Hi,
Any sinisitus experts/sufferers out there?
I think I started with a cold which led to sinisitus. I was swimming in the hotel pool and sea a lot. I had loads of congestion with tooth/jaw ache. Then side of head pain and muted hearing. 3 weeks later and I still have muted hearing and fatigue. I've tried steroid nasal spray and done a course of Amoxicillin.
Yes I've spoken to a GP and have another appointment ( phone call! ) today.
Anyone had anything like this?
Mick
Could well be just a persistent sinus issue, which I'm sure your doc will be trying to help you resolve, but as a long shot, you say you were doing a lot of swimming activity? Maybe check your neck/facial and shoulder muscles for tight spots caused by this. Certain muscle groups can impinge nerves when they spasm and this can cause the secondary symptoms you've described - jaw ache, apparent sinus discomfort, hearing difficulties and fatigue.
Hi Mick, maybe not what you want to hear but I have suffered with this for over 5 years now.
Many many ENT and GP appointments, cameras up my nose etc but they never found anything 'wrong'. Suspected glue ear at one point as my ears never pop, thought they'd go down the grommet route but it never came to anything. I get through a lot of nasal sprays as they provide light relief but it never lasts. Let me know if you find anything that works!
Try a Eustachian tube massage. Sounds weird, but I've found that it really helps relieve the pain from sinusitis by helping to drain all the mucus from your head. it's amazing how much gunk starts dripping d own the back of your throat after only a few minutes.
Might not fix it, but for a few minutes effort it's worth it (and quite relaxing too.)
Good luck though, you have my sympathy as it's a grim pain to live with.
Mrs Efg is suffering from something like this, It's horrendous although she's got no headaches or hearing issues, just a totally blocked nose which even though she can't blow it, it drips.
She had this about 7 years ago & saw the Doc, who said NOT to use decongestant sprays as It'll make things worse, so she stopped. She also had a camera up the nose & a CT scan, nothing found. Gradually it went, but over the past few months It's back & the only thing that helps is decongestant spray (Otrivine or similar). She phoned the Doc again who said not to use it, so now she has trouble sleeping & if/when it does clear It takes a lot of blowing coupled with copious amounts of snot!
Oh & sneezing. It's like the head cold from hell but It's gone on too long to be a cold.
Help!
My Sinuses/Eustachian Tubes are prone to issues. If I get a cold that is usually where it manifests/lingers, I also seem to get hayfever in the summer too. Genrally not as bad as muted hearing but often have drumming in my ear when it gets bad. As above I try to avoid using decongestants unless it's really bad (and then don't use them for prolonged periods). I also use saline irrigation with a neti-pot. It's not a silver bullet but using that once or twice a day does seem to provide some relief.
Many many ENT and GP appointments, cameras up my nose etc but they never found anything ‘wrong’.
Same here. I didn't have problems with my hearing, and rarely any facial pain, but had all of the other issues related to sinusitis. (The absolute fatigue and fuzzy head was the killer for me.)
It started about 18 years ago, and got increasingly worse and occurred more often until it became a real concern. I had all sorts of tests and things up my nose, but it finally eased off about 4-5 years ago. The GP and I never really managed to find a proper treatment for it. I think that the workplace I was in at the time was a huge factor in me having it - very low humidity, warm, air conditioned open plan office with hundreds of other people. I changed jobs 5 years ago and have been barely bothered by sinusitis since.
done a course of Amoxicillin
Why are GPs still doing this?
As an aside, I had some really bad hearing problems for several weeks during the Christmas period and eventually gave up and called my GP (more out of sheer frustration as anything as I had given up on hoping it would clear up by itself). She recommended salt water nasal sprays as a potential solution – Christ on a bike it's like some kind of Medieval torture – never again!
I have Sinusitis at the moment and it's made my tinnitus worse, to say sleep is an issue at the moment is an understatement.
Can I suggest a trip to the dentist?
I had a reoccurring sinus / ear / throat / abscess issues about 20 odd years ago. Turned out the main issue was infection getting into my jaw / gums via teeth.
This is me for the last few years. Totally blocked nose for a while, eases up, killer headaches if I bend over (e.g. shoe lace tying) or sneeze. Full of steroid spray and antibiotics. Of course getting an ENT appointment just now is totally impossible.
It all started on a trip to China, weirdly enough. Makes you think!!
Any sinisitus experts/sufferers out there?
More than 30 years sufferer here. Still suffering.
No hearing problem but if there is I have not noticed it. I don't use decongestant because that will make it even worst. I have to sleep in a sitting down position sometimes / often because my sinus get badly blocked if I lay down flat.
Last few months until now my blocked sinus has become worst. Can't breath at all through nose. Now I have to breath through my mouth more often when I sleep. I don't get runny nose nor pain. But occasionally when trying to sleep and can't breath through nose (very tired) I would get some sort of "panic attack" (more like concern) when my mouth closed and all of the sudden I felt like being chocked.
I am going to make an appointment to see the GP soon and hopefully get refer to specialist to stick a "balloon" (Balloon Sinuplasty) up my sinus to enlarge the sinus passage. The technique is used in US for acute sinus problem.
How I got it I don't know but probably long term allergy or something ... could be a punch that damaged the structure when I was in my teen whatever.
Also it will affect the heart like sleep apnea if not careful.
P/s: breathing for me can be a problem at times as I don't get to expand my lungs fully unless I breath with my mouth. Then I get serious dry throat and have to drink a lot of tea.
Alcohol makes it worst. If I drink whisky of more than 3 shots I will suffer the entire night. Beer of more than 3 pints will do the same. Anything iced cold will have the same effect but only for few hours.
Don't get too drunk that you are so tired that you cannot open your mouth. You will find out the hard way the meaning of panic attack and near death experience. Happened to me a few times.
Cold temperature will make it worst but still manageable.
Try to stay very calm if you have a cold because the blockage will be much more noticeable and you might even feel like the throat is narrowing. Stay clam and sleep in a sitting position.
Have a decongestant as emergency backup and only use it when it is absolutely necessary.
Oh ya if you suffer from hayfever that adds to the problem ...
I don't drink so no alcohol complications.
Yeah I know it could be tooth related. Dentist booked for next week.
Not been on my bike since this started but I'm gonna try tomorrow night. Will Peak District night biking help...
12 weeks now and still the same.
Main symptoms are:
* fatigue
* restricted nasal passageways
* tooth/jaw pain
* muted hearing
Dentist says it's not tooth related.
GP has me takeing nasal steriods and says they can take a couple of months to work. 🙁
Getting a bit sick of this now. Depression is kicking in. Quality of life feels pretty rubbish.
I could go and see ENT privately but I still think it's a bit soon.
i have similarly developed dulled hearing and tinnitus. It seems to have been worse since a bout of covid - three days flu like but several days thereafter with a foggy head and i am wondering if it a sort of long covid.