Ear, Nose and Throat Doctor (ENT) Questions

Cocaine induced damage to septum and palate

I used cocaine heavily for a short period this past summer (3 weeks on, 2 weeks off, 3 weeks on again and then quit for good. Near daily use during those 6 weeks. Stopped once i started noticing physical damage. Gums started to inflame and retract from my teeth. The roof of my mouth shrunk back and is high and angled. And my septum in my nose has lost a lot of its thickness. When i point a flashlight up my nose, the skin on either side of the septum is an angry color of red. There is no perforation in the septum or palate as far as I can tell currently. My question is did i stop my use soon enough to prevent eventual perforation (i.e. if i never use cocaine again will my nose and mouth recover and i will be good?) Or am i already screwed and will I wake up one morning with a hole in my septum or the roof of my mouth?

Male | 24 years old
Complaint duration: 14 days
Conditions: Depression, anxiety, cannabis use disorder

1 Answer

Your mouth looks fairly unremarkable. And if there's no perforation, just keep the nose moist and it will heal