It's not just food that can grow mold – it turns out your nose can too? An expert recently shared a case of a patient who smelled a rotting flesh odor for several months while also experiencing black nasal discharge. Subsequent examination revealed a "black stone" of fungus in the patient's nasal cavity, a condition known as "fungal sinusitis," or colloquially, the nose "growing mold," where the odor itself was a health warning sign.
Otolaryngologist Dr. Wu Chao-kwan from Taiwan shared on the program "Doctor Is So Hot" the case of a patient who worked as a forest ranger and continuously smelled a rotting flesh odor. Initially, he thought there might be a dead animal in the mountains but found nothing. One day at home, the patient had black and dark red nasal discharge and was taken to the hospital. Examination revealed a "black stone" of fungus growing in his nasal cavity.
Wu explained that fungal infections in the nose are often related to living in damp, humid, and stuffy environments, as well as the patient's own constitution. Compounding the issue, the patient had relatively unhealthy lifestyle habits. Every day after waking up, he would drink an energy drink containing about "8 cubes of sugar" before going to work. A blood test confirmed he had diabetes. It is noted that invasive fungal sinusitis commonly occurs in immunocompromised individuals, including those with blood cancer, bone marrow transplant recipients, and diabetics. The patient eventually underwent surgery to remove the fungal "stone" and received diabetes treatment, after which the rotting flesh odor disappeared.
What exactly are the causes, symptoms, and clinical manifestations of fungal sinusitis? According to information from Taipei Veterans General Hospital, fungal rhinosinusitis is inflammation of the sinuses caused by a fungal infection.
Normal individuals may inhale fungi from the environment, leading to colonization in the respiratory tract mucosa. However, if there are abnormalities in the sinus structure or if the person is immunocompromised, the colonized fungi can become a source of infection in the sinuses.
Fungal sinusitis can be classified as invasive or non-invasive. It can also be categorized as acute or chronic based on the progression of the disease. Fungal sinusitis can worsen into invasive fungal sinusitis, invading blood vessels, bones, and the nervous system, becoming life-threatening – a situation not to be underestimated.
If immunocompromised patients present with the above symptoms, special caution is needed for the possibility of invasive fungal sinusitis. Diagnosis typically involves a CT scan to check for mucosal thickening or bone invasion.
Besides unusual odors, Wu also shared that changes in the color of nasal discharge can represent different health warnings:
| Nasal Discharge Color | Health Warning Sign |
| Black | Fungal infection (mold) |
| Milky White | Early stage of a common cold |
| Yellow-Green | Bacterial infection |
| Coffee or Dark Black | Possible inhalation of oil fumes or dirty particles |
| Presence of Blood Streaks | If persistent, could indicate chronic bleeding from nasopharyngeal or sinus cancer |
