Quote:
Originally Posted by taylord
About a week ago, I had a water-like substance dripping like a faucet from my left nostril. It continued for approximately 7 days - when I made it to the ENT it was no longer producing at the same rate. (Only when I woke up, or during exercise would it seem to start dripping.)
I have a history of headaches/blurred-vision/altered consciousness (9 months) and tinnitus (4 months)
The ENT assured me that if it was a CSF leak, it would continue to produce, and if I leaned forward, it should drip - though it did not while in the office. He examined my nose with an endoscope and saw nothing unusual.
Is this still a possible case of a CSF leak? I am not a doctor by any means, but I did do a little research and the possibility of increased intracranial hypertension resulting in a CSF leak (see attachment) seems at least plausible. My initial symptoms seem to have lined up with increased intracranial hypertension, although I never got a spinal tap pressure reading, and the brain MRI (w/o gad) was unremarkable.
My main question is, does anyone have experience with CSF rhinorrhea that comes and goes? Or is it something that comes and stays until repaired?
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TAYLORD, I do have intracranial hypertension(IIH) I have had a CSF rhinorrhea. My high ICP wore a hole in the protective lining at the base of my skull leading to a leak. This turned out to be a blessing for me. My neurologist said it can happen that way if your Intracranial pressures are fluctuating. After I had my shunt I needed to be able to tell if I had CSF leaking or just a runny nose. He told me to use a cloth handkerchief, like women use to carry. When you wipe you nose , if it dries like water, it is most CSF, if it dries stiff there is mucus present and its not CSF. But the only way to truly know is to have the fluid tested. On the MRI they are looking for an "empty sella sack". If you really think you have this and you can, get to a neurologist. Good luck