Cocaine addiction treatment can be vital to your well-being for various reasons. Some of these reasons are directly related to the effects of cocaine abuse and addiction. But many of them are related to other dangerous effects the drug can have on your system. If you snort cocaine, you not only expose yourself to the dangers common to all methods of using the drug. You also expose yourself to hazards that are specific to nasal cocaine intake.
Effects of Snorting Cocaine That Also Apply to Other Forms of Cocaine Use
Cocaine can be introduced to your system through several methods. Besides nasal inhalation or snorting, such methods include injection and inhaling crack smoke into your lungs. You can also potentially eat powdered cocaine.
No matter which of these options you use, you run the risk of experiencing specific significant side effects. Known examples of these effects include:
- Seizures
- Heartbeat irregularities
- Heart attack
- Coma
- Stroke
You can also overdose on cocaine, regardless of your history of use or how much you currently take. Moreover, a very small percentage of cocaine users can pass away instantly after taking it. The risk of sudden death never goes away. It can happen to first-time cocaine users. It can also happen to people who have been using the drug for years or even decades.
Psychological problems can occur if you use cocaine in high amounts over a short period of time. The biggest concern here is the onset of a psychotic episode. You can also experience panic attacks or bouts of paranoia.
The Specific Effects of Snorting Cocaine on the Nose and Sinuses
There are also effects of cocaine use that vary according to how it’s introduced into your system. Like many people, you or someone you know may nasally inhale the drug. If so, it’s essential that you understand the possible effects of snorting cocaine on the nose and sinuses. The list of these effects includes things such as:
- Damaging the tissue that lines your nostrils
- Developing holes in the cartilage that separates your nostrils
- Losing at least some of your sense of smell
- Developing recurring or constant nosebleeds
- Experiencing a chronic hoarse voice and swallowing difficulties
- Losing some of your nose’s structural integrity
It usually takes time for these problems to develop. If you quit using cocaine, most of them resolve on their own. However, only surgery can repair a hole in your nasal cartilage and restore structural integrity.
Substance Use Disorder – The Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse and Addiction
One of the chief potential effects of snorting cocaine is the onset of cocaine-related substance use disorder (SUD). This disorder includes the symptoms of cocaine abuse and addiction. Such symptoms include loss of control over your drug use. They also include rising tolerance to cocaine’s effects and withdrawal that arises if you stop using the drug. There are a total of 11 possible symptoms of a cocaine-related SUD. The more of them you have, the more significant the impact of substance abuse and addiction on your system.
Find Out More About the Possible Effects of Snorting Cocaine at Northpoint Colorado
Want to know more about what can happen to you if you nasally inhale cocaine? Get the answers you need at Northpoint Colorado. We’re happy to provide greater detail on your general and snorting-specific risks from using the drug.
Need help recovering from cocaine abuse or addiction? Northpoint Colorado is here for you with customized treatment plans designed with you in mind. No matter your method of cocaine use, we provide full support for your short- and long-term rehab success. Just call us today at 888.231.1281 or contact us via our online message form.