What Causes Foul-Smelling Nasal Discharge?
Disease description:
I hadn’t paid much attention to it before, but over the past few days I’ve noticed that my nasal mucus has an unpleasant odor. I’d like to understand what causes this foul smell.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Xu Gang
Foul-smelling nasal discharge (nasal crust odor) is primarily caused by factors such as nasal foreign bodies, atrophic rhinitis, xerotic rhinitis, or malignant nasal tumors. Nasal foreign bodies causing foul-smelling nasal discharge are most commonly seen in children. In contrast, atrophic rhinitis and xerotic rhinitis affect a broader population and are mainly attributable to recurrent inflammatory stimulation. Malignant nasal tumors predominantly occur in elderly individuals and are typically accompanied by additional symptoms such as spontaneous epistaxis and headache.
