4 years of Sinusitis-suggestions

[crouth]

I am entering my 4th winter of having continuous sinusitis/bronchitis through about April/May.  I used to get a cold in the fall and spring.  3 winters ago I got sick in Nov. and it just kept coming back.  5 times I had this for at least 10 days, and had antibiotics (Ampicillin/Amoxycillin).  I have had these antibiotics off and on all my life.  My doctor referred me to an ENT DR.  After x-rays, and CT scan, he said I had a deviated septum, but not bad enough for surgery, and no polyps.  He tried many allergy meds with no results, as well as lots of steroid sprays.  Next winter it was the allergist, same thing as Dr above, but I am allergic to dust mites.  We now have an air purifier, allergy filter, and hepa vacuum, no dust at all.  Next winter, same thing Zithromax 5 times. Last April had turbinectomy with different ENT, otherwise same as above.  Now, still with this ENT, Tequin and Omnicef, no results.  Using echinacea, aromotherapy, ENT SOL nasal rinse, peroxide in ears, and others.  I have drainage year round about 5-8 swallows/minute, but when winter hits I'm always sick, and can't get over it.  It's impossible to sleep when I lay down, I drown.  I've read some of the other forums and it's a little helpful, I could use all the ideas anyone has, there is a solution somewhere, prayer would help, and maybe the final answer.

[National Jewish]

The sinuses are hollow areas within your head.  The maxillary sinuses are behind your cheeks.  The frontal sinuses are behind your forehead.  The ethmoid sinuses are behind and below the frontal sinuses.  The sphenoid sinuses are behind your nose.  To work properly, the sinuses need adequate mucus drainage.  The nasal septum is a plate of bone and cartilage along the center of the nose.  A deviated nasal septum is shifted to one side.  When your septum is deviated there is less space on the side that the septum leans towards.  Generally this area is squeezed.  A deviated nasal septum may cause blockage of the sinuses on that side to the point that the sinuses do not drain as well.  This can cause swelling of the nasal and sinus passages.  As the sinuses become swollen, the drainage openings that lead from each sinus into the nose become blocked.  Both the swelling and the mucus that collects in the sealed-off sinus can cause pressure.  This is a possible explanation of the facial tingling you are feeling over your cheeks and eyebrows.  Surgery would return the septum to its usual position in the center of the nose.  This is generally helpful in clearing the blockage and decreasing sinus infections.

Postnasal drip is drainage from the nose and sinuses dripping down the back of the throat.  There could be several reasons for this drainage.  One is an allergic reaction to inhaling something, such as dust mites.  To decrease your exposure to dust mites even more, enclose your mattress, box spring, and pillow with zippered plastic covers.  Be sure to place tape over the zipper.  A second reason is a non-allergic, non-infectious inflammation in the sinuses that can linger after a cold.  A third reason is chronic sinusitis.  You may experience the postnasal drip as a feeling of drainage at the back of your throat year round.  It may even make you feel like you are drowning when you lay down to sleep.

The goal of treatment is to decrease the swelling in the nose and sinus openings, so that sinus drainage improves.  As long as you are not on a fluid restriction you should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily.  This will thin the mucus so that it moves more easily.  An antihistamine can dry up the postnasal drip.  A decongestant like Sudafed® (pseudoephedrine) can decrease the swelling and thin the postnasal drip so it drains easier.  A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both.  A nasal wash helps remove mucus and bacteria from the nose and sinuses.  This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip.  Atrovent® Nasal Spray (ipratropium bromide) can dry up drainage that is clear and thin.  A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases swelling in the nose and mucus production.  This will prolong the improvement in sinus drainage and prevent the postnasal drip.  To get the most help from a nasal steroid spray use it after doing a nasal wash.  A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms.  It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective.  Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique.  Share this information with your doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.  Sometimes it is necessary to use all of these treatments every day to get relief from your symptoms.

[crouth]

Response to posted commment.  Everything that you mentioned above, has been tried except the deviated septum surgery.  My ENT says it is not bad enough.  If I did have the surgery would this help that much to relieve 80% or better of my symptoms?  I had the upper and lower turbinectomy.  Isn't that part of the deviated septum surgery?

[Concerned lady]

Some docs think that post nasal drip is partly or greatly due to irritation of the sinuses by a high up type of "silent" (no heartburn, usually) gastric reflux, called LPR/Laryngeal Pharyngeal Reflux.

If you might have the LPR type of gastric reflux, that is not yet controlled, this might be a factor.

Bad air quality at work, home, etc. can also be a factor.

You can telephone the LUNG LINE nurses, to get the rest of your good questions answered, by calling 1-800-222-LUNG(5864), Mon-Fri, 8am-4:30pm, Mountain time.

Concerned lady
<a href=http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com>http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com</a>

[crouth]

My doctor has considered the LPR but remotely.  I have had heartburn quite readily, but I did a digestive cleansing program, and did not have heartburn or any acid for about6 months, and can control it easily, especially with another cleansing.  I still had the sinus problems throughout.  We have the allergy furnace filters, a hepa vacuum that we use once a week, and an ion/ozone/hepa air filter that has worked very good.  My CT scan that was done a week ago came back great.  My ENT is now considering a chemical allergy test, to see if there is something just setting off my tissues, however we have very little toxic chemicals in our home, and the purifier should take care of it.  Now what?

[Concerned lady]

Some people react badly to the resins (glues) in some HEPA filters, according to John Bower's book "The Healthy House". Ozone generators are very irritating to sinuses and lungs according to Robert Ivker's book "Sinus Survival". A negative ion generator that produces no ozone, can be helpful. So can a warm mist vaporizer, plus the nasal irrigations.

The LPR type of reflux can be "silent", yet, can cause big sinus problems. There may be other factors. You might consider being seen at Nat'l Jewish, where they could help you solve the mystery of your persistant sinusitis/bronchitis. Good luck to you.

Concerned lady
<a href=http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com>http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com</a>