Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2024 Feb;67(2):117-120. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2023.00507.

Persistent Idiopathic Facial Pain After a Coronavirus Disease 2019 Diagnostic Nasopharyngeal Swab

• Kahng DY
• Kim KS
• Min HJ

• KMID: 2552831
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2023.00507

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal swabs are commonly performed in the medical field and have recently been used regularly for coronavirus disease 2019 diagnostic testing. Recently, a patient visited our clinic due to left facial pain, which developed immediately after receiving a nasopharyngeal swabbing and has been persistent for four months. A sinonasal endoscopic examination and paranasal (PNS) CT scan were performed to evaluate the abnormalities in the sinonasal cavity. We identified a severe septal deviation, which had come into contact with the medial mucosa of the left inferior turbinate, forming a mucosal contact point suggesting a previous trauma due to the nasopharyngeal swabbing. We suspected that blind nasopharyngeal swabbing induced mucosal damage on the previously deviated septum, causing a mucosal contact point. Additionally, we suggest that healthcare workers be educated on facial pain as one of the nasopharyngeal swab-related complications.

Keyword

COVID-19; Diagnosis; Facial pain