Studies Show Cocaine Can Cause Severe Nasal Damage

Across the United States, five million people each year use cocaine. The most popular way to use cocaine is to “sniff” it up into the nose, a process called insufflation. In ordinary language, it’s called snorting. Every use of cocaine causes damage to the soft, sensitive tissues of the nose with a possible eventual outcome of complete nasal collapse. In fact, in the most severe cases of cocaine nose damage, the nose can “self-amputate.”

Cocaine and similar drugs cause the blood vessels of the body to constrict suddenly. When it’s snorted into the nasal passages, two things happen. The first is that the mucus membranes rapidly absorb the cocaine and pass the drug into the bloodstream. Within a few short minutes, the drug creates its stimulating effect on the brain. Euphoria and excitation follow.

The second thing that happens is that the constriction of the blood vessels in the nose irritates them. The blood flow to the soft tissues and bone is impaired. The more times this happens, the more the soft tissues of the nose, sinuses and even parts of the face and skull can be damaged. When this damage is repeated, bones can eventually deteriorate to the point that holes form.

Cocaine’s Effects: Disfigurement, Infections, Amputations and Death

When people use cocaine, they are not seeking disfigurement and infections. They are seeking a short-lived euphoria that makes them feel invulnerable and powerful. They want the energy and confidence that accompany this high. If they have the money, they may binge on this drug maintaining this high for days until they collapse or run out of drugs.

All the while, their body is taking an incredible beating:

• The widespread constriction of blood vessels severely stresses their heart and brain.

• The blood flow to their extremities is impaired. Eventually, this impaired blood flow may require amputation of feet, lower legs and even hands.

• Cocaine nose damage can progress until holes form. The damage can become so severe that the nasal bones collapse, deforming the nose or just leaving a gaping hole (self-amputation).

• The hard palate in the mouth can also develop large holes that allow food to escape into the sinuses, triggering infections.

• Cocaine’s impact on the cardiovascular system can cause arrhythmias, heart attack, cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease and stroke.

 

Even as these problems show up, some people are unable to stop using this drug. If they persist past this point, the cocaine can continue to eat away at the bone in the face and head. Once the nasal passages and palate have holes in them, bone erosion can even reach parts of the skull.

Treating Disfigurements and Damage of Cocaine Use

A specific type of plastic surgery has been developed to treat cocaine nose damage resulting from heavy and long-term cocaine use. This type of surgery is called “cocaine nose reconstruction.” Surgeons offering this type of surgery are located in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York and other major cities.

Once the nasal bones and cartilage have collapsed, multiple surgeries may be required to restore a normal shape to this area. Replacement cartilage must be harvested from other parts of the body and grafted into the nasal area.

Add Adulterants to Cocaine and the Situation Worsens

Adding extra ingredients to a drug supply is called “cutting” the drug. This procedure adds bulk to the product. The drug dealer then has a larger supply of drugs to sell and makes more profit. Some adulterants also intensify the effect of the drug.

The most common substance added to cocaine is levamisole, an anti-worming drug used for animals. Since 2017, levamisole has been found in more than 80% of cocaine samples tested in the U.S. Levamisole may be chosen because it will not be detected if a buyer tests the product with a chemical agent to see if it contains anything other than cocaine.

When levamisole is consumed along with cocaine, the effects become even more serious. This combination of drugs can lead to vasculitis, an inflammation of the blood vessels. At its worst, vasculitis can cause large, bloody blisters, infections in the extremities and blood, muscle tissue death and more. Amputations may be needed to save the life of the drug user.

Cocaine Doesn’t Just Harm Noses, It Harms the Whole Body and Mind

Pure cocaine produces a long list of mild to serious physical and mental effects.

• Agitation
• Chest pain
• Anxiety
• Arrhythmias
• High blood pressure
• Hallucinations
• Psychosis
• Nosebleeds
• Dilated pupils
• Paranoia
• High body temperature
• Blurring of vision
• Respiratory distress
• Confusion

The serious physical conditions that can result from chronic cocaine use are staggering. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, chronic cocaine users may suffer from the following health problems:

• Tears or ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract
• Malnourishment
• Stroke
• Aortic ruptures
• Inflammation of the heart muscle
• Deterioration of the ability of the heart to contract
• Seizures
• Brain hemorrhage
• Cognitive impairment

Some of these harmful effects can be reversed with medical treatment. Others are either permanent or fatal.

Recovering from Cocaine-Induced Injuries

To recover from this damage, a person who uses cocaine must stop. However, after lengthy cocaine use, the cravings for more coke may be so severe that the user can’t stop on their own. That is when an effective drug rehabilitation program becomes essential.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health released in 2024, more than five million Americans use cocaine every year. It’s the second most-popular drug in the country after marijuana. More than 1.2 million of these people use cocaine consistently enough that they have a substance use disorder. Many of these people will need a drug rehab to help them break free.

If someone you care about is using cocaine and can’t quit on their own, they need your help to find an effective drug rehabilitation program. A long-term program can give them time to heal their body and develop stronger life skills. A residential program can provide the support and supervision they need during this time. Please don’t wait. Help them enter a long-term residential drug rehab program now.

Learn about the Narconon Drug Rehab Program

If you are looking for a different kind of program, one with a nearly sixty-year history of success, look at the Narconon program. Many families choose the Narconon program after experiencing the revolving door of drug treatment, where a person goes to one program after another with no good results. The Narconon program has long been an innovator in holistic rehabilitation.

How the Narconon Program Works

This program starts with a vitamin and mineral regimen to help the body heal from the harm done by drug or alcohol abuse. Then time spent in a low-heat sauna enables each person to flush out accumulated drug toxins.

Each person then completes a series of unique exercises to bring them into the present which helps them leave a traumatic past behind. Life skills training strengthens an individual so they learn how to make drug-free decisions when they’re home again.

The Narconon Difference

We know that addiction is not a lifelong burden. We know that it is not necessary to prescribe substitute drugs to a person seeking recovery from addiction. For nearly sixty years, we have seen those completing this program recover from addiction and know how to maintain sobriety. Contact Narconon when you need to help someone who is struggling with drugs and alcohol.

Sources:

• “Levamisole-induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis and neutropenia in a patient with cocaine use.” Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 2012. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice

• “Cocaine.” Drug Enforcement Administration, 2024. DEA

• “Profound acute limb ischemia affecting all four limbs following cocaine inhalation.” ScienceDirect, 2015. ScienceDirect

• “Acute and Chronic Effects of Cocaine on Cardiovascular Health.” National Library of Medicine, 2019. NLM

• “Snorting the clivus away: an extreme case of cocaine-induced midline destructive lesion.” National Library of Medicine, 2016. NLM

• “Reconstruction of the nose after cocaine abuse.” ScienceDirect, 2009. ScienceDirect

• “Cocaine Signature Project Report, CY 2022.” Drug Enforcement Administration, 2023. DEA

• “Cocaine Toxicity.” National Library of Medicine, 2023. NLM

• “Cocaine.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2024. NIDA