Abstract
Many systemic diseases are associated with nasal symptoms, Rhinitis associated with asthma is probably the most common with leprosy and fungal infections being the rarest.
A careful history and nasal examination in a patient with rhinitis may lead to the discovery of more significant systemic diseases. Proper treatment of systemic disease will often cure or improve the associated rhinitis. Similarly, appropriate treatment of the rhinitis/sinusitis may reduce systemic complaints such as asthma. At times, identification of the cause of rhinitis as in CSF rhinorrhea, Wegeners’ syndrome, etc., alerts one to a life-threatening entity.
Thus, it is apparent that the nose is an excellent mirror of some systemic diseases and identifying and understanding the differential diagnosis of nasal symptoms may be a tremendous help in diagnosing the disease and treating the whole patient.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.