Watery, salty fluid can spill from the brain cavity in the the nose and down the throat. Bending over, straining, or exercising makes the problem worse. While a CSF leak will cause a deep sharp headache and possibly ringing of the ears, its most serious consequence can be a life-threatening meningitis. Kendra Jackson’s nose ‘ran like a waterfall’ for five years before doctors diagnose a brain fluid leak. Picture: Nebraska Medicine According to the Cleveland Clinic, a CSF leak occurs when fluid around the brain travels through a hole "through the skull bone," typically as a result of a traumatic injury. Oct 18, 2020 · Tumors and birth defects may also lead to drainage of cerebrospinal fluid through the nose, or it may occur without any obvious reason. Rhinorrhoea is a British spelling, and in the United States, the word is more typically spelled rhinorrhea. A test of cerebrospinal fluid pressure with a manometer may help identify cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhoea. BTP testing has been included in the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) guidelines on disease-specific CSF investigation for detection of CSF admixture in rhino- and otorrhea.9 Figure 1. Diagnostic approach to CSF fistula using BTP (modified from Bachmann et al., 2008 with data from Bernasconi et al., 2016). Regarding laboratory data b2 transferin test is the most sensitive indicator for likelihood of CSF leak since this is found only in CSF, lymph, and vitreous humor. Fluid can be analyzed for chloride and a concentration greater then 110meq suspicious for CSF.