Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.

Conditions

• Being a child younger than 3 years of age with an object in the nose
• A problem or condition present since birth
• A developmental delay or mental retardation
• Communication difficulties caused by another condition, such as Alzheimer's disease or a stroke
• Mental health problem, such as schizophrenia
• Previous injury
• Previous surgery to injured area
• Structural problems, such as a deviated septum or nasal polyps
• Surgery to remove the spleen

Lifestyle choices

• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal
• Smoking or other tobacco use

Medications

• Blood-thinning medicines, such as warfarin, heparin, Lovenox, Plavix, and aspirin
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone or prescription corticosteroid nasal spray
• Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
• Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
• Radiation therapy

Diseases

• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Hemophilia
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Lupus
• Malnutrition or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia
• Multiple sclerosis
• Osteomyelitis
• Sickle cell disease