Cerebrospinal fluid nasal leak is a steady drip of the clear fluid that cushions the brain, escaping through the nose. A tiny crack in the lining high inside the skull turns a runny nose into a medical clue.

The first sign is clear, watery fluid that keeps coming from one nostril. It feels like a cold that never progresses—no color, no thick mucus, just a constant drip you dab away all day.

The leak speeds up when you lean forward. You tie your shoes and a warm stream reaches the upper lip, or you shout across the yard and feel a gush with each loud word.

A salty or metallic taste often follows the drip. Fluid slides down the back of the throat while you sleep, leaving a morning taste like tears or old pennies.

Head pressure can drop after a big drip. You stand up too fast and feel a light “whoosh,” as if someone let air out of a balloon inside your head.

Smell and taste may fade. Favorite foods seem bland, and you can’t detect milk going sour, because the nearby smell nerves are irritated by the steady flow.

Repeat infections finish the picture. The same side of the nose stuffs up, drips yellow, and aches every few weeks, giving outside germs an open elevator to the brain.