Feels Dry And Blocked Nose, Getting Blood Taste In Mouth. How To Cure The Problem?

Posted on Tue, 13 Nov 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 Answered on

Mon, 3 Dec 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : My nose feels blocked & dry. It's bright red inside one nostril & I can taste blood every once in a while . Spots of blood in my nose too.

Answered by Dr. Naveen (51 minutes later)

Hi

Thanks for the query

The descriptions you have given by are the features of sinusitis. The bright red thing you have noticed inside the nose is the hypertrophied inferior turbinate; this is a normal structure in the nose which gets enlarged during any inflammation in the nose. The taste of blood is because of the sinus secretions coming from the nose into the throat. Finally, the spots of blood in the nose are secondary to rupture of the blood vessels in the nose following inflammation. All these above mentioned features are signs and symptoms of sinusitis.

My advice to you is:
1. To use saline nasal spray, 3-4 times a day followed by steam inhalation
2. Drink plenty of warm water
3. Try taking a mucolytic such as bromhexine or ambroxol
4. If there is yellowish or greenish nasal discharge you will have to start on antibiotics such as a combination of amoxycillin & clavuanic acid or cefuroxime
5. Avoid smoking/alcohol/chilled beverages
6. Avoid forceful blowing of the nose

Hope I have answered your query; I will be available for the follow-up queries.

Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar