Well-being influencer followed by 105,000 people, Candela Reybaud, 35, has never known how to breathe correctly and fully.“I have always had difficulty breathing through my nose.”confides this mother of two children, also fulfilled on Instagram. She had become accustomed to breathing through her mouth, to shortness of breath during sports, to sleeping with one nostril constantly blocked. For her, it was “normal”. Until the day doctors discovered what was really hiding in his right nasal cavity.
An obstruction present since childhood
Last year, severe sinusitis struck the young woman. The symptoms disappear. But a month ago, severe pain in the right cheek returned. This time, she consults.
During a first examination, the doctor mentioned a possible polyp. But a CT scan later, the examination finally revealed a “partially calcified focal image”, reminiscent of a rhinolith, an encapsulated foreign body. But of what order?
After nearly an hour of careful extraction, the forceps remove a small, compact object, hardened by time. Candela remembers:
“As I looked at it closer, I realized it was a piece of tape folded and rolled up. I was incredibly surprised.“
“Plausible, although extremely rare“: Dr. Kierzek’s insight
Then the answer clicked in Candela’s mind. At birth, she had experienced an episode of respiratory distress in the neonatology department in 1990. She assumes that a nasal tube had then been inserted. How could a piece of tape get stuck in a newborn’s nose without anyone noticing?
Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician, explains that this scenario, although exceptional, can happen:
“It is possible for an adhesive or part of a tube placed in the nostril during the neonatal or infant period to become stuck for years if no acute symptoms attract attention.” If the adhesive comes from a suction tube or a device placed at birth, it may have gradually become detached and embedded, preventing its natural elimination.
Over time, the foreign body evolves. “An old object can calcify or become surrounded by inflammatory tissue. This can lead to sinusitis, pain, repeated infections, and even more severe complications if it is not identified.”
The doctor recalls that this type of discovery remains extremely rare, but perfectly consistent with the symptoms that Candela has always described.
In the same vein, we also remember a Playmobil cone found in the lung of a fifty-year-old…
A new breath… at 35
For Candela, the improvement is immediate: “The change has been incredible. I’m discovering at 35 what it’s like to breathe through both nostrils.”
Still surprised, she said she was mostly relieved: “I am the protagonist of the most bizarre anecdote I know… but if my experience can help someone to seek treatment in time, then it will have all been worth it.”
Spotting a foreign body in a child’s nose: signs that should alert
Candela’s exceptional story, however, reminds us of a common reality: children often insert objects into their noses (rice grains, stones, toys, etc.). It is not always easy to realize this.
According to Health Insurance recommendations, here are the most suggestive symptoms:
In the immediate signs
- The child says he put something in his nose;
- Only one nostril is blocked;
- A clear discharge comes from one nostril;
In this case, it is necessary to examine quickly.
In later but alarming signs
- Purulent discharge from one nostril;
- Difficulty breathing on one side;
- Unilateral facial pain;
- Repeated episodes of sneezing.
These signs should suggest a forgotten foreign body.
What to do if an object is stuck?
If the object is visible and accessible: You can try to gently remove it or ask the child to blow their nose.
If it is too deep: Do not use any instrument (tweezers, cotton swab, etc.). You risk pushing the object, causing an injury, or dropping the object into the trachea or bronchi. Instead, consult an ENT doctor.
Finally, there is an absolute emergency: If the child has introduced a button battery or a chemical product, or if he has respiratory distress. Call 15 immediately.