Can Allergy/Sinus Cause Constant Head Pressure and Tinnitus?

[Glenville86]

Background: Retired from the Army in Nov and had a complete physical. Everything was fine except for lower back degenerative disk diease and mild hearing loss. All bloodwork was normal. Took a job in Iraq where I am currently. Arrived in Feb. In Jun, I was sick with extreme fatigue, headaches, and dizziness. Saw a doctor in Jul and was given OTC headache meds. They did bloodwork that came back normal. Since that time I have had daily head pressure and tinnitus. The tinnitus comes and goes and can be really loud and annoying. Visited another doctor in Sep who thought it might be an allergic reaction and was given zyrtec for a month. No change with the head pressure. Saw an ENT in Oct who feels that it just a left-over from whatever made me ill in Jun and thinks it will get better with time. Have had this for 5 months.

NOTE: I am 44 and had never had a headache prior to this. Have never had any TMJ problems. Tinnitus was never a problem. Never noticed any allergies before this. Never had sinus problems. Am in decent health and walk daily for 45 minutes. Thought it might be some sort of reaction to something here in Iraq but do not have typical allergy or sinus symptoms.

Questions: 1) Can allergies or sinus cause the daily head pressure and tinnitus? No pain, just a heavy and tight feeling from my eyebrows, temples to the back of my head. Wake up with it. Only goes away when outside exercising. Constant dust inside and outside this place with pollution.  Extreme heat going from AC into 120 degree.  Has cooled off now, but symptoms remain.

[LMND]

I feel so sorry for you.  I am in WV, and have had the sinus pressure and feels like swelling in my head which makes me have trouble with balance, and sometimes hear high pitched noises.  I've always had sinus but nothing like this.  I've had blood work, etc., 3 rounds of antibiotics, and family dr. sent me to ear, nose, throat specialist, who gave me all the nasal antihistamines and steroid sprays which didn't help.  Put me on Prednisone (steroid) for 12 days and finally got better, although not perfect.  The fatigue, balance problems, pressure in head is gone, although I still get pain in right back of head when sleeping and still get stopped up.  Been using saline irrigation, also.  They are sending me for allergy tests.  Yes, allergies can make you like that, and you are probably allergic to dust!  IF you read this forum you will see a lot of people are like this looking for answers.  I hope you get better.

[Glenville86]

From Salem, WV.  I also have had constant bloodshot eyes and allergic dark circles around my eyes.  The ENT here said it was not sinus since I did not have a yellow/green discharge.  He also said it was not allergy since I was not sneezing and my eyes did not water.  Since I have never had headaches, sinus or allergies, this pressure all over my head is getting old fast.

[LMND]

I replied but it wasn't posted, so here I go again.  I was diagnosed with non allegic rhinitis - symptoms are year round nasal congestion, congestion triggered by strong odors, pollution, temperature changes, postnasal drip, unexplained fatigue, frequent headaches, recurrent sinus/respiratory infections.  So...pollution, temp. changes, fatigue sounds like you.  I don't have "head" aches, but face pressure and aches that actually make me sick to my stomach - throws my balance off, and reading makes me sicker if I'm like that.  I can't use aerosol sprays, car fumes, gas fumes, all make me sick.  Now the meds the ENT gave for this, the steroid nasal spray and antihistamine, did not help.  The Prednisone (steroid) did.  Now I'm better...not 100%, but never know from day to day.  The back of my head hurts when I sleep, waking me, but when I'm up it's ok.  I did take 3 rounds of antibiotics before I was sent to the ENT. I don't have green/yellow sinus discharge and never did.  So...the ENT is sending me for allergy testing.  It's hard to function - when I was really bad I could not function at all.  Now I'm never sure of myself, how I'll feel.  It is depressing.  I go back to the ENT next week and will be discussing this and will post.

[EMK]

I have had constant sinus pressure for about 2 mos. now. it is very frustrating. im justing ending a 2nd antibiotic, been given steroids its just crazy. is there any relief in sight?

[LMND]

Read all these forums - I've been on all of them.  So far Prednisone has given some relief to me...but none of us have gotten rid of whatever we have.

[ejh]

Hi- There are a couple topics in this forun that seem to be similar. One thing that is a different approach I'll suggest is neck problems. It took me seeing 2 different ENTs and all the other specialists for me to even open up to the idea that it might be my neck. I had a clean CT and MRI and was on antibiotics without much gain. I'm not sure my neck is causing 100$% of my problems, but its a least a contributing factor.

See this page: http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/09/08/15.html

I have most of the symptoms you have - the biggest similarity being that I feel the most 'normal and well' when I exercise. My theory is that exericse loosens up my mucles, plus gets the mucus in my sinuses flowing. I feel the worst when I sleep and am still. This supports the 'stiff neck' theory.

Try to put pressure on various points on your neck around the sternocleidomastoid muscle and see how that affects the way you feel. You could try to see a Physio and have a bit of therapy on your neck. I usually don't go for Physios and Chiros, but the last couple of weeks I have. It seems to be helping. I even had the PT do acupuncture on my neck. I have never tried that, but it seems to release some of the tension.

Anyway, it still might be allergies or an infection, but I want people to know that this is another possiblity that medical doctors will overlook often. Like I said, I'm not 100% sold on the idea, but I'm convienced enough to keep going to the PT and chiro.

[stacia123]

Just wanted to note that I've seen several websites which said that the color of the sinus drainage shouldn't be an indicator of infection or not.  I did note some sites will say clear drainage means allergies and yellow or green means sinus infection.  Here's a couple of links (the URLs may wrap).  First one is about the color of drainage, second is a really in-depth article about sinus infection treatment (from Merck).

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:Nq5sA6O2N3AJ:www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/antibiotics/pdfs/tg_sinus.pdf+color+of+drainage+sinus+infection&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec08/ch091/ch091h.html

[dizzy31]

I to feel this way ive felt this way for about a year and a half now, im a 31 male these feeling came out of the blue some days are good but today is a bad day. IM very dizzy and have pressure in my head and my head at time will feel numb on the sides above my ears, and will have a tingeling sensation on the top of my head and other places throughout my head.

My question dose anyone think this is sinus related or should I be concerned about something else I also suffer from anxiety for about five years but have faced it and conqured it but since this problem has arose my ols anxiety comes back and i worry about brain tumors and other brain problems and i put my self into panic mode can anyone relate with me.

[LMND]

I've had the pain on the sides of my head above my ears, and on top crown area of my head.  We've all had the dizzy, sinus face pressure, feel bad, etc.  

Most of us have had the CT Scan, allergy tests, which they said I've got severe allergies which I did not know, etc. I do think it's allergies/sinus. They diagnose non allergic rhinitis.  

After being on MANY antibiotics, Rhinocort, Nasalcrom, Prednisone (steroids), I got better, but not well.  Also went to a chiropractor to see if he could help.  I don't think he did, but he thinks so.  

No more pain around the ears, head, which were constant for a long time.  But that stopped before I saw the chiro.  I started this in July. I am now on Singulair (30 days now) (prescription) and NasaCort (over the counter), using the saline rinses, and air cleaner in my bedroom.  Had my furnace cleaned, my carpets cleaned.  As long as I stay away from odors of any kind, aerosols, candles, won't be around cigarettes, I seem to do better.  So my suggestion is try to rule out some things.  I am considering the allergy shots because I can't avoid smelling grass cutting this summer.  I just dread going for shots every week.  

I don't think it's a brain tumor (which I thought I had, as well as thought I had lukemia because of feeling so bad.  I just think that for some reason, bacteria, germs, allergies, sinus inflammation, we get this and can't seem to get rid of it.  

I also have had panic disorder for 19 years or more, and have been on meds for 18 years, and had it under control until this hit me.  It got bad again, but now that I'm doing better my anxiety is back under control.  It all has some connection.  My Dr. once told me (when I had a stomach virus) that being dizzy and stomach and all go together, they're connected.

Hope this helps you.  I am so greatful to all the people in the forum for their input.  Makes you not feel alone.

[idesofmarch]

Welcome back,my 25 yr old son came back after over a year there. Did you rule out TMJ?(also now know as TMS)A dentist would be the one to see for that. Did you get the tintinitis at the same time as the head preasure? It also can be caused by TMJ. Have you tried muscle relaxants or Elavil? It worked on me but did take 5 weeks to feel fully well.  I also had to eat softer foods,use no straws, no gum  (smoking is bad) too. Heat around the neck & jaw area seemed to help my muscles relax too.  Do you take allot of aspirin, that can cause tintinitis. Good luck finding the problem.   Happy New Year.

[Glenville86]

Still here in Iraq.  Have 28 days left before heading out.  Still have the 24/7 head pressure and tinnitus.  Went to the doctor a few weeks ago and he put me on an antibiotic for 14 days without any change.  Many folks where I am working are getting the crud.  Most folks here think it is something in the environment like all the dust that is covering everything that is causing my symptoms.  Every morning, I blow my nose and there is alot of brown and dried blood in it.  After I shower, and blow again, there are smaller spots.  After that it stays fairly clear until the next morning.  The headache or pressure in my head is constant; however, is not really painful.  Do not think it is TMJ since I have had regular dental treatment without a problem before.  The head stuff and tinnitus could be allergy related from something here.  Could be a low level chronic tension headache from working 12-hour days for the last 11 months without a break.  I sit in front of a computer for 10-11 hours a day.  From what I have read; a chronic tension headache usually comes from a pattern of previous headaches which I did not have.  Still a mystery for me and with no medical assistance which can test anything, I will have to wait.

[idesofmarch]

SO sorry I missed the part that you were still currently there. You probably have really dry sinus cavities from the dust and enviroment. Do they sell Ocean( or any other salted water nasal spray) at the PX? Zertec can cause headaches and preasure(side effect) Can you get your hands on a cool mist humidifier? Also take eye breaks from the PC periodicly. Look at things at different lengths awayfrom you. Also bring your shoulders up to your ears afew times every hour. Deep breath in though your nose as you bring them up and release your breath through your month as your shoulders go down.  Do that every 15 mins. if you can. If you can't get enough moister in your nose, run hot water into a washcloth, squeeze it out alittle then put your nose into it & breath in through your nose a few times. You might not get much true relief as long as your are in Iraq and Army doctors, well let's just say there is not much to work with. I hope some of these ideas give you some relief. I am sending a prayer for your health & safety with this post.  P.S. are you gritting your teeth through your stress and long hours? TMJ can rear it's ugly symptoms!

[idesofmarch]

P.S again Drink as much water as possible. It will thin out the mucus. If you find something that works tell others you know to have the same sypmtoms. Also tell the doctor so he can tell his other patients.

[bweb]

First, thank you for serving us and protecting us.  It seems that your symptoms are somewhat environmentally based, as you received them a few months after you arrived in Iraq.

There is a possibility that your symptoms can be from an allergy or a sensitivity to something in your sleeping quarters, as when you wake up you seem to have the worst symptoms.  HOw old is the pillow you were issued.  Many times, dust mites are present in pillows, mattresses, etc.  

Good luck!

[nikkidarcy31]

With this pressure do you ever have any confusion,slurred speach, sensitivity to light or sound?

[Glenville86]

Hello - We sleep on issued beds that are not covered in plastic.  The pillow is mine and I buy a new one every few months.  The room is small with 2-people sharing.  There is a window heater/AC that I spray every other day to kill germs.  My new roommate has started getting occasional headaches since he moved in; however, may not be related.  Every morning when I blow my nose, it is a bunch of dry chunks mixed with pulpy blood.  After I come to work, the nose is dry and any dischrage is clear.  When my ears ring, certain noises bother me such as the chow hall when it is packed.  The head symptoms are a pressure tight feeling that increases and decreases during the day.  Always have it, but no real pain, just discomfort.  Sometimes I get a tingling on the sides of my head.  This place is loaded with fine dust.  I wipe my desk off every day and a few hours later it is layered again.  One doctor thought allergies and another chronic low grade tension headache.  It could be possible that allergies or non-alleries are causing the tension headache.

[ChloeTennitis]

Hey, I'm 35 yo. live with my girlfriend (GF) who has a pet Boston Terrier (BT - a low allergenic dog, supposedly) and have recently developed a mild-to-strong case of Tennitis. I am about to go to my Doctor, but I thought my story may help some sufferers. Basically, I realized before moving in with GF that I was allergic to the dog because I would get a dried out nasal mucus, which would after two-three days of exposure lead to cracking and bleeding in my nose, much as described above by other sufferers. The symptoms would dissapate totally when I avoided exposure to the dog for 1 week. Upon moving in with GF, we got a really good BlueAir filter for $500 which seemed to alleviate the worst symptoms. My nose was still getting slightly dry, but about 80-90% of the total nasal symptoms were gone, and the situation was totally bearable (no more bleeding). This continued on for 1 year. I should add that I work from home, so my pet exposure is 24-7, however, I work hard to clean and dust the apartment as much as I can. Two weeks ago, I started to get a mild high-pitched ringing in my ears, which I immediatly deduced could be from the BT dander: knowing that the inner ear is also mucus-lined and I assume the same drying/hardening of mucus in my nose is now beginning to affect my inner ear. After two weeks, the symptoms have gotten much worse, and overnight the ringing noise doubled-trippled along with some slight pulsatory ringing (possibly due to stress and sleeplessless compounding the problem). As I said, I am going to see my Doctor. My other steps will be: 1) to have someone take care of the dog for 1 week, 2) do daily saline nasal rinses, 3) drink plenty of water, 4) excercise, 5) clean the house again entirely, 6) spend more time outdoors, and 7) get another bedroom air filter. Besides all of this... Are there specific medications or other life-style changes you guys can recommend (besides getting a new girlfriend?? hahah..) ? I'm specifically interested in any allergy-related cures/treatments available for these symptoms, so I can ask my Doctor about them. Thanks very much.

[midwest50]

thank you to anyone that has served or is serving our country.i admire you for your patriotism and respect you for defending our country. i have a son in law in the air force,a lt., who is supposed to be heading to iraq this summer.i love him like a son and am worried.
now to the reason i am here.i've had tinnitus and sinus problems for many years.nothing seems to work for me.living near chi town our weather changes faster than the blink of an eye.with high bp i'm limited on meds i can take.if anyone has any suggestions i'd appreciate them.living with this eye/ear fullness and ringing is horrible and life disrupting.at 56 i am not ready to give up yet.got 7 grandkids i want to be able to not only see grow up but want to hear them also.thanks for your help.

[robbyB]

Antibiotics often make sinus problems, allergies, (and tinnitus, etc) worse, because they only address bacteria, and in the process kill of the good bacteria as well as the bad, leaving the patient with a possible fungal infection.  (The Mayo Clinic several years ago published a study the suggested that most sinus infections were caused by fungal problems, and not bacteria or viruses.)  Anyway, the ABX also do not address the possible dust issues, which should be taken seriously, but probably won't until you get home.

Also, nasalcrom, rhinocort, and especially prednisone only suppress SYMPTOMS, they do nothing to address the cause(s).  Sometimes of course something like nasalcrom is necessary to open things up a little...for a short time...but then it's critical to have allergy and/or other testing done to find out the cause and treat that.  And finally a major key to staying well is to strengthen/balance the immune system so it can better handle things that for the most part don't bother a majority of the population.

By saying that I don't mean to belittle or dismiss anyone's problems, especially Glennville's.  I would just suggest that "allergies" or reactions manifest in many different ways besides sneezing or headaches -- especially chemical reactions.  The fact that your symptoms are better once you're outside in the "open air" tells a lot.

Hope this helps a little.

Rob

p.s. I'm not a doctor...just someone who's been chronically ill for years, so have researched and learned a lot and applied to my life.

[NKski80]

I stumbled on this forum in frustration. I have had 2 CT's done, been allergy tested and just saw an ENT specialist, who made my frustration worse by saying whatever is wrong with me is not sinuses. The allergist confirmed that I don't have allergies. I've been suffering for over a year and half now with facial pain (behind my eyes, in corners of my eyes, between eyebrows, behind nose), occasional ear and jaw pain and occasional pain at the bottom of my head. I don't know if this is related at all, but my eyes burn at times and I have some pain in my shoulder and neck area.

I've been living on any over the counter sinus pain medicine that will help and I've also been taking Allegra D, which was prescriped by my family doctor. Oddly enough, for whatever is wrong with me, these do help to ease the discomfort a little.

The ENT Dr. suggested I go to a Neurologist, a Rheumatologist and a Dentist?! Gee, how helpful is that!? I am NOT interested in seeing those doctors. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to go from here? I am kind of at my wits end!! I am sick of being bounced from one doctor to another.

[kentuckiana]

NKski80,
You should definitely go see your dentist. I have had the exact same symptoms and have been diagnosed with TMJ.  My plan of action is to have oral surgery on my jaw and realign my joints, which should improve my situation.

In the meanwhile, though, I wear a plastic support in my mouth at night (and sometimes during the day) and it has almost entirely alleviated my symptoms.  I've spent 20+ years with these symptoms and pain and one little piece of plastic fixed it all.

[LeAnneFr]

I have been diagnosed with TMJ as well, also have constant post nasal drain. I have horrible jaw and facial pain, grind my teeth at night and have sharp pains in my ears. I am also dizzy all the time. It never goes away. It's like I'm floating, it's hard for me to focus, I have a hard time with my balance and sometimes it makes me feel like I have motion sickness. I have been to the doctor, ENT, dentist, optometrist physiotherapist. The physiotherapist thought it might be an inner ear problem and gave me some vestibular excercises. The ENT didn't see any obvious inner ear problems and wants me to have further testing. I had my wisdom teeth extracted hoping that might help. Still dizzy. Just wondering if your TMJ caused you to have dizziness, or have you heard of anyone else having these symptoms. I am tired of going from one doctor to the next. If I just knew what was wrong with me I could take the proper steps to get better.

[NKski80]

Thank you for your input...I will definately ask my dentist about this. I am tired of being miserable and going from doctor to doctor, having them tell me to see someone else. It's making me feel like I am crazy! I forgot to mention in my original post that I do have the almost constant post nasal drip and sometimes runny nose. I will let everyone know how this works out. Thanks again!

[mrjoshers]

I am working on my second month of having sinus pressure and head pressure along with jaw tightness (possibly TMJ) and of course everyone's favorite the lovely tinnitus.  I haven't been able to sleep due to a what used to be a constant pounding in my head when I lay down; it has now lessened to just a slight thump, like feeling the blood pumping in my head.  Since I haven't been able to sleep, I of course developed some anxiety and was given Wellbutrin, which was the worst.  The Wellbutrin made me so anixous and paranoid, so I just stopped taking it.  The only thing that I have continued taking is Temazepam (30 mg) to help me sleep.  I really want to get back to normal and at least sleep without a sleep aid.  I saw an ENT about 3 weeks ago and had a hearing test - everything was good, and all that I got was some song and dance about it being allergies and to take Zyrtec and Rhinocort.  So now I'm taking that, but I have also delved into Colostrum as it is supposed to naturally support your immune system.  I have also been taking 5-HTP (50mg) for the insomina/anxiety, but don't go overboard with anything because I have read a few studies that it can backfire if you take too much.  If you have experienced a mood shift, check out a book called "The Mood Cure" by Julia Ross.  And finally, I have also been trying out a sinus rinse by NeilMed (Walgreens), I want to believe that it is working.  I think that my next step will be the dentist and the allergist, as it looks like that is where this is heading.  I would pay whatever it takes to get rid of this pressure and get to sleep.

[NaomiStrange]

I got pretty sick in mid-December and had to take off an entire week of work. I mostly had what I thought was a really bad cold mixed in with a body-flu. Very weak, hot, dizzy, etc. The body-flu symptoms went away and I returned to work, but the stuffy nose never went away. I have had a perpetual snot-nose ever since mid-December 2006. (No, I’m not kidding.)

I figured it was residual left over from being sick so for the first month I waited for it to run its course and get out of my body. When that did not happen, I called my mother’s friend who is a doctor and explained my symptoms to her. She gave me some medicine, which I took. It didn’t help.

I figured maybe my body needed to be cleansed out, so I bought a colon cleanse from Blessed Herbs and did that for the full eight days recommended. This included fasting for five of those eight days. My body got thoroughly cleaned out of any toxins, but still, the “cold” symptoms did not go away. In fact, they got increasingly worse, if you can believe that.

I went to the regular doctor and explained my symptoms. He did all the blood tests possible and gave me a full physical. He recommended I take an OTC antihistamine and gave me a prescription for some nasal spray with steroids. The antihistamines helped very little, the nose spray not at all. I hated the taste of the post-nasal drip after using it and I didn’t like the idea of spraying steroids up my nose and into my brain. Plus it didn’t help, so what’s the point?!?

I went to see an acupuncturist. She gave me some Chinese herbs to take three times daily to help with sinus problems and congestion. I saw her once weekly for two months, while taking the Chinese herbs the whole time. Absolutely no changes in my symptoms. The acupuncture was nice, of course, but it simply did nothing to offer relief for my symptoms.

Recently I went to the allergy specialist. I got tested for allergies, and surprise! I’m not allergic to anything, according to the test results. The allergist gave me two prescriptions for pills and another nasal spray (without steroids). The pills are doing nothing to help my symptoms and the nasal spray offers no relief.

My symptoms are: constant runny nose, stuffy head from the back of my ears through my nose and head, my ears pop and they feel very clogged, I cannot breathe through my nose, I cannot smell, I haven’t tasted food properly since December 2006 (which SUCKS), and quite often the pressure in my head is so strong that it feels like it’s going to explode.

Recently another symptom showed up: This horrendous pain on the right side of my face, right below my cheekbone. It felt like a pain in the roots of my back teeth and it hurt so badly that the right side of my face was throbbing in pain all day. After one day of living through this pain, I went to the dentist. He took x-rays and of course there’s nothing wrong with my teeth. Thank god. I sure don’t want a root canal! He gave me some antibiotics (funny the DENTIST thought of that, right?!?) to take for the next ten days and a good dose of vicodin to help me with the pain. Tomorrow is my last day of taking the antibiotics. Thankfully the pain under my right cheekbone/teeth has receded (it is still there occasionally but it certainly isn’t as bad as it used to be!) but my symptoms (listed above) haven’t changed a bit.

What can I do?!? I am at my wits end here! I am so frustrated and angry; I do not know what to do!! I am sick and tired of dealing with this. When I talk I can’t speak properly due to being severely stuffed up. At night I have to breathe with my mouth open so I awake with a very dry mouth and a rough hurting tongue.

I just want this to GO AWAY! Any suggestions?!? I’ve been dealing with this for almost eight months at this point. I just do not and can not deal with this anymore. Is there ANYYTHING I can DO?!?

Please email me with any suggestions! naomi-dot-strange-at-gmail-dot-com

[NaomiStrange]

I would also like to comment I have been using a nasal irrigation bottle, which I have used to clean my nose with saline solution and water on a regular basis (after seeing the acupuncturist, at her suggestion). Absolutely no change in symptoms resulted. I stopped using it regularly. I have used it more recently and it only causes more pain and congestion because the water gets into my ear ways and it does nothing to clear my sinuses/nose.

[Glenville]

I am the original poster on this forum.  I still have not had a firm diagnosis other than what it is not.  I came back from Iraq and had an eye exam, CT scan, allergy testing and head x-rays.  They told me it is not sinus, allergies or an eye problem.  Still have the symptoms of sensitivity to bright light, tinnitus, lightheadedness, occasional plugged ears and painless head pressure/tightness.  The doctors think I have a leftover from an inner ear viral infection that I got in Iraq.  It is now a year later and is slightly better, but, still there.  They think I developed a mild chronic tension headache along with possibly an eustachian tube problem.  They tell me it will go away but might take months for the body to heal.  That sounds like ****.

[Gma C]

Thanks to everyone for sharing information on this problem. Very helpful. I just happened on to this website, and I finally feel like I am not the only one afflicted with this wierd and terrible sinus trouble that I can't get rid of - head/eaustachian tube pressure all the time, dizzy, can't think straight, tinnitus, fighting off sinus infection every two weeks, it seems. I have had this 1 1/2 years, ever since I got some terrible flu in Dec 2006. No traditional meds work - I've done it all - too much antibiotic, Zyrtec, steroid nose spray, saline wash, Chinese meds, etc.

I've done as much research as I possibly could, out of sheer desperation. Right now, "Allerfree" enzyme from www.pureessencelabs.com seems to be giving me more relief than most things I keep trying, although the swelling and tinnitus are not gone. I read about enzymes treating allergy/sinus on www.enzymes.com under Enzyme Deficiencies.

Enzymedica has an enzyme product for thick mucous/stuffy/runny nose "MucoStop" I haven't tried it yet, but thought I'd give the info. I plan to try it. Perhaps if I can thin out the mucous and keep taking the enzymes that inhibit histamine reaction, I can avoid going crazy until I can find the cause of my problem!

I recently began taking very big doses of Vitamin C, (take buffered C, to the point of loose bowel, then back off.) It may be significant that I can take 8,000-9,000 mg a day and not have loose stool. That says my body is severely depleted of C. Maybe this will prove to be helpful??

I also seem to do best when I move around a lot. I am worse when I sit for long periods of time or sleep. I think that my neck may be causing some of my problems, but not sure that's all of it.

I still wonder if fungal invasion in my sinuses might be the problem. Someone recommended Doug Kauffman's book "The Fungus Link" for info on that. I tried the grapefruit seed extract nose spray, but if it killed fungus, I must still be very allergic to something.

[ejh]

Very quick reply, I'm sorry. Please email me if you are interested in more.

You should get tested for mercury toxicity.
It can cause a lot of these types of problems.

I posted a reply to this thread back in November. I was as sick as others and had all the tests and scans, but nothing showed up.

I was lost for a long time (and in a lot of pain), but 3 months ago I had a urine test for mercury and it came back high. It is hard to find an MD to do this though, as most will tell you its not a problem.

I have been chelating the mercury for 2 months and I have made progress. It is a long process (with hugh ups and downs), but I have no doubt that is the source of my problems. I am more functional than I have been in a year.

Even the fugal infection someone mentioned (candida) is a result of high mercury. You won't cure fugal overgrowths until you get rid of the mercury.

Please feel free to contact me. I'll post my email, but it might be deleted by the website. Take out the space around the asterisk

Ed
ejhayes76 @ yahoo.com

[nomorepain]

2 yrs ago I started having extreme beeping/ringing in my rt ear - I was sure this was caused by pressure in my head. I was sent to an audiologist to see if I had hearing loss - results were minimal.  Whenever we have major weather fronts come through, such as this year with 2 mo's of rain every day - the pressure in my head is extreme.  I was able to somewhat manage the beeping/ringing w/sinus med's/sprays, but this yr it struck up again to the point of wanting to remove myself from this planet.  I also have had horrible pain in my neck & went to a chiro several years ago because it sounded like my neck was going to break when it popped...that's when the beeping/ringing began...I started using the Oasis Wash over a week ago & the beeping/ringing stopped within one day & pressure/headaches subsided within 3 days...i tried using a Neti Pot yesterday & do not like it as much as the Oasis Wash because i think the Sea Salt is the answer, but it does help to release mucus/etc.  I have not had any pressure in over a week & am able to sleep soundly at night & my neck has not been hurting as much either. I would suggest ALL of you try the Oasis Wash or Neti Pot...it's worth a try...

[sniper984]

hello mate i 2 get a like pressure in my ears and at the back of my head however when i blow my nose as you would when you are decenting in an aeroplane it seems to ease of a little i also get a crackling in my ears i have had this problem since i woke up from a enduced coma on the 111206 i was put to sleep for 12 days as i caught chickenpox of my 2 children and i ended up getting pneumonia its very odd that i can some times go without any of this pressure in my head fo up to a week but then it returns i am currentley on the sick still and i am to in the forces ive been of now for the last 8 months i hadent long finished op telic 8 when this happend i just wish someone could give me an answer to what ive got my neurologist here in germany seems to think that it is critical illness neuropathy  could someone please get back to me

[sniper984]

i forgot to mention that i have tinitus also i seem to have this pressure more in the morning i,e after i wake up rather than later in the day i dont have any pain or headaches its just the pressure that i mention at the back of my head as i said it goes if i blow my nose a few times what do i do next

[mcbride]

Hello everyone: I have had nasal allergy and rhinitis for the past twenty some years, been to the docs and no relief. It got a lot worse since we moved to the desert last year. Runny nose everyday, and bleeding daily in the summer. I also started to develop some skin rash this year. ...Anyway, a month ago one day I felt like there is a cotton ball stuffed in my right ear, or, sort of like water in my year I couldn't shake out. It gradually got worse and worse. My hearing was not only decreased --everything sounds murky and muted, it was also distorted –random magnified low noises, my sense of pitch is lost at a certain frequency range, and I couldn't tell the direction of sounds. When it was the worst, I could hardly hear anything. There was itching occasionally, and constant pressure from inside my ear. I have tried several kinds of maneuvers to pop the ear, tried remove ear wax, tried more allergy medicine... I am a musician and was starting to feel pretty desperate. After reading this board, I took the following:
Vitamin C 1000 mg daily
Plant Enzymes capsules containing: Protease, Amylase, Lipase, Cellulase, Lactase, Papain, Bromelain. Twice daily.
Omega-3 Fish Oil 1200 mg twice daily.
Allergy Relief Natural Homeopathic Medicine made by NatraBio. Four times daily.
The symptoms started to decrease the next day, and two week later they are all gone. My nose cleared up also.  I do have to keep on the regimen otherwise the symptom returns. I think it was the combination that works, I’m not sure. I’m grateful that I came across this board and like to pass on the info. Good luck to you all.

[PMJHDR]

Hi I have head pressure and feel dizzy. I have been sneezing a lot...I never had outdoor allergies until this summer. I feel like I have been sneezing and blowing moy nose straight since July. I woke up last friday with left eye pressure. That went away then now I have whole head pressure and dizziness.

[FemmeFugazi]

I use a lot of NatraBio products and they work really well. And they've helped me with everything from allergies to severe pain.

I have several of the symptoms different people have described here as per sinus stuffyness, pressure, and all of that. And NatraBio helps really well in controlling them and getting relief. I use both their Allergy, and their Sinus medication. I've been tempted to try their combination allergy/sinus meds, but I didn't want to switch off on what my body's used to and end up messing up the relief I've gotten so far.

But, my symptoms haven't gone away completely. The NatraBio meds just give me a temporary relief. I've found that if I lie down, or sleep they symptoms easily come back. They also come back if I spend too much time indoors.

I recently took a trip from the panhandle of Texas to eastern Oregon. And when I'm in Texas all my symptoms- sinus trouble, CFS, upper body pains, IBS... all of them are present and severe.

By the time I got to Denver (sounds like that song, right... "By the time I get to Pheonix....") - I was traveling by bus - my sinus symptoms were gone... and by the time the bus got to Colorado Springs the rest of my physical symptoms- pain, dizzyness, recurring nausea- were gone. My emotional symptoms of anxiety remained, but my physical symptoms completely disappeared and all the time I spent in Oregon- despite lousy weather on the coast, etc.,- my physical symptoms never returned.

When I finally returned to Texas, my physical symptoms showed up again... within 20 minutes !

And they've been with me since I got back, for two months now.

So, there is something to be said for climactic changes. And also, for a change in environment.

[scheshire]

I have had this head pressure, dizzy (almost like a buzzed feeling) since March 07'. It has been 8 months of this; I get better then worse again. I have got a CT, MRI (twice), spinal tap, and multiple blood draws. The doctors just seem to be pushing me off to other doctors and nothing is helping. I am seeing a neurologist now and they have me on some medicine for migraines but I am doubtful that it will help as nothing to date has helped. My CSF pressure was a little high, but no viruses were found or anything in the testing of the CSF fluid. I am finding lots of blogs like this with people having the same symptoms but no one seems to have a cure for the problem. Any help?

[mike79880]

I have a weird tale to tell:
When I was 18 years old, I got drunk for my first time in college and had a massive "panic attack" where I thought I was going to die, and the paramedics were called to my dorm room.  Then, directly after the panic attack,  I developed chronic traveling pressure sensations in my head, that were very frightening and disruptive to my life.  I shall refer to this as the "head problem."  I had the head problem for a full year, during which time I failed out of college and became massively depressed.  Then, after a year or so, the head problem went away 100%; and I was able to complete college.  

One year later I developed chronic tinnitus in my left ear after attending several very loud raves and rock concerts.  The tinnitus hasn't stopped since.  However I have learned to deal with it where it doesn't affect my life.

Then, 10 years later (I am now 29 years old), I was at a party and ate a "marijuana brownie".  Next, I had a similar panic attack identical to the one that I had when I was 18 years old.  I thought I was going to die and had to be taken to the hospital.  Then directly after the panic attack, "the head problem" returned full force!!!  The chronic traveling pressure sensations in my head returned to disrupt my life, and I currently still have them.   What the hell is wrong with me?????

[rooster333]

I HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS.  I HAVE SEEN AN ALLERGIST AND HAVE NO ALLERGIES. THIS JUST CAME FROM OUT OF THE BLUE.  MY SUGGESTION
LETS ALL GET TOGETHER, MARCH ON A DOCTOR OR HOSPITAL OFFICE AT THE SAME TIME AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY.

[PlateletGal]

What are your symptoms ? And have you been tested for food allergies and/or chemicals ?

[Broter]

I was glad to stumble upon this forum thread!  Many of these symptoms sound real familiar to me!

Perhaps now I can conclude that I’m not crazy and not after all making this all up …or at least if I am, I’m not the only one.

This forum appears to document a lot of lost time & money through failed diagnosis and treatments.

Considering how expensive medical care has become in the US and how many now have no medical coverage, one would think it would at least, (with what is constantly touted as the finest medical care in the world), be easier to find doctors now and again who can actually diagnose something less obvious than a severed limb and without it costing both your firstborn and a 2nd mortgage!



Around the end of August 2007 I came down with a strange bug similar to something I’d experienced for each of the last several years but with more long lasting outcome.

This was not like any typical cold or flu.  I had a profound sense of fatigue, achy all over with mild headaches and slightly dizzy sometimes taking all the willpower one could muster just to struggle through the day.

Starting last Aug this went on until maybe Thanksgiving time, when I got a very “congested” feeling in my ears similar to the feeling one gets when you need to “pop” your ears as a plane lands.  

Then the “ringing” started.  It at times gets VERY loud.  It is of course, more noticeable when it is quiet like when I’m trying to go to sleep.  At times I’ve even taken to wearing earphone play restful music to mask the tinnitus.  Sometimes it will almost vanish for a while but other times it will be so bad that it will predominate even in a noisy environment, shifting both in pitch and loudness!  

My ears feel “gluey” .  Sometimes it helps a little bit temporarily to shut my mouth, hold my nose and blow to open my Eustachian tubes.  When I do this it sounds like they are sticky and clogged up.   Also, I have a sore neck so that it is sometime a bit uncomfortable to swallow.  

I went to an ENT who looked in my ears and said he saw no sign of infection.  He checked my hearing and found only what loss one would expected at my 61yrs. He then handed me some sample vitamins and a pamphlet on tinnitus and sent me home with a shockingly large bill.



I have no cures to share but would like to share several thoughts.

I have a 35 yr old son who has been fighting what was always diagnosed as chronic sinus infections for most his life.  Recently a doctor suggested that the problem might actually be a form of migraines.  He has been treated accordingly recently with some new migraine meds with good results.  

Then , a few months back, after several months of sinus problems that would not respond to normal treatment, my thirty something daughter also had it suggested to her that her problem might also actually be migraines.  She too has been treated now with some success.

So, accepting that I might be the common genetic culprit (since my son & daughter have different moms), I began to wonder about myself.  

I’ve never had anything I’d suspect was a migraine headache but after a bit of research, I realized that I periodically experience “phophenes” or “auras” which are typically visual distortions which often accompany or precede migraine attacks.

It further appears that a mental phenomena similar to these visual distortions can occasionally be manifested aurally as ringing or other sounds in the ears.  

Also, allergic reactions are known to be among the migraine “triggers”.

Dr. Oliver Sacks, the author of “Awakenings”,  has a book titled “Migraines “ in which he discusses some of these things.
He also recently authored an interesting NYTimes blog on the patterns created by migraine attacks here: http://www.oliversacks.com/migraine.htm

Dr. Sacks’ blog generated over 400 responses which are very interesting!


Lastly, I can’t help but wonder what part both environmental and mental stresses might play in this.  

As for the psychological stress, I’ve developed a little theory of my own.  

I’d suggest that our modern information age, for all it’s perceived advantages, inherently creates unprecedented stresses for us to deal with daily.

Consider that as we have progressed from the telegraph, to the radio, TV and now the internet, it becomes ever harder to remain blissfully unaware of the troubles & trials faced in the rest of the world and reported to us each day in the news.  

Now, it’s possible to attempt to ignore it, sticking one’s head ever further into the sand but failing that, we must each devise a personal approach to all the saddness that bombards us each day.

It seems to me that at that “Fork in the Road”, one either takes the route of indifference and attempts to harden their hearts to the suffering we are daily informed of or alternately, we attempt to maintain some element of compassion in our natures, in which case we run a the risk of, at some level being overwhelmed by it all.  

In such cases, is it likely that these stresses might manifest itself in some kind of physical symptoms?

Anyway, thanks to you all!

[Broter]

Poking around on the Web for these symptoms I came across Barre-Lieou Syndrome.

It's hard to find out much about it but evidently causes many of these symptoms and has to do neck problems.  It has supposedly successfully been treated with "Regenerative Injection Therapy" RIT or "Prolotherapy".
Try checking out these links.

http://www.prolotherapy.org/article.asp?prolotherapy=178

http://www.prolonews.com/tinnitus.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolotherapy

http://www.getprolo.com/index.html

[Kev259]

I have also suffer from panic attacks. I recentley returned from very warm asia to cold UK in December. Where i started to have panic attacks again after a break of 4 years. I was getting one every night for about a week and at the same time i had the usual winter cold. Then i woke up with Tinitus and pressure behind my ears and nose, stiff kneck and shoulders, heavy head. Which spurred on more anxiety. I have completely changed my diet and reduced my weight by 11kg. I eat lots of fresh organic vegitables and fruits where i can, very little meat, also vitamin b12 and folic acid or you can just eat marmite or vegimite, i take vitamin c and magnesium at night to help me sleep. I have also recentley started reading spontaneous healing by Andrew Weil, MD. Yoga and meditation also. I am feeling better day by day and very positive. Hope this helps

[PrivateNation]

Hello everyone...I have had many of these same problems...... It makes me really  paranoid and jittery.... I have had tinnitus....ranging from a hissing sensation  up the back of my neck....to full out ringing!!!!  Scares the heck out of me........ i also have has all the sinus pressure...fatigue......sometimes jitters,.......swollen saliva glands........ before all this started which was treated with amoxicyllan..........  benadrl seems to be helping the last two days.....nothing else has really helped........i am nervous all the time......please email me with suggestions or any kind of comfort  scared of brain tumor as well......36 year old male.
***@****

[catelynnw3]

I came across this post and wonder if the writer ever found any answers.  I have had symptoms for years that were misdiagnosed repeatedly that in some ways sound similar.  I had chronic pressure in my head that would sometimes become full blown migraine type headaches with intermittent tinnitus.  My hearing would sometimes go temporarily quiet also.  Over time I started getting palpitations and shortness of breath.  I began to notice that the more I would do or move around, the more I would feel edgy or anxious.  I also have had extreme fatigue.  I was getting allergy shots and taking sinus and asthma medications although I never had a runny/stuffy nose.  Without getting into the whole history, I was diagnosed with several other things and tried many different medications with no relief.  I gradually felt worse and worse.  

My daughter, 17 years old, was having a lot of problems with her hip and back and was told she should have surgery.  I took her to the chiropractor and for physical therapy for a long time but with only short-term relief.  I was against her having surgery and decided to take her to a doctor who does something called prolotherapy.  The procedure involves injections that strengthen the ligaments.  It has worked miraculously for her.  Anyway, while I was in the waiting room I was reading a book about the procedure in which they talked about something called Barre-Lieou Syndrome.  It sounded a lot like me.  I became excited but didn't want to jump the gun since I have gotten my hopes up before.  Anyway, I decided to go to a chiropractor first to see if she felt any of my symptoms were related to this syndrome.  I remembered that I was involved in a car accident about 13 years ago and despite having whiplash the next day didn't really think I had any neck issues.  After the chiropractor did the x-rays she said that my cervical (neck area) spine was no longer curved in the proper direction and that could cause pressure on nerves, etc.. (also something about subluxation)., she adjusted my spine.  She also said that the ligaments had been weakened due to the whiplash.  The ligaments are what holds the spine in place.  After the adjustment, I initially felt a temporary release of all the pressure, but went in and out of having a lot of head pressure over the next several days.  I went back one more time, but did not feel well.  I then made an appointment with the doctor that does the prolotherapy and received my first round of injections.  I am due to have the procedure done again on Monday and pray it will be an answer to prayer.  The more I read about Barre-Lieou syndrome and the cervical spine, the more I realize there are connections to other functions in the body located in our necks.  There are autonomic nerves that run through there.  The prolotherapy doctor noticed that after he did the initial exam (mainly locating trigger points), that I was very fidgety.  He said that was normal which made me feel better since I had always noticed that I felt that edgy feeling after moving around too much.

I will keep anyone posted who might be interested whether this works or not, and I hope this somehow helps someone here.  By the way, I am a 37 year old woman.  God bless!

[catelynnw3]

One more thing, anyone with TMJ and/or sinus issues should also look up prolotherapy and barre-lieou syndrome.  It is often misdiagnosed because it has such a wide range of symptoms.  I have also had a lot of nausea and feel like my head just doesn't feel "right".  Not exactly dizzy, but not right.  

You haven't had to have had a specific identifiable incident or trauma to the neck to have this either.  An x-ray might show changes to the spine in that area.  I didn't really have neck pain, more like a soreness at times and a feeling that I'd get tired holding my head up.  That was because the ligaments were too stretched out to do their job, so my muscles had to do all the work.  Hope this helps!

[catelynnw3]

I have also suffered from a constant pounding and pressure in my head.  Because my doctor(s) didn't know what was wrong with me, they convinced me to try several different anxiety medications over the years, but they always made me feel worse!

I'm sorry I just posted three times in a row, but I know what it's like to struggle with not feeling well and not being able to find answers.

[blair1955]

While searching possible causes for my condition I like the rest came across this board.

I am a 52 year old male five foot, five inches tall and weight around 145 pounds. I don’t smoke (quit in 1980). I quit drinking in 1986 and in August of 05 quit drinking beverages with caffeine. I have Restless Legs Syndrome along with Periodic Limb Movement Disorder. For this I have been taking Requip but in the last 10 days switched to Miripex and works better. I also take Clonozipam in the evenings to help with both the RLS/PLMD.

Now onto my problem and why I am posting on this board. This past December I developed tinnitus in my left ear. At first it wasn’t bad at all but as time has progressed the problem has become worse. When all this started I had just started taking Gabitril to aid the other two medications. So I quit taking it and the Tinnitus / fullness didn’t go away. The next time I saw my doctor he had his nurse irrigate the ear, still no better. I returned the next week seeing another doctor in the same office. She looked at both ears and there was a little infection. She offered an injection of steroids to which I said no but did go for a CT scan per request which shows nothing out of the ordinary. By the first of the year the noise in my head was so loud I ended up in the ER. When that doctor offered a steroid injection I was willing to try anything. The steroids got rid of the noise for a few days. On the fifth we flew to Hawaii. The flight over made things bad again so the next morning I went to a clinic where I was given Azithromycin. A week later I returned to the same clinic and was given Levaquin and Neomycin drops. The fullness and Tinnitus remained. After our return home I went to a nearby clinic and was given Cefdinir and Durahist. By the 23rd of January I was able to get in to see an ENT who told me “you are just getting old” and gave me a script for Astelin nasal spray. Still had the same problem and I ended up back in the ER on the 26th where I received another steroid injection which helped for a few days. In early February I saw a doctor that gave me a script for Allegra D. Over the next few months I ended up in an ER twice more both times receiving steroid injections each helping for a few days. Other prescriptions I have had are Guaifenex, Durahist again, more Levaquin, an Allerx Dose Pack, loritabs for the pain in the ear, Fluticasone Propionate nasal spray and per my request Calolmist nasal spray.

I have seen two Oncologists one telling me I need hearing aids the other telling me I don’t. The first one did request a MRI with and with contrast ruling out a brain tumor. I have seen 3 audiologists all results were the same some hearing loss above 4k but is normal for a man my age. The last place I went was the Shea Ear Clinic in Memphis, TN. They ran me through many tests and believe I may have Meniere's disease which they can treat in their clinic.

I don’t know if any of the doctors that I have seen so far (15 including acupuncture) are any closer than when I started out.

Reading some of the other posts here I have many of the same symptoms, fullness in the ear or feeling as if it has something in there, headaches, Tinnitus, TMJ and I wonder if not sinus something to do with my neck. I have woke some mornings not feeling too bad then if I lay down in the afternoon even for a quick nap (half an hour or so) and get up feeling much worse than before I laid down. Or maybe the way I lay lets some fluid move around?

I’m still looking for answers

[hamstien2001]

has anyone noticed feeling weird around people as in talking face to face ect beceause you are dizzy I have all of these exact same symptoms the most of all taking a nap and waking up feeling terrible. I am at witts end and I am close to giving up.  Which doctor should I try one last time? I have fealt like the past two years (when it started) have been a big haze and I cant enjoy anything.  has ANYONE had a 100% cure I NEED HOPE PLEASE

[woozle]

Hi just found this page.I have suffered for 13yrs with head pressure, sinus problems, anxiety and panic attacks ,severe hayfever and seasonal asthma, low blood sugar which causes dizzy spells, ringing in the ears, feeling of wriggly worms crawling under my skin on my head. I have had whiplash too and have had heaps of tests for everything like scans, x rays, blood tests. I have had sinus surgery.  You name it i have had it.The problem is that there are so many symptoms it is hard to tell what is wrong! I have now trained in Reiki which seems to help sometimes!  I am now starting to look at the possibility of electro sensitivity which seems to have alot of our symptoms. If you look up the web site www.electrosensitivity.co.uk and see what you guys think! I also get the feeling when i walk that my legs are not working properly like the ground is moving,weird?

[woozle]

sorry website is www.electrosensitivity.org!!!

[PlateletGal]

Have you ruled out food allergies and/or chemical sensitivities ?

[Driftking4age]

I have been suffering what all you are describing as well.  I went to seek an ENT, chiropractor and a homeopathic doctor named Dr. Mohrdar. He has a website maybe he can help you as he has tried to help me. Also try looking up something called Tong Bi NA-551.  It's a chinese herbal remedy to treat sinusitis. Its worth a try. It stopped the pressure in my ears but I noticed when I stopped taking it. The symptoms came back. It's worth a shot. Also you might want to try Joe Johnson's sinusitis treatment or discovery.  Let me know what you guys think.

http://www.****.***
http://www.****.***

[h20guy]

i was diagnosed with tmj? i had this terrible pain in my cheek bone all the way up the side of my head.thought i was having a stroke- ear infections.it was awful until i found the netti pot-its all natural . its a kettle looking thing that you fill with this pre packaged sodium bicarbinate and sodium clhoride or you can make your own with seasalts and baking soda. you insert it into your nostril while breathing out and tilt your head and it flushes your sinus cavity-give it a shot .they are only 15.00 at the drug store-you will be so glad you did.

[believerinfaith]

i had most of these symptoms. Before committing to allergy shots I had my thyroid and diabetes checked. Test came back I had hyperthyroidism. If you havent had it checked I would suggest it.

[Peacesoul]

I have not read all the replies, but see some mentioned the Neti Pot. I was going to say the same thing

SINUS IRRIGATION is the way to go, but you do not have to pay a lot of a neti pot. I used a baby ear cleaner bulb (you can get them at the dollar store) and warm water and salt. I will sometimes add oil of oregano to the mix.

Every time I have a sinus headache or pressure, I do an irrigation and the pressure and headache go away

Dr's are CLUELESS when it comes to treating something if a test does not show conclusive results.

I went to 3 diff ENT"s for my sinus, vertigo and tinnitus issues and not one knew what to do excpet to give me an RX for an antibiotic.
Dr's are the main cause for super bugs since they will give abx out like candy.
Unless you have a proven sinus infection, please do not take abx.

Clean diet, herbs and sinus irrigations have helped me the most.

[kuladust]

How did the prolotherapy work for you. Anxious to hear.

[ccl]

I just wanted to mention that migraine disease can cause all of these symptoms.  You don't have to get the typical headaches to have migraines. A neurologist should be consulted, and you should tell him all the symptoms.

TMJ can also cause all of these symptoms.  As a matter of fact, my allergist wrote a paper on how TMJ can trigger "allergy-like" symptoms such as congestion, ear pressure, head pressure, etc.  Your jaws to not have to "snap" in order to have TMJ. Nor do you have to have a past problem with it.  Stress can cause it.  I, personally, found that I clench at at night.  I wear a plastic night guard and it has helped the head pressure/neck problems tremendously.  

If the dizziness/ head pressure is worse when looking at computer monitors, it is most likely a migraine-type of process.  However, neck issues can also cause all of these symptoms.  I thought my problems were related to my occasional migraines because I got spinning sensations (vertigo) and head pain/pressure when sitting at my computer at work.  I even raised the refresh rate on the monitor settings to try to help.  But what was weird was that I did not have the problem on the computer at home.  Turns out, it was my neck, and how I was holding it when sitting at that one monitor.  Neck muscle issues can cause LOTS of major problems that seem very serious.  Physical therapy can help, as can muscle relaxants.

Lastly, one person on here mentioned some different symptoms, such as shooting, stabbing pain in the lower jaw/teeth, constant running nose.  I just wanted to mention that trimengial nerve issues (a nerve in the face) can cause many weird, debilitatings symptoms as well.

I hope everyone gets better soon!!!!

PS- also look to drug side effects if you are on meds.  Many different meds such as antidepressants and blood pressure meds can cause head pressure and headache.

[Scooter751]

Get a Neti Pot they will help with all of your problems. I've had severe sinus issues since moving to VA from Upstate NY. I had a septoplasty and my ENT advised me to get a Neti Pot (I too have non-allergic rhinitus). This entire summer I have not once had to use allergy medicine. When I feel my sinuses flare up, I use the Neti Pot twice a day instead of once. Google them online and you can buy a cheap one right at walmart. You will see a huge difference in your headaches, allergies, general feeling of health too. It's $15.00 and knowing how well they work, I would spend thousands on it if I had too!

[GrayLady]

I started having intermittent tinnitus when I was ten, which became fairly permanent by the time I was twenty.  I am now 57 years old.  

My husband recently had a small growth in his nose (successfully removed through surgery), but along with it came some really excessive snoring.  In desperation, I was looking on Amazon for some ear plugs, and came across some that were cotton soaked with wax.  

I've been making a "solid" hand lotion for several years, that was a combination of beeswax, cocoa butter, and castor oil.  And I had some cotton balls.  So I made my own ear plugs, rubbing the waxy stuff into the cotton balls and stuffing them into my ears.  It worked beautifully, and I could sleep at night again.  Though, it worked so well that I don't hear the alarm clock, and my husband has to shake me when it goes off.  hehe.

Now, you are all probably thinking "gee, this is nice, but why is she posting this here?"  Well, after using my homemade ear plugs for three weeks, the tinnitus in my left ear has completely disappeared.  The tinnitus in my right ear has not, but that was the original ear to be affected.

So I have continued to put the ear plug into my right ear, and have noticed some really unusual things near my ear, in the sinuses.  It feels like stuff is moving around and draining away.  Of course, the sinuses are very small, so small objects or debris draining away can feel like something really large.  But I sometimes wake up in the morning with the right sinus fairly plugged feeling, and as I get up and walk around it gradually drains and opens.

So, my theory is this:  Some people have very thick mucous, or get into a climate that dried out the mucous, and it can actually harden in the sinus right next to the ear.  However, once it hardens it isn't going anywhere, because it has become to large to move through those small sinus passages.  When a permeable substance like oil and wax is allowed to permeate the skin of the ear canal, it gets absorbed into this hardened mass, and starts softening it.  The amount of time it takes for this mass to disintegrate will probably vary from person to person (and in my case, from ear to ear).

The solid hand lotion that I make is one part cocoa butter, one part beeswax, and four parts castor oil.  I gently melt it all together in the microwave, stirring really well once it is all liquid.  

I use regular cotton balls, not the synthetic ones, because I am sensitive to most synthetic fibers.  I just scape up some of the solid hand lotion with my fingernail, and smear it onto the cotton ball, then use my fingers to work it in.  I will use the same cotton ball several times, unless it gets dirty, by just applying some more of the solid hand lotion before putting it into my ear.

Sometimes the stuff draining out seems to irritate the back of my sinuses and my throat, but that comes and goes.  My husband, who also has tinnitus, has asked me to make some cotton ear plugs for him, too.  His tinnitus now comes and goes, where it was constant before.  He has always had a lot of ear wax, and this has been a nice way to clean that out, as it wicks-up his excess wax onto the cotton ball.

If anyone tries this, please post here with any results, positive or negative.