Man who thought he had a runny nose actually had his 'brain leaking'

Here is the horrifying tale of a man who discovered the cause of his constant runny nose was actually fluid from his brain leaking.

Let's be honest, there is few things more annoying than having to constantly reach for the tissues due to a runny nose. Usually linked to allergies or colds, being sniffly or congested is typically more of an annoyance rather than anything serious.

Or at least we thought.

A case published in the Journal of Medical Case Reports earlier this month has revealed the chilling case of a man who discovered his runny nose was actually leaking Cerebrospinal fluid, which protects the brain and spine.

The main sought medical attention after struggling with a runny nose, headaches and seizures (Kenana Tawashi et al)

The reactions of most people to this statement are most likely a mix of sheer horror and 'how' - which is completely normal given the idea that fluids from your brain could simply drip out of your nose so easily.

So, how did it happen?

According to the journal, a 20-year-old Syrian man - who has not been named - sought medical attention after suffering a combination of headaches, seizures and a constantly runny nose.

The symptoms had started around six years ago, after the man had suffered a head injury from a car accident. He did not seek treatment in the aftermath of the accident.

When the man finally sought medical help, scans of his head revealed that he had suffered a fracture at the base of his skull, with brain tissue and meninges (membranes protecting the brain and spine) herniating 'through the skull base fracture' and into the 'subarachnoid spaces in the right hemisphere'.

Put simply, parts of the man's brain was bulging through his right nostril.

The condition is known medically as encephalocele, which is often birth defect where portions of the brain tissue end up outside of the skull. However in this man's case, the condition was caused by head trauma instead of his skull not forming properly.

The condition developed after a traumatic head injury (Kenana Tawashi et al)

Perhaps more shocking than the injury is the fact that the man initially refused corrective surgery while being treated in intensive care for meningoencephalitis, which is a combination of both meningitis and encephalitis.

A subsequent hospital visit would see the man advised to have surgery once again, which he accepted.

The case study then notes that the man underwent surgery by a specialist who 'returned the herniated brain tissues to their normal location, repaired the meninges, and reconstructed the skull base with bone cement and bio-glue'. Following the surgery the man was able to recover without any complications.

Which is actually a very happy ending to a story of someone walking around with fluid from their literal brain running out of their nose.