A powerful stimulant, cocaine is illegal but often used recreationally for its euphoric effects. A controlled substance in the U.S., cocaine is often used by snorting it. This involves inhaling powdered cocaine through the nose. In addition to the general dangerous side effects, there are specific dangers of snorting cocaine. It can affect the nose and sinuses and create physical health complications.
How Cocaine Affects Users
Cocaine has short-term effects that can include:
- It causes intense pleasure and euphoria because it increases brain levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter related to pleasure and reward.
- A burst of energy, decreased fatigue and enhanced alertness.
- Cocaine stimulates the cardiovascular system, contributing to high blood pressure and heart rate. These effects increase the threat of heart attack and stroke.
- Dilated (enlarged) pupils that are sensitive to light.
- Decreased appetite.
- Cocaine raises body temperature.
- Constricted blood vessels can lead to tissue damage from reduced blood flow.
Long-term effects of cocaine can include:
- Continued use can lead to dependence, tolerance and addiction. Cocaine addiction is defined by compulsive, out-of-control drug-seeking behaviors despite consequences.
- Cardiovascular issues include an increased risk of heart disease, heart attacks, arrhythmia and hypertension.
- Snorting cocaine can lead to respiratory problems.
- The chronic use of cocaine can cause neurological impairments like memory and cognitive problems and an increased risk of stroke.
- The use of cocaine is associated with a higher risk of psychiatric disorders.
- A range of social and financial consequences.
In the short term, cocaine produces pleasurable effects. Over the long term, however, it can be severely detrimental to physical and mental health.
How Do People Use Cocaine?
Cocaine can be used in several ways, including:
- Snorting: Also known as intranasal use, snorting cocaine is one of the most common methods to use the drug. The drug is typically in powdered form that’s then snorted through the nostrils. The powdered cocaine is absorbed through the nasal passage mucous membranes, leading to its rapid absorption into the bloodstream.
- Smoking: Crack cocaine is a processed, crystalline form of the drug. Crack cocaine is heated and smoked, usually using a pipe. Smoking crack cocaine delivers the drug directly to the lungs, at which point it is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, creating fast, intense effects.
- Injection: Less often, people will directly inject cocaine into their bloodstream using a syringe and needle. Cocaine can be dissolved in water, and the effects are intense and almost immediate.
- Oral ingestion: Much less common is to consume cocaine orally. The route is less efficient because the drug is metabolized extensively in the digestive system before entering the bloodstream.
The methods of cocaine administration can vary in their onset and how long the effects last, as well as the risks and potential for addiction. Every method has its own set of health risks and dangers.
Why Do People Snort Cocaine?
Some of the more common reasons people snort cocaine include:
- Rapid onset of effects felt within minutes since the drug is quickly absorbed through the mucous membranes.
- It can be convenient to divide powdered cocaine into lines and snort them through the nose.
- Some people consider that snorting cocaine is less stigmatized or more socially acceptable than using it in other ways, like smoking crack. It may also be viewed as less harmful.
Despite perceptions about snorting cocaine, all forms of the drug can lead to serious health, social, legal and financial consequences.
The Dangers of Snorting Cocaine
The dangers of snorting cocaine include:
- Nasal damage: When someone snorts cocaine, it can cause damage to their nasal passages and mucous membranes. Chronic use leads to irritation and inflammation, which can erode nasal tissue. That can lead to chronic congestion, nosebleeds, perforated nasal septum, and a loss of smell.
- Breathing problems: Snorting cocaine can irritate the respiratory tract and cause symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath and wheezing. It also introduces harmful contaminants into the lungs, raising the risk of respiratory infections and conditions like pneumonia and bronchitis.
- Overdose risk: Any method of using cocaine has a risk of overdose, but snorting it can be especially dangerous because it provides a false sense of security. A person might feel like they’re using it in a controlled way, but they can easily overdose by using cocaine that’s stronger than anticipated or snorting it repeatedly in a short window of time.
- Delayed effects: Compared to smoking or injecting cocaine, snorting it has a slightly slower onset of effects. The delay could lead users to take additional doses, increasing the risk of adverse effects.
- Addiction potential: Snorting cocaine can cause rapid tolerance and dependence to develop, increasing the risk of addiction.
Snorting cocaine can have significant effects on the nose and sinuses, and you’ll often hear the term “coke nose.”
Cocaine is a vasoconstrictor, which means it narrows blood vessels. When cocaine comes into contact with the mucous membranes lining the nasal passages, it can cause significant damage and irritation.
One of the most common symptoms of snorting cocaine is nosebleeds because of repeated irritation to delicate blood vessels.
Prolonged and heavy use of cocaine can damage the nasal septum, the thin cartilage and bone that separates the nostrils. Nasal tissue can die, forming a hole in the septum. Nasal perforation can cause nasal obstruction, whistling when breathing and crusting.
Cocaine abuse contributes to swelling of the sinuses and inflammation that can cause chronic sinusitis with symptoms like facial pressure pain and headaches.
Repeated trauma to the nasal septum that can come from snorting cocaine can lead to septal hematoma. A hematoma is a collection of blood, which is, in this case, within the septum. It can cause pain and swelling, infection and nasal deformities if untreated.
In severe cases, long-term cocaine use can lead to structural changes to the nose. This can include the nasal bridge collapsing. This is even more often what people refer to with the term coke nose.
How to Get Help For Cocaine Abuse
Cocaine abuse, including through snorting, can lead to a set of complications often collectively known as coke nose. The complications include nasal congestion, nosebleeds, sinusitis, septum perforation and nasal deformities. The term coke nose can be a visible reminder of how damaging cocaine addiction can be.
If you’re struggling with cocaine or you know someone who is, it’s crucial to seek help as soon as possible. Alamo Behavioral Health offers comprehensive treatment and support services for people battling substance abuse and addiction, including cocaine addiction.
Take the first step toward recovery today by contacting Alamo Behavioral Health.
