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Anyone know of anything to help with chronic vasomotor rhinitis?

I have had it for as long as I can remember, when I was young it caused me severe ear problems and I got vents in my ears twice. This helped the ear problems for a while but as soon as the vents came out they were back. The doctors didnt realize that it was my nose that was causing it until recently even though I always complained about my nose. It ruins my life, I live in the UK and its always raining here and there is very low humidity which of course makes it worse, I can't go for walks or anything to active and I never could although it seems to have gotten progressively worse as the years have went on. I am now 17 and still suffering I have had just about enough, I never let on how muh it actually gets to me but I really cant take it anymore. I haven't really known what it's like to have a normal nose and I've tried so many things. The doctor keeps giving me nasonex spray which doesnt really help all that much and ive tried the whole saline nose washing thing. It only helps for about an hour. I need help does anyone know about Bilateral transnasal vidian neurectomy surgery? My doctor said that its only a last resort as it can leave you brain damaged. Has anyone ever tried it and its worked for them? please help me


This discussion is related to Vasomotor rhinitis? .
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Avatar universal
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine for sinuses worked wonders for me. After a few months of use I had no more rhinitis. It's expensive to do all the time so I stopped and now it has come back so I will start again with the Chinese medicine. Best of luck :)
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Avatar universal
Hey Everyone, I also have Chronic VMR that has caused migraines, dizziness and nausea. I have had it for 11 years and was finally diagnosed last year after 3 different specialists, blood work, cts and mris. ITS AWFUL I wouldnt wish this on anyone! I have started taking turmeric curcumin. Seems to be helping, I avoid ibprofen and smoke or cold air of any kind and I take Dymista at THE FIRST SYMPTOM. If you havent been put on dymista, it makes you drowsy but IT HELPS its an antihistamine steroid mix. Anyway if any of you know of any support groups please let me know!
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Avatar universal
I am from England and found my Vasomotor Rhinitis was caused by the cold and damp. For years I suffered with blocked nose, sneezing etc: It wasn't until I moved to Florida did I discover my sense of smell. In the warm climate I found that I could breath through my nose and my sneezing disappeared.
Trips back to the UK or up to the northern parts of the US in the Winter immediately brought the symptoms back again. Back in Florida all returned to normal.
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Avatar universal
Have anyone tried cauterization by a silver nitrate?
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1 Comments
What's that?
Avatar universal
I have been trying different things for about 10 years since falling to this horrendous ailment. To my surprise your suggestion has given me a great deal of relief, though I'm using a mint chewing gum. Thank you so much!
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Avatar universal
PS. I've got Hypothyroidism , been taking thyroxine for years
"Hypothyroidism can be another hormonal cause and is thought to be due to turbinate oedema resulting from the release of thyrotropic hormone release."

ref: http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/non-allergic-rhinitis

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Avatar universal
I'm glad I came across this post. I have been suffering from nasal congestion for 8-10 years. I always had a bit of allergies, cats, dust mites, but was only sneezing. However after we moved to a hot tropical climate, my nose got so stuffed up, I could not breath. It felt like I had a brick wall in my nose. And it was all the time, day and night.
Like all of you, went to see an ENT, had surgery for middle turbinate reduction. After my ENT suscribed the usual stuff, sprays, didn't help, then another spray, didn't help either. So he suggested to move to a dyer climate. So I did.
So it seems it's much better, but I still get stuffed up nose, At night the the lower side becomes always congested and I'm grateful, that only one side and not both. Though occasionally both sides gets stuffed up, I can't sleep, so I have to take some heavy stuff. decongestants.

I also tried everything from natural meds to pseudofed, sprays, etc.
Nothing, absolutely NOTHING which helped.

Moving away from the hot tropics was the only one which partially solved the problem. But I am terrified from the thought that it might come back.

As the 1st post say, no one gives a damn about us, as it's not a life threatening disease. It's shocking that in the 21st century no cure for it, even though that medical articles are spot on diagnosing it  such as:

"In the early stages of each of these disorders, the nasal stuffiness is temporary and reversible. That is, it will improve if the primary cause is corrected. However, if the condition persists for a long enough period, the blood vessels lose their capacity to constrict. They become somewhat like varicose veins. They fill up when the patient lies down and when he lies on one side, the lower side becomes congested. The congestion often interferes with sleep."
ref: http://alpineent.com/patient-education/stuffy-nose/

They mentioning the similarity to varicose veins, which is easily treatable. So why can't they do the same for the blood vessels in the sinus?

I'm wondering if anyone else had a luck with Colostrum? Or anything else?


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Avatar universal
What type of colostrum are you talking about?
Where can you get it?
How can you use it? What's the dose?

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Avatar universal
I've had post nasal drip for 27 years. I'm not sure how vasomotor rhinitis and post nasal drip are related. In post nasal drip mucus develops in the upper  part of nose and then flows into your throat. Two years ago I found a cure: chewing bubble gum; it affects the nervous system stopping the mucus. You must chew it all day, every day. I know that is not convenient. But you could give a try.
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Avatar universal
I have been suffering with vasomotor rhinitis for 31 years. As most, I have been to tried all treatments, drugs, nasal sprays, etc. Both traditional and holistic. The only relief I ever got was when I got a steroid shot to calm down everything going on. Five years ago we moved to Panama and my symptoms worsened due to the humidity. A friend of mine who was a nurse convinced me to try COLOSTRUM. It is natural, not a drug. I've spoken with the man who invented colostrum for his wife. He assured me that it would help my problem, that VMR is a result of LEAKY GUT SYNDROME. First I ever heard of that! And that colostrum will heal LGS. I asked my ENT about it and he admitted that he had several patients who were totally cured. With much doubt still, last August I started on colostrum twice a day. My husband (who suffered through my VMR as much as I) still cannot get over that I have not had a single symptom or taken any drugs for a year now!!! We travel extensively and usually that triggers a terrible attack for me. I used to travel with a syringe and vial of steroids for these attacks. Please do yourselves a favor and get some colostrum.
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2 Comments
Did you suffer from post nasal drip as well?
Did you suffer from post nasal drip as well?
Avatar universal
Great.  I've had this problem with drainage and embarrassing "snorting" as long as I can remember, but it's gotten so much worse since I reached 40.  I'll be 49 in less than 2 months and for over 3 years, I have been to 2 ENTs (placed on Nasonex, Dimystia, Omnaris and recently Atrovent), one allergist (2 rounds of steroids and Nasonex and negative allergy testing), been treated multiple times by my PCP (lots of antibiotics for ear and sinus infections), had 2 hearing tests (first showed no loss of hearing, 1 1/2 years later, have hearing loss in left ear), and an MRI.  

My ears have been clogged (eustacian tube dysfunction) for over 2 years.  No amount of daily saline rinses, saline sprays, cool mist humidifier, all the treatments, holding my nose and blowing out, etc. will unstop them.  My nose started spontaneously bleeding.  I've kept headaches daily for over a year.  I wake with such pressure in the bridge of my nose and nosebleeds.  I've had ear bleeds, severe ear pain and tinnitus in the last two years.  I've been treated for severe jaw pain under my left ear.  Allergist says it's NARES and I don't have allergies.  ENT says it's allergies and it's vasomotor.  PCP wants to send me to pulmanologist to make sure it's not from the lungs instead of my nose.  Helllooooooooo McFly!  I know where it's coming from.  It gets caught between the nose and throat and hacking and snorting will finally bring up a chunk of hard mucus, sometimes with a bit of blood...whether through the mouth or nose is hard to tell.  This happens consistently.  I have coughed up 3 today alone, and it's only 9:30 a.m.  It's disgusting.  The snorting is embarrassing.  The ear pressure and headaches and sore nose are highly irritating and draining.  I chew gum, blow, everything to relieve the pressure.  

With the Atrovent and a strong round of antibiotics recently, it has improved just slightly.  I will sit with the humidifier just breathing in the mist to moisture the nose.  I've sat over a steaming hot bowl of water with a towel over my head.  I've tried vitamin E to line the nostril and heal the dry scabs and sores.  

I'm into $3700 in unpaid medical and on top of it all, have a broken floating bone spur in my foot which they want to send me to a podiatrist and now I cannot afford to do that.  They will not be satisfied until I am drained dry and my hearing is completely gone.  I cancelled my PCP appointment Tuesday and I will lie on my death bed before I pay another fee to another doctor.  

I too will just keep praying for healing.  But I disagree.  Jesus IS here.  He's not gone anywhere.  He sent another comforter, the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and the Word is truth and Jesus is the Word.  I am praying God will show me how to take authority over illness since Jesus said we will heal.  He sent out His disciples to heal the sick and preach the Gospel and said these signs and wonders shall follow ALL who believe, not just His disciples.  I'll rebuke the devil til he stops messing with me and I finally get relief, or until I end up face-to-face with God and there will be no more pain and suffering.

But yes  Dsquaredd, it truly messes up the quality of life.  But I disagree that it isn't life threatening.  I too, were I not holding onto Jesus to heal me and believe there is a place reserved in hell for those who choose a sin that leads to death.  Whether this refers to those who sin against God by refusing Christ or to suicide...I'm unwilling to risk it and I have a son who needs his mother.  But I will be honest and say there are days I've prayed to just be let out of this misery, and days I've had the thought.  There've been days of depression and misery, but I'm learning to live with the painful issues more each day, yet not at a quality I could without it.  I used to run 3 miles a day.  Now because of the bone spurs and the headaches, etc., I'm lucky to walk 3 feet some days.
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Avatar universal
I moved to Arizona 5 years ago. I started having sneezing, runny nose and tickle in my nose on the right side mostly about 1-2 years ago. After ruling out allergies (not 1 allergy) I was treated with a slew of nasal sprays and antihistamines. after taking them daily for 1-2 months, I slowly weaned off the sprays and take oral antihistamine (generic Zyrtec) for daily control. I still sneeze a good bit in the morning and occasionally I have a few hours of sneezing that get past my med but I live with it. I try to only use the sprays when it is really bad. Lucky for me, it isn't too often.
My triggers so far are related to laundry detergents and some aromas. Hard to figure out my triggers but changing laundry detergent seemed to stop the sneezing in my sleep! :)
Before being diagnosed I was going through a box of tissues daily (large box) Now I am down to a box a week. It is absolutely difficult to function when I have my sneezing spells and if some of you have it as bad as it seems, then I feel for you. I am a nurse and have been fortunate to have some control over mine. It hasn't interfered with work so far. Thank God!
I found this site, looking to find more answers.
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Avatar universal
Try natural things like Seagate's olive leaf spray and curcumin from a good health food store for the inflammation.  I'll bet they will help some if not all of you.  Wishing you sweet relief!
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Avatar universal
Bless your heart and your nose, too. I just cried to read your post. I feel for everyone else, too. I found this site for some research I am doing for a nursing class. I wondered how this condition would affect people, since I can only imagine how such a thing would affect self esteem and quality of life, even though it's not "life threatening" (physically). I felt sure that it would have an emotional impact, but didn't dream of how much.
I wish it were in my power to help each and everyone of you, I surely would. I pray for you all and pray for help that doesn't include risking brain damamge.
I pray each one of you to find the strength, hope, and peace you need to be happy in your life.
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Avatar universal
Hello fellow sufferers,

I was so relieved to come across this post as I am also struggling with this curse.  My nose has been running almost constantly for about 10 weeks.  It started with a bad cold virus in which I noticed that everyone who caught the virus got a really bad runny nose among other symptoms; only my runny nose NEVER stopped.  I got a second virus back to back with the one that started this nightmare and three bouts of Simplex (cold sores).  I basically missed the holidays as I was so miserable. Even when I felt better from the viruses, I still had this post nasal drip just pouring out of my nose or gagging me from my throat.  I also developed a wicked cough and then pneumonia on my right side which coincidentally is the same side that my nose drips from.  Weird huh?  Only the right side.  My doctor cauterized my nose to try and get it stop!  I was on many rounds of antibiotics for a sinus infection that didn't exist.  Now this new ENT put me on steroids, Atrovent, Flonase and strong antibiotics for the second round for the pneumonia that won't heal.  This condition may not be life threatening but what kind of life is it when you can't go 10 seconds without blowing your nose not to mention the numbness from the fluid, coughing and pain and I feel like I'm going to drowned if I sleep laying down.  Please let's all pray for a cure!  Hang in there as I will try to as well :)

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Avatar universal
Hello All,
  I too have been suffering the same as all of you. My chronic runny nose began in 2004, about 2 years after surgery for a deviated septum. I think that is what triggered my vasomotor rhinitis, but since it was 2 years after the surgery, I cannot be sure on that. At least I know it is not Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) that sometimes leaks into the sinuses after surgery. I am taking mostly anticholinergic drugs, such as Bentyl and Atrovent, to help it be manageable (dry) when I have to work. Unfortunately I cannot do any ofl the things that I used to do and loved doing, such as skiing, playing in the snow in the cold weather, exercise etc. Other triggers are wind (such as you feel when riding a motorcycle...which I might as well sell since I cannot ride it anymore either), eating just about any kind of food, drinking, especially hot drinks causes it too. I used to be able to just go out of the house somewhere and living happy and free without thinking and planning how I will manage my runny nose when leaving the house.  Fortunately I have a desk job, so there is not much physical labor, or else I could not work either. My ENT and I tried everything. We discussed Vidian neurectomy as a last option. However, he has not done one for about 20 years and it's a rare surgery because it is rather difficult to reach the vidian nerve to cut it. But I am thinking I will do it anyway.  I am 45 and I cannot live the rest of my life like this anymore. If that does not work, then I am praying for death to take me.  I can't kill myself because I believe I will go to hell if I do that.Jesus cured so many people when he was here.  I wish I could just reach out and touch him and I know I would be cured too. But he isn't here. Thanks all for reading this.
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Avatar universal
That surgery sounds too risky for me.  I''m 36 and have been dealing with nonallergic vasomotor rhinitis for around 8 years. I've had surgery, do sinus rinses daily, and am taking around 7 medications per day to try to control it.  While I am definitely not cured, it has gotten better.  The winter months seem to be the worst.  I use both Astelin and Nasonex spray coupled with mucinex, sudaphed, singulair, garlic, and zyrtec-D.  When it is really bad, I take the Zyrtec-D and sudaphed at the same time.I remember Allegra-D pretty much curing my problems, but it made my neck and back hurt so bad that I had to quit.  Sinusbuster also helps some.  Have you discovered your triggers yet?  I think mine are being too hot, cold air, dust, and strong odors and possibly car emissions.  Don't give up.  I'm hopeful that someday I will feel normal again.
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Avatar universal
I know exactly how you feel as I have Vasomotor rhinitis as well. I have been to so many ENT doctors and there is not really nothing that they can do.  I have had all the scopes in the nose, down the throat, CT scan, MRI, blood work and everything shows up fine. I know what you mean about the nasal sprays, I think I have tried every single one that was ever made and that did not help either.  I spoke with one of my ENT doctors from Mayo clinic about having a vidian neuroectomy and he said "oh no, you don't want that, it could make you have dry eyes, dry mucus in your sinuses or even none and he also said something on the order of it coming back or growing back - something like that. and also the brain issue.  You would think with all the medical technology now days that they would have something to help us.  But as they say, this is not a life threatening disease, it is not going to kill you. Well it sure makes for a rotten life doesn't it!!  I wish I could have helped you with your answers.  You are so young and have your whole life ahead of you.  My vasomotor rhinitis started 6 yrs. ago when I was 45 yrs. old and after the flu.        Take care, maybe in your lifetime they will find a cure, I don't think in my years that I have left that they will though.   Sure makes for an unhappy life and I am sorry for you.            Laaz
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