiting a doctor.

Read more on the topic: Periosteum

Pain

Pain is probably the most typical symptom of periosteum inflammation. This means that all periosteum inflammations are accompanied by pain. However, there are plenty of other conditions that cause bone pain as well.

However, the painful nature of periosteum inflammation is rather dull in nature. The pain is more pressing than stabbing. Also, if you continue to put pressure on the inflamed area, the pain will get worse. For example, wearing glasses would increase the pain in people who wear glasses. Cooling can also slightly improve the pain.

Treatment of periosteum inflammation

The basis of every therapy for periosteum inflammation is the relaxation and relief of the affected bone. Blowing your nose, wearing glasses, etc. should be avoided as much as possible in order to allow a quick healing process. In addition, anti-inflammatory, i.e. anti-inflammatory drugs can be used. Ibuprofen would be such a preparation, which also has the advantage that it also has a pain-relieving effect, which can provide relief from the sometimes quite severe pain. However, the maximum daily dose must be observed, which should not be exceeded. Patients with weak or poor kidneys should also consult their doctor before taking.

If these measures are not sufficient, cortisone can be used as a last resort to contain the inflammatory process. This should only be done after consulting the attending physician.
The bridge of the nose can also be cooled as a support. This takes the pain out to a lesser extent and slows down the inflammation.

Read more here: Anti-inflammatory drugs

ointment

Ointments can also potentially be used to treat inflammation. Since the nasal bone is located quite close under the skin, the application of ointments can achieve an acceptable local effect.

Two different ointments could potentially be used here. On the one hand, an analgesic and anti-inflammatory ointment could be applied. 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 an example.
But the cortisone can also be applied locally as an ointment if necessary. But even here you should consult your doctor beforehand.

You might also be interested in: Voltaren Resinat - application, dosage, effect, side effect

Healing time

The healing time essentially depends on how much the patient can actually take it easy. Nothing prolongs the healing process like constant manipulation of the areas where the immune system is currently working. If the nasal bone is relieved, healing can take place after three to four weeks. However, if the inflamed bone is further stressed, healing can take up to three months or even longer.

The anti-inflammatory drugs also have a supportive effect. In this way, the healing time can usually be reduced again significantly.

Read more on the topic: That's how long a periosteum lasts

Causes of periosteum inflammation on the nose

There are many causes that can lead to periosteum inflammation of the nose.

Fall / blow

A fall or a blow to the nose or the nasal bone always harbors the risk of damage to the bone - in the worst case it breaks. If the bone breaks, the periosteum is also torn, but this does not always have to lead to inflammation.

Inflammation can usually only occur if the wound is open, which allows the germs to penetrate the wound and make their way to the periosteum. Periosteum inflammation as a result of a fall or blow is a medical rarity. As a rule, only the bone breaks or the vessels inside or above the nose are damaged.

Read more on the topic: Broken nose

glasses

Incorrectly fitting glasses or glasses with a wrong fit on the bridge of the nose can lead to the aforementioned overloading or incorrect loading of the nasal bone, which in the worst case can result in periosteum inflammation of the nasal bone.

Before that happens, however, the person concerned has a whole range of omens. Before a manifest inflammation, however, the nasal bone begins to hurt. At this point, the affected bone should be spared to prevent real inflammation. You should only wear the glasses when it is really essential to give the nasal bone time to regenerate.

infection

Infections of the nose, sinuses, or the rest of the upper respiratory tract are not uncommon; A genuine periosteum inflammation of the nasal bone, on the other hand, is very rare. In the case of an infection, the germs can either reach the periosteum directly through an open wound on the nasal bone or spread as an infection from the paranasal sinuses or the remaining upper respiratory tract.

Read more on the topic: Sinusitis

diagnosis

For the attending physician, the diagnosis usually results from a combination of medical history (anamnese), physical examination and, if necessary, the patient's blood count. Typically, the patient reported a pre-existing "permanent stress" on the nose, such as wearing glasses that did not quite fit or the like. Or the patient could report about an infection in the recent past.

In addition, the patient would most likely report that less stress on the nasal bone leads to a significant improvement in pain. The physical examination would show the nasal bone to be particularly tender on pressure, but there is no evidence of a break.

The possibly requested blood count would show a strong cell proliferation on inflammatory cells or cells of the immune system; as well as the increase in C-reactive protein, which is a typical marker of inflammation in the human body.