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Sinus Odour
by RoyP1040, Jul 16, 2009 03:03PM
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Sinus odour!
by RoyP1040, Apr 25, 2009 01:37PM
I have a constant odour in my right-hand sinus with associated bad taste; my normal smell and taste of food etc is not effected.
It is a bitter taste/smell not very pleasant, although I’m getting used to it, but some days it seems worse than others.
It started over 18 months ago and my GP prescribed various antibiotics and nasal sprays all to no effect. I was then sent to the hospital and the consultant tried more powerful antibiotics, still with no positive results so I then had a CT scan, which showed an infection deep in the sinus near to the nerve from the eye.
Therefore surgery took place to open up the airways by removing some bone and they scraped away as much of the infection as possible, the idea being that the extra passage of air would heal the remaining infection.
Eight months later there has been no real improvement, I still have this odour and horrible taste, if I only breathe through the LH side there is no smell, so it definitely comes from the right sinus.
At my last visit to the hospital in February I was told that there was no more help that they could offer and that I would just have to live with it, which is a bit depressing.
Can anyone suggest any help for this condition?
I do take ‘Simvastatin’ and ‘Micardis Plus’ daily, but as far as I’m aware they are not the cause.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish Health, May 05, 2009 05:19PM
What you describe suggests that you continue to have chronic sinusitis, despite the surgery and antibiotics. Fungal infection of the sinuses is common and the fungi, of which there are many, are unresponsive to conventional antibiotics. Eye complications are uncommon but can be serious, especially with chronic infection of the sphenoid sinuses.
I suggest that you seek consultation with an infectious disease specialist regarding probable fungal sinusitis and the treatment of it. If drainage of the infected sinus is still impaired, it may be necessary to have additional surgery to facilitate drainage. This should also be discussed with the infectious disease (ID) specialist. This is a serious, but treatable, condition and you should not “just have to live with it.” Do not delay seeking consultation and do not be dissuaded from doing so by your current physician.
Good luck.
Latest News:
Visited my ENT specialist at the hospital this afternoon, after explaining that things were very much the same he was at a loss as to what to advise and could think of no reason for my bad smell or taste, I did ask about the possibility of it being a Fungal infection, but he thought my symptoms and scan did not show that this was a possibility.
He then had a second look at my scans, and commented that I had a cyst in the sinus and that perhaps if I had surgery to open this up that this might help, but he would not promise that this would solve matters, other wise he had no further suggestions.
I wonder if you have any comments to make and to assist me, I am also thinking about approaching a Homeopathy Treatment Centre to see if they could help, but not really sure about this.
This discussion is related to Sinus odour!.
Sinus odour!
by RoyP1040, Apr 25, 2009 01:37PM
I have a constant odour in my right-hand sinus with associated bad taste; my normal smell and taste of food etc is not effected.
It is a bitter taste/smell not very pleasant, although I’m getting used to it, but some days it seems worse than others.
It started over 18 months ago and my GP prescribed various antibiotics and nasal sprays all to no effect. I was then sent to the hospital and the consultant tried more powerful antibiotics, still with no positive results so I then had a CT scan, which showed an infection deep in the sinus near to the nerve from the eye.
Therefore surgery took place to open up the airways by removing some bone and they scraped away as much of the infection as possible, the idea being that the extra passage of air would heal the remaining infection.
Eight months later there has been no real improvement, I still have this odour and horrible taste, if I only breathe through the LH side there is no smell, so it definitely comes from the right sinus.
At my last visit to the hospital in February I was told that there was no more help that they could offer and that I would just have to live with it, which is a bit depressing.
Can anyone suggest any help for this condition?
I do take ‘Simvastatin’ and ‘Micardis Plus’ daily, but as far as I’m aware they are not the cause.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish Health, May 05, 2009 05:19PM
What you describe suggests that you continue to have chronic sinusitis, despite the surgery and antibiotics. Fungal infection of the sinuses is common and the fungi, of which there are many, are unresponsive to conventional antibiotics. Eye complications are uncommon but can be serious, especially with chronic infection of the sphenoid sinuses.
I suggest that you seek consultation with an infectious disease specialist regarding probable fungal sinusitis and the treatment of it. If drainage of the infected sinus is still impaired, it may be necessary to have additional surgery to facilitate drainage. This should also be discussed with the infectious disease (ID) specialist. This is a serious, but treatable, condition and you should not “just have to live with it.” Do not delay seeking consultation and do not be dissuaded from doing so by your current physician.
Good luck.
Latest News:
Visited my ENT specialist at the hospital this afternoon, after explaining that things were very much the same he was at a loss as to what to advise and could think of no reason for my bad smell or taste, I did ask about the possibility of it being a Fungal infection, but he thought my symptoms and scan did not show that this was a possibility.
He then had a second look at my scans, and commented that I had a cyst in the sinus and that perhaps if I had surgery to open this up that this might help, but he would not promise that this would solve matters, other wise he had no further suggestions.
I wonder if you have any comments to make and to assist me, I am also thinking about approaching a Homeopathy Treatment Centre to see if they could help, but not really sure about this.
This discussion is related to Sinus odour!.
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I don't know what kind of shape you are in, but a Flip-Turn Sinus Flush is often the only way to get hypertonic saline in there to flush out the infection, which will cure the problem. A regular sinus irrigation will fail, due to the power of gravity.
The nasty smell is usually related to an anaerobic bacteria, and antibiotics don't work well in parts of the sinus cavities due to poor circulation.
http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/2322
The Flip-Turn Sinus Flush is mildly risky, because you have to bend over, preferably in a shower, but you can do it outside on soft ground. If you do it, and succeed, continue to flush for at least 3 days after the smell goes away, or it can grow back.