What is atrophic rhinitis?
Atrophic rhinitis is nasal dryness that occurs when tissue inside of your nose thins or atrophies. Eventually, the tissue hardens. As a result, the nasal cavities where air flows through your nostrils widen. Your nasal passages become too dry, causing a foul-smelling nasal crust to form.
What causes primary atrophic rhinitis?
Potential causes of primary atrophic rhinitis include: Allergies/ bacterial infections/ estrogen hormone imbalance/ family history of atrophic rhinitis/ lack of iron or vitamins a or d/ structural changes to nasal passages present at birth (congenital)/ immunological/ inflammation in blood vessels
What are the symptoms of atrophic rhinitis?
Atrophic rhinitis can cause a foul-smelling crust to form inside your nostrils. Your nose may bleed if you try to dislodge it. You may also have bad breath (halitosis). You might not notice these odors, but others will.
Other symptoms of atrophic rhinitis include: Chronic nosebleeds (epistaxis)/ nasal discharge of pus/ nasal dryness and crusting/ sinus infections (sinusitis)/ bad smell in nose/ big nose hole
How do you treat atrophic rhinitis?
Antibiotic ointments that you apply inside of your nose/ moisturizing nasal ointments/ estrogen in a pill or nasal spray/ vitamins/ humidifier/ lubricate nasal passages with nasal sprays or drops as recommended by doctors/ moisturize the air with a humidifier/ rinse out your nasal passages with a saltwater solution (nasal irrigation)/ although rare, some people get surgery to treat the condition.

Prof Dr Md Alamgir Chowdhury,
Head of ENT Department, Anwer
Khan Modern Medical College Hospital