Caution: the running nose may be your brain leaking fluid (video)

Two patients from the US state Arizona were suffering from continued running nose, while doctors diagnosed it as an allergy. But it turned out, that it was their brains that were leaking out from their noses.

Joe Nagy, 69, a retired chemical engineer from Phoenix, thought he had year-round allergies when his nose continued to run. He was shocked to find out after years of suffering, his runny nose was actually his brain leaking fluid.

As the drippy nose got more frequent and he developed a cough, doctors prescribed allergy medicine, which didn't help. When Nagy went to a specialist, who tested the fluid that was dripping out of his nose, he discovered it was actually brain fluid leaking from his nose.

"I was scared to death if you want to know the truth," Nagy said. "I thought they would have to open up my head to find the leak. Most people who have brain surgery wake up and they are never the same again", he added.

After the surgery, Aragon’s condition improved, and she has never suffered from the brain liquid running from her nose.
Dr Nakaji explained how the surgery is done: a needle is inserted through the nose and a bit of glue patches the hole. There is no cutting involved at all.

The cerebrospinal fluid leak is unusual and the potentially life-threatening condition is rare, occurring in only 1 in 100,000 or 1 in 200,000 patients.