Horrible Sinus Pressure, Pain, Dizziness, Vision Problems

[Spoonybard]

Hi Everyone. This is my first post. I started having problems about 5 years ago. It was occasional problems such as mild sinus pain/pressure and headache with mild eye strain. Each year it has gotten worse. Over the course of the past 5 years I have seen multiple doctors across different specialites: Ears, Nose & Throat, Neurologist, Allergist, and my Intern. I have had MRI's and CT scans. This year has been the worst so far. I have already gotten 2 sinus infections. In February of this year I got a CT scan and the ENT doctor said I have a severe deviated septum with chronic sinusitis. I was treated for a sinus infection and that was it. I still felt bad so I went to a neurologist. He wrote it off as a vestibular problem. I did vestibular therapy for 2 months with almost no relief. In May when allergy season started, everything got worse. I have had nonstop sinus pressure/pain, headache, dizziness, major eye strain, my face is sore, my teeth are sore. At the beginning of July I went to an allergist. He said I was allergic to 3 types of trees, 4 grasses, dust, molds and very mild allergy to cats. He put me on Rhinocort. NO results. Then I went back to him after already dumping over $200 in co-pays and medication and he said I have a sinus infection. I just finished the antibiotics and I still feel the same as I did when I first went to him in July. He had me on amoxicillin plus Astelin. I have tried Nasacort, Zyrtec, Claritin, Alavert, etc.... no relief. I am a computer programmer and I can't function like this anymore. Any help would be very appreciated. Thanks.

[naza121]

Mayday! My story sounds so much like everyone else's that it's scary. It started like tooth pain so I went to the dentist and had a filling replaced and ended up with a root canal. The endodontist insisted that since the nerve was gone, the pain I was feeling must be sinuses, especially since it was on both sides of my face. Pain in the forehead, sides of nose, and cheekbones and that fuzzy feeling many have mentioned. Went to the ENT and 6 antibiotics later, decided to do the CT scan, which showed my maxillary sinuses completely blocked up. Had surgery 3 weeks ago and the pain is as bad, if not worse. I don't know if this is just normal recovery but I suspect not. I have not had more than 3 days without pain since January and feel like I am losing myself. Not becoming a recluse but really don't want to be around people. Fortunately, school is out and I don't have to work. But I am desperate to feel normal again. Any ideas?

[turkee23]

im glad to see im not alone....for anyone posted inthe past few weeks, if your still on this website please message me and maybe we can talk about this dizziness together cause i feel very alone

i have been dizzy for 3 months now and cant get an answer...blood test,2 CT's, VNG balance test,hearing test,allergy test all came back normal...finally last week the dr think that is it allergies,start allergry shots next week......has anyone had this problem?

could allergies be causing dizziness?

[deles]

This is my first post. I had an episode back in Nov of 2004 where I passed out & my husband couldnt wake me up. Once he did wake me up he sat me up and I vomited then passed out again. He called 911 & I was taken to the hospital. I continued to pass out then get sick each time I was moved. The ER doctor told us he believed it was an inner ear problem. I couldnt drive or work for six months because the vertigo was so bad. I was told it would clear up on its own eventually. Over the last 6 yrs. I've had problems with dizziness, pressure (not pain) behind my left eye, and a pain in the left side of my tongue like a muscle spasm (twice a week) and fatigue. I've seen 2 neurologists, had CT's, MRI's, EEG's, blood work etc,. Had a few different theories in beginning but ultimately all doctors go back to original diagnosis of inner ear trouble. Symptoms got more tolerable with time, but 3 weeks ago I started having pain in my left ear & jaw with the more constant muscle spasm type pain in my tongue. I've also noticed alot of mucus drainage waking me up in middle of night making me feel like I'm drowning in my own fluids. Still no rawness in throat caused from drainage (thank goodness). I went to an ENT who did a CT of my neck/throat which came back clear. He said my ears looked ok (no infections) so now he is going to set me up for a CT of my sinuses. Could all these symptoms been caused by my sinuses all these years? I've had a few sinus infections over the yrs, but nothing I can say was reoccuring. I use to have bad migraines but was told they were probably caused by hormones. When I was little I had ALOT of BAD ear infections. I'm 42 and just want some answers. I have type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, kidney stones, cardiovascular disease (but heart is ok), & polycystic ovaries. I'm also being treated for anxiety, depression & Post Traumatic Stress. I'm just sick & tired of being sick & tired. I would love to hear from others who has gone thru what I'm going thru. Thanks.  BlueDove

[nicole1184]

hello there...i have a similar problem to you and i just came back from the 7th opinion of an ent.. this doc does not take any insurance..but he is extremely smart.. i have been suffering from EXTREME swaying and brain fog type dizziness. he told me that my deviated septum is causing this and its pressing on my ear, causing it to pop. I am going for a cat scan thursday to check things out again. do you have a deviated septum?

[kjstew]

Has Anyone ever dealt with these problems and went on an airplane?

I have had problems for 5 Months now.  front sinus pressure in face and head.  Eye feels like it is going to explode.  Pressure is only on my left side.  Every time I go to the doctor he says I have fluid in my left ear and sometimes it is in both.  My sinus is swollen on my face under my eye.  The worst is the headach right above my left eye.  The only time I really know my vision has changed is at night.  I constantly have post nasal drip and a runny nose.  I sneeze a lot. My eay is always crusty.  My ear does seem full and sometimes there is a pain and full feeling.

I have had a cat scan done and it was completely normal. I have had the complete allergy test done which showed I only had a very mild allergy to milk.  I have had all the blood work done.  The only thing that came back a tad higher than normal was my plateletes which can be from stress or an inflamation.  

I went to the ENT and he is going to scope me in two weeks to see if the CT scan missed anything.  He said that I need to go to a neurologist for the headaches which I think is crap because it all goes together with my sinus issues.  

Sometimes it will go away for two weeks but than comes back.

I have been on Steroids, antibiotics (4 different types), Flonase, and have yet to find anything that works.

I am SOOOO nervouse to fly tomorrow.  I keep thinking my eye is going to explode when I am on the plane.  The only thing my ENT said to do was use AFRIN a day before and the day of my flight, chew gum and get AIRPLANES which are special ear plugs.  I am scared.  If someone has flown with these issues, please comment and let me know how it turned out.

I am convinced that I have a fungal infection or an unknown allergy.  Just wish I could get some answers already!

[myheadiskillingme]

Reading this forum makes me feel a lot better.  I have been suffering since about September of 2000 from these symptoms: headaches, dizziness, tightness in face around sinus cavities, hot face, hot ears, tight feeling in muscles around the back of neck where spine meets the skull, crunchy sounds in my neck if I rotate my head around, extremely dry sinuses in the nose (no drainage) but tons of sinus pressure in my head leading to terrible headaches, loss of concentration, lethargic feelings, depression, frustration, etc.  This all seems to be triggered by changing weather patterns; for example a sudden rainstorm approaching or a sudden drop or increase in temperature outside.  When the headache goes away, sometimes several days later (no joke!), I will cough up huge chunks of gel-like phlegm, usually a clear color.  It almost looks like dried clear gel silicone and has that rubbery consistency as well.  I can see why the stuff doesn't want to flow, it is definitely in a gel form.

I have visited two different doctors about these sinus problems, and one told me I needed sinus surgery (deviated septum) and the other told me I had no problem whatsoever other than a little mucus that showed up on the MRI.  I gave up with the doctor$s.  I take an Excedrin Migraine tablet when I feel the pressure setting in, and it works wonders to relieve the pressure.  Tylenol PM works too, especially if I want to sleep it off.

I find it odd that a great deal of us on this forum developed these problems suddenly without warning, and all generally around the same time frame. I have seen quite a few posts that indicate their problems started in 2000 when mine did.  Are chemicals, nuclear waste, etc. being dumped in our environment and we are just now having averse reactions to it?  

It is also strange that none of the doctors  seem to be even slightly concerned with the frequency of this problem, almost as if they are covering up something they don't want the public to know about.   I do agree with several posters that the symptoms are very similar to migraines also, just with the added symptoms of stopped up sinuses and not being able to breath through the nose (especially on one side).