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Snorting Dangers: The Cocaine Effects on Your Nose You Need to Know About

Married to Addiction: Signs of Drug Use
 

Cocaine is a recreational drug that many young adults may try simply out of curiosity or peer pressure.

It is considered a hard drug, but because it is often snorted instead of injected, many people mistakenly believe it to be safer than it is.

While snorting may be a less daunting route of administration than sticking a needle in your arm, contrary to popular belief, that doesn’t make the drug any less dangerous. In fact, snorting can lead to a whole new set of health problems. As a cocaine rehab in Philadelphia, we do not want you fooled, so we are sharing the cocaine effects on your nose to be aware of and why it is best to avoid this drug altogether.

The Effects of Cocaine on the User

Cocaine is far from safe, no matter the route of administration. It is associated with harmful side effects like erratic behavior, anxiety, tremors, and dizziness. With time, it can cause severe damage to the cardiovascular system or brain as well.1 Because it is also highly addictive, many people find it hard to quit without a formal drug rehab program even if they start to experience these negative side effects. Addiction can also lead to mental, social, and behavioral problems for the user.

What Does Cocaine Do to Your Nose?

The drug itself can lead to many problems for the user, especially when used frequently and for a long time, but when it comes to snorting specifically, cocaine can damage your nose in several ways.

The effects of cocaine on your nose can range from mild and uncomfortable to severe. If you start snorting cocaine, you may expect to run into these issues involving your nose, throat, and respiratory system including:

  • Frequent nosebleeds
  • Runny nose
  • Decreased sense of smell
  • Sneezing
  • Sinus infections
  • Nasal septum perforation (small holes in the nose)
  • Saddle nose deformity (collapsed nose bridge)
  • Problems swallowing
  • Lung damage2


Some users may also develop cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions that have been found to mimic other serious health problems like infections, tumors, and immunological diseases and can be life-threatening.3 In cases of severe damage, surgery may be necessary to reconstruct the nose. Some of the milder issues may stop on their own or start to heal themselves once cocaine use seizes, typically with the help of inpatient or outpatient addiction treatment.

If you or someone you know is abusing cocaine or another drug, do not wait to get help. No matter how the drug is administered, if it is being abused, it can lead to serious health problems that may not be reversible.




Call our admission specialists today at 888-280-4763 to learn more about Banyan Philadelphia.


Sources & References:

  1. NIH - What are the short-term effects of cocaine use?
  2. NCBI - Snorting the clivus away: an extreme case of cocaine-induced midline destructive lesion
  3. NCBI - Cocaine-induced midline destructive lesions - an autoimmune disease?

 
Alyssa, Director of Digital Marketing
Alyssa, Director of Digital Marketing
Alyssa is the National Director of Digital Marketing and is responsible for a multitude of integrated campaigns and events in the behavioral health and addictions field. All articles have been written by Alyssa and medically reviewed by our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Darrin Mangiacarne.