Nasal Discharge
Nasal discharges are common. The most frequent causes are the common cold and allergic rhinitis. Persistent bloodstained nasal discharge is a serious symptom requiring urgent investigation.
History
Congenital
Choanal atresia is rare. Check for other congenital abnormalities. Bilateral choanal atresia is a life-threatening condition in newborn infants. Unilateral atresia may not be picked up until 5–10 years of age, when it becomes apparent that one nostril is blocked and there is a thick mucus discharge.
Acquired
Infective
The patient will often have a common cold. There is a mucoid nasal discharge, which settles rapidly once the cold has settled. With chronic rhinitis, there may be a chronic purulent discharge. This is often thick and mucoid. There may be a history of immunological deficiency or cystic fibrosis. With sinusitis, there may be pain or discomfort over the maxillary sinuses or a headache with pain over the frontal sinuses. With large adenoids, there may be a complaint of mouth breathing, recurrent pharyngeal infections, snoring and recurrent ear infections. Fungal infections of the nose are rare, occurring in immunosuppressed patients. Candida albicans and Aspergillus
