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After enduring for months and months what seemed like an endless runny nose, a man from the Czech Republic finally got answers.
It turns out the problem was deeper than he thought. The fluid that had flowed from his right nostril for nine straight months was not snot. It was actually cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the fluid that helps cushion the brain and spinal cord inside the skull, draining from an injury caused by a nasal swab test for COVID-19, according to Live Science.
CSF leaks are not unheard of, although they are rare. And this particular case marks the first known leak that was unrelated to an existing head defect, according to research published in the journal. JAMA Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Thursday – so, while it is a gruesome situation, it is not a compelling reason not to get tested if you may have been exposed to the coronavirus.
The man had his nasal swab test in March 2020. His test came back negative and he simply assumed he had bad allergies when his right nostril started to flow shortly after. It wasn’t until December that he decided to have a doctor examined, and after scanning the man’s head, the doctor discovered that the COVID test had damaged his cribriform plaque, a bone that separates the nose of the brain.
As Live Science Note, CSF leaks are not inherently harmful and patients can live their lives for years without a problem. But they make people more susceptible to dangerous brain infections like meningitis because the central nervous system is more exposed.
Two other patients developed CSF leaks after undergoing nasal swab tests for COVID, according to Live Science. In both cases, however, the patients already had skull issues, and as the doctors behind these earlier case reports noted, the nasal swab could have been inserted at the wrong angle as well.
Either way, this type of injury from a COVID test is exceptionally rare. Plus, the type of deep nasal swab that caused the problem has become less common in clinics now that doctors can use newer, less boring tests to get the same quality test. So please don’t let this guy’s personal history stop you from staying on top of your tests.
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