Rhinotillexomania – A rare case report of chronic nose picking

ABSTRACT

Nasal septal lesions are relatively common. Although most manifest with symptoms of nasal destruction, some are incidentally found. Acquired septal lesions may appear due to chronic inflammation and relative ischemia induced by repeated trauma due to nose picking. Because their imaging features often are nonspecific, the diagnosis usually is based also on the clinical history. Rhinotillexomania is a common and generally benign habit in adolescents and adults and only rarely leads to mutilating self-injury. Chronic self-mutilation with resultant loss of body parts occurs most often in schizophrenic and severely obsessive-compulsive patients. The most common symptoms produced by such lesions include nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, epistaxis, facial swelling, and pain. If a physical examination confirms the presence of a trauma, both MR imaging and CT may be used to characterize the finding.