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Pus in the nose

Definition - pus pimples on the nose

Pus pimples on the nose are defined by a bump that is filled with pus and localized in the nose. The pimples in the nose can not only be uncomfortable, but also very painful. This can be explained by the sensitive nasal mucous membrane, which is lined with many small nerves.

The pus pimples in the nose occur when bacteria can penetrate through a damaged nasal mucosa. When bacteria eventually become infected, yellowish pus develops. This consists of bacteria, immune cells and cell debris.

Usually the pimples are harmless. In some cases they can also be an expression of illnesses. Only under certain conditions and adverse circumstances can rare but serious complications occur.

You can check out our main article and the measures to be taken if you have a pus at: Pus pimples - what to do?

What to do if there is a pus in the nose

What needs to be done depends on the cause and any accompanying symptoms that may occur.

If a causative nasal herpes is present, it must be treated accordingly with special medication, locally and possibly also in tablet form. There is also a high risk of infection here. You have to pay close attention to hygiene in order not to infect other people or yourself and to spread the herpes further on the face. In these cases, caution is required to avoid complications and consequential damage, for example if the eyes and the brain are involved. If a fever occurs, a doctor should always be contacted.

If the pus pimples were caused by a cold or some other harmless cause, home remedies can help. But here, too, it is important to maintain the most appropriate hygiene possible. Under no circumstances should you push the pimple. Because this can worsen the inflammation and potentially lead to complications. Instead, the use of tea tree oil, chamomile flowers, seawater nasal spray and nasal ointments is recommended. These home remedies can have a supportive effect - provided there are no intolerances to certain substances or plants.

In some cases, a steam bath with chamomile flowers or chamomile tea can relieve the discomfort. A seawater nasal spray can also help regenerate the nasal mucosa. In addition, nasal care ointments can strengthen and protect the inner skin of the nose.

If the pus pimples are the result of an underlying disease, the underlying disease must of course also be treated in order to ensure that the therapy is successful.

Adhering to appropriate behavior forms the basis for good healing of the nasal mucosa and prophylaxis to prevent the pimples from recurring. This means that your hands should always be clean when they come into contact with the nose. If possible, nose picking should be avoided. Stuck nasal mucus should always be removed with a clean, skin-friendly handkerchief. It should be ensured that the nasal mucosa is moist. It also makes sense to strengthen the body's own defense system.

Further information on the subject is also available from: Home remedies for pimples

Tea tree oil against pus pimples in the nose

One remedy that is often used to treat pus pimples on the nose is tea tree oil.

Tea tree oil has an antibacterial, disinfecting and drying effect. That means it can support the fight against the bacteria. Before using it, it is important to make sure that you are not allergic to the oil. It is available in drug stores and pharmacies.

Before the tea tree oil is applied to the affected area, the nose should be cleaned thoroughly. It is advisable to use a clean cotton swab for application. The application should be carried out as gently as possible and several times a day. Whether and how effective tea tree oil is is a matter of controversy.

You can find our article on tea tree oil and its areas of application at: Tea Tree Oil - Used For What Purpose?

Toothpaste - Helpful against the pus pimple in the nose?

When looking for recommendations for a treatment for pimples, one stumbles upon the myth that toothpaste is supposed to help. Due to its drying and antiseptic effect, it should (should) be effective.

But because toothpaste contains flavorings that are unsuitable for the skin or mucous membranes, it can do more harm than good. For example, menthol contained in it can severely irritate the outer protective covering of the skin or mucous membrane and intensify the inflammatory processes.

Toothpaste also seals the pimple and thus blocks the pus from draining. This delays the healing process. Therefore, the use of toothpaste is very controversial in this context.

For more details on this pimple treatment method, visit: Toothpaste for pimples

Should you squeeze out the pus in your nose?

In any case, you should definitely avoid squeezing out the pimples. Other means of abruptly removing the pimples can also make the inflammation worse. By manipulating the pimples, the infection can spread and possibly lead to serious complications.

Duration of pus pimples in the nose

The duration of the healing process for pus pimples inside the nose depends on the cause and individual factors. Accordingly, the regeneration of the nasal mucosa can take days, weeks or months.

Is a pus pimple in the nose dangerous?

In general, a pus pimple inside the nose is not dangerous in itself. But if a pus pimple continues to inflame through manipulation of this or for other reasons, there is a risk of fatal complications.

A septic (cavernous sinus) thrombosis via the facial veins (angular veins) can occur. This means that the pathogens can get into the brain via the nose, via certain veins. There they can block the venous blood lines. This can trigger various neurological complaints and complications. If left untreated, cavernous sinus thrombosis is fatal.

In addition, a nasal herpes can cause meningitis.

The complications described are rare, but if they occur, rapid, adequate, emergency medical attention is required.

You can find detailed information on the individual complications at:

Detect thrombosis
Meningitis - How Dangerous Is It?

The pus in the nose keeps coming back

A doctor should be contacted if pus pimples recur in the nose. To ensure adequate treatment, it is essential to find out the cause of the recurring pus pimples in the nose.

In these cases, there may be various diseases behind the symptom of pus pimples in the nose.

Causes of the pus pimple in the nose

The causes of pus pimples in the nose can be many. They often develop as part of a cold. In addition, infections of the main and paranasal sinuses can lead to pus pimples in the nose. These or similar infections can damage the nasal mucous membrane. This makes it particularly prone to developing pus pimples.

The development can also be favored by hormonal changes in certain phases of life. For example, during puberty or in the course of the female cycle.

Children and adolescents are often affected, as they often pick their noses with dirty hands and thus bring bacteria onto the nasal mucosa. If the nasal mucous membrane is already damaged, pus pimples can easily develop in the nose.

A weakened immune system and stress also contribute to the development of pimples in the nose.

There may also be a genetic predisposition, which may play a role in addition to other factors.

Smoking and other lifestyle habits can also promote the development of pimples in the nose.

In addition, a nasal shave can lead to pus pimples on the nose.

Excessive use of nasal sprays can also destroy the flora of the nasal mucosa, making the nose vulnerable to pimples.

In addition, the abuse of drugs administered through the nose can increase the risk of nasal mucosal damage. For example cocaine or snuff can destroy the nasal mucous membrane. As a result, among other things, pimples can develop in the nose.

Herpes viruses can also cause pimples in the nose. Nasal herpes is triggered by herpes simplex viruses and must be differentiated from the bacterial pus pimples.

In addition to nasal herpes, read the following article:

Herpes on the nose
Home remedies for herpes

Pus pimples in the nose from hair removal

Removal of the nasal hairs can cause minor or major injuries to the nose. Bacteria can penetrate through the resulting small wounds. This usually leads to inflammation of the hair follicles. This can result in pus pimples in the nose.

Symptoms of pus in the nose

A pus pimple in the nose may show up as a red raised bump that contains yellowish secretion. Before the pimple empties its pus, it is full and can cause severe tension pain. When pus emerges, the pimple is relieved and the pain subsides. But often a pus pimple in the nose is very uncomfortable and often painful.

In addition, the nose may be swollen. Depending on the cause and severity, a general feeling of illness, fatigue, headache, flu-like symptoms, breathing difficulties, fever and chills can occur. The pus pimples can also show up in other parts of the body.

If the pimples in the nose were caused by herpes viruses, blisters appear on the nasal mucosa. These can cause a feeling of tension, burning pain and itching. The itching often arises just before the blisters appear. The characteristic vesicles then develop within a day. When these burst open, a purulent, highly contagious liquid escapes. Crusts then form. It may take some time to heal. Blowing your nose and sneezing can cause the crusts to tear open again and again. The symptoms usually last up to about 3 weeks.

The vesicles can also spread all over the face, including the eyes and neck. If nasal herpes is not adequately treated or if adverse circumstances exist, the viruses can eventually enter the brain and meningitis can develop. Signs of meningitis are fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, photophobia, sensitivity to sounds, confusion or decreased consciousness. If these symptoms occur, an emergency doctor should be contacted immediately.

Read more about meningitis at:

Purulent meningitis
Non-purulent meningitis

Pain in the pus in the nose

Pimples on the nose can cause different types and degrees of pain. Various messenger substances and substances are released at the cellular level through the inflammatory processes. These cause pain receptors to be active. The sensory quality of pain is reported to the brain after various cell-mediated processes.

Since the inside of the nose is very sensitive to pain, a pus pimple in the nose can be very painful. In some cases, a tension pain can be distinguished from a sharp pain.

If there is a nasal herpes, a very strong burning pain is typical.

Nose swollen with a pus pimple

Since pus is a bacterial inflammation, more or less the classic signs of inflammation usually occur. One of them is a swelling.

In addition, the mucous membranes in the causative main and paranasal sinuses can swell significantly. The swelling occurs due to certain signal cascades in the cell.

The body's own goal is to increase the vascular permeability so that certain cells and substances can get into the interior of endothelial cells in order to combat and repair the focus of inflammation. An "endothelial cell contraction" occurs. This means that the gaps between the endothelial cells become larger, which means that more fluid gets into the cells. The result is a swollen nose.

The swelling can make breathing and speaking difficult, and it can lead to referred pain

Learn more about the topic at:

Swollen nose
Swelling - what's behind it?

Diagnosis of pus pimples on the nose

In order to make an adequate diagnosis, a good questioning of the patient and possibly the relatives is necessary. It is helpful if the patient thinks about what is important to mention before going to the doctor.

Then the doctor examines the exterior and interior of the nose and surrounding structures.

Depending on the suspected diagnosis, further examinations are carried out. It is important to differentiate between the differential diagnosis whether a "simple" pus pimple or a boil, an abscess or a nasal herpes is present.

The articles on the various manifestations can be found at: