what could this be in my nose?

[craft_media_hero]

Okay, I am totally stumped as to what is going on in my nostrils!

Periodically for the last 2 years or so, I get these sore spots . . . kind of like an ingrown hair or a deep pimple, but it never comes to a head. It starts out on the inside of one nostril, and then I swear kind of moves around! The current sore spot started in the left nostril earlier this week, then moved to the right nostril right at the tip of my nose and now is right on the side where one might have a nose piercing (which I do not). The problem is on the inside of the nostril, but the outside of the nose gets sore and red and inflamed, too, swollen and fat and shiny looking--not like acne, though.

It's very very very tender to the touch but the tenderness comes and goes--last night it was excruciating to touch my nose at all, and now it's just sore. From time to time, there is a clear fluid running from my nose when this happens.

Itchiness comes and goes with this problem--the itchiness feels like it's in the tissue in between the inner and outer flesh of my nostril, does that make sense?

Any ideas what this could be and how one would go about preventing this problem? Could it be heavy metal exposure, allergies, parasites?

I don't notice a pattern as to when it happens based on environment (like allergies) or exposure to dust, hormones, etc. It seems totally random, but recurs maybe every six wks or so and then lasts up to a week. It's really irritating!

[lindberg99]

Could it be rosacea? My nose used to get really itchy and then when I was at the derm for a skin check, she said I had rosacea. My nose doesn't itch nearly as much since I started on the gel she gave me.

[Ornery]

Sounds like a sty to me.  I had one in my nose years ago and it was similar, although I can't really remember if it moved around.  I think I used a bactroban ointment for 2 weeks and a hot compress and it never came back. 

[Otto]

Originally Posted by Ornery 

Sounds like a sty to me.  I had one in my nose years ago and it was similar, although I can't really remember if it moved around.  I think I used a bactroban ointment for 2 weeks and a hot compress and it never came back.

Styes only occur on the eyelid. It's probably a furuncle(s), which is likely staph overstepping its bounds. I wouldn't really take external swelling or a recurrent problem lightly in the "triangle of death." Certainly, avoid mechanically damaging the nostril by hair plucking, etc.

[amcal]

O mama, I just had that a few weeks ago and it was so painful! I've had nose pimples before but, what you're describing goes way beyond that. I know. The whole side of my face swelled and if anyone even breathed near me, I would cringe.

I tried antibiotic ointment but it kept getting worse and worse. After 5 days of agony, I switched to grapefruit seed extract and, it was dramatically better within 24 hours.

I do think it's staph and what helped me was to put a few drops of grapefruit seed extract in a saline nose spray bottle (I bought a bottle of Little Noses nasal spray specifically for this) and squirt it in my nose a couple times a day. I also put a few drops of GSE in a tablespoon of water and then took small pieces of cotton ball, soaked them in the GSE solution and put them in my nose. I would change them out regularly. I also took GSE internally. a couple drops a couple times a day.

There's lots of info out there about GSE and staph. I know for me, the improvement was quick and dramatic. If I ever get a nose pimple again, I will immediately start on GSE. I do not want to go through that again. I hope you get some relief!

[Ornery]

Sorry for the misinformation - that's what the doctor called it.  Maybe he was just calling it that as it was something I could understand?  He also talked about it being staph related.  I believe bactroban is commonly used for staph infections.

[craft_media_hero]

Ugh. I think you all are right about it being staph getting out of hand! I have had a sneaking suspicion that it was bacterial/staph related. Darn it. Why is this happening, then? I mean, I'm trying to think of what "opportunistic" opportunity is presenting itself for staph to be going crazy. And why would staph flare-ups be recurrent? The only thing that is really different lately is that I have been even more sleep-deprived than usual (ds teething and has a cold) but otherwise eating really well and feeling good, not feeling exhausted or anything.

I have been rolling this Burt's Bee's tea tree anti-acne stick on my nose (before I read this thread and feeling desperate to do something!), and it strangely seems to have isolated the swelling into just two smaller areas instead of the whole nose, but those two spots are really thick and tender and swollen. But I can only get the outside of the nose w/ the stick, and I want to treat it on the inside of the nostril.

I am definitely going to get some GSE asap! What kind is best? Is it in liquid form or gelcaps that you pop in order to add the oil to nasal spray, etc?

Also, I thought that maybe a saltwater soak might help? Idk if I have any non-iodized salt right now, though.

Would applying raw honey or yogurt be wack or make it worse? I just thought since honey is anti-bacterial and maybe yogurt would help, Idk.

Yuck. I have to work tomorrow, and I totally feel like I have a giant diseased growth on my face!

Thanks for the feedback, mamas. Gtg now the kids are clamoring for their dinner ;)

[danipoppins]

I use Nutribiotic brand GSE and I get it in the liquid form because it's more versatile.  If you take it orally, it's not bad in orange juice or you can put it in empty capsules. 

[amcal]

Originally Posted by danipoppins 

I use Nutribiotic brand GSE and I get it in the liquid form because it's more versatile.  If you take it orally, it's not bad in orange juice or you can put it in empty capsules. 

That's what I use as well. It works for tons of things so, I always have a bottle on hand.

[craft_media_hero]

Originally Posted by Otto 

Styes only occur on the eyelid. It's probably a furuncle(s), which is likely staph overstepping its bounds. I wouldn't really take external swelling or a recurrent problem lightly in the "triangle of death." Certainly, avoid mechanically damaging the nostril by hair plucking, etc.

What's the "triangle of death" by the way? I have not heard that term before. About styes-in the past I've noticed styes around the same time as this nose swelling thing, and I just thought they were coincidental, but I had a stye just a few days before this one came on. Seriously, is this stuff traveling around my face?!? 

I've been meaning to get some GSE anyway but was totally overwhelmed by all its different forms last time I was at the hfs. I'll just get the liquid Nutribiotic kind if they have it and not mess around with the caps or other stuff.

For now, I'm trying to flush with water and taking olive leaf extract (since I don't have the GSE right now and OLE is good in similar ways, too, right?) and applying the Burt's Bee's stick which really seems to relieve the itching. I'm wondering if my hub is harboring staph bacteria! He has "backne" that is pretty chronic and red sores . . . I wonder if we've thought it was acne this whole time, and really it's staph?

And how to get this under control, what causes it to get out of control in the first place? He eats a ton of sugar, btw and neither of us get enough sleep. Can food intolerances weaken one's system against staph?

Ugh, my whole nose is so swollen! I am seriously thinking about calling in to work tomorrow--if you told your boss you had impetigo on your face, they'd let you off the hook, right? I could probably cover it up, but I need to study . . . ;)