(also posted this at the CFIDS/FM board as this is a common symptom)

That is, still breathe thru your nose?

Just wondering... as I have daily constant sinus pressure headaches, but no obvious post-nasal drip and can breath fine thru my nose.

As I posted elsewhere, I have had MRI, CT scans etc and there are no infections, obstructions, polyps, etc... nobody even recommends surgery for me. I've also tried basically every remedy so far mentioned in prior posts. from diets to --!

The steroid nasal sprays helped for about a month each, then quit... antihistamines sometimes help, sometimes don't... but they definitely affect me cognitively, really hate them!

One infectious disease MD told me to move to a desert island - well, that is the only remedy I haven't tried, but I have been on Pacific and Atlantic coasts with no relief, and everywhere else in between... possibly Santa Fe was better, but that may have been a coincidence, I haven't been back to test it.

Pain/pressure will also quit for short periods of time for no reason, regardless of season, weather, etc... and varies in length from one day to about 3 weeks at the very most.

SO I find it quite puzzling as do the doctors I've seen, altho they also tell me that they see many like me.

BUt 'chronic sinusitis' is a common symptom of CFIDS/FM, in one form or another - just wondering how many have it similar to me?

AND of course if anyone ever managed to solve it...

THANKS-Victoria

PS: the most recent news from Mayo that I found was last July 2005:

CHRONIC SINUS INFECTION THOUGHT TO BE TISSUE ISSUE --

MAYO CLINIC SCIENTISTS SHOW IT'S SNOT (their title, not mine, lol)

Findings call for radical change in treatment for the disease, researchers say

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Mayo Clinic researchers have found that the cause of chronic sinus infections lies in the nasal mucus -- the snot -- not in the nasal and sinus tissue targeted by standard treatment.

Victoria, I can breathe just fine through my nose when I have a sinus infection. The only way I know I have one is I start to cough as it drains down the back of my throat. It seems no matter how long I am on antibiotics it never really goes away. This week I am going to an ENT doctor to see what he has to say as I have a lot of health problems. Fran

it will be interesting to see what he says... the doctors I've seen don't even think I need antibiotics.

I do know amphotericin can be compounded as a nasal spray if it might be fungal... I'm still looking for someone to RX this for me.

all the best, Victoria

It sounds as though both of you may be having the same problems I've had in the recent past. Now, I'm not 100% certain of this since it's dependent on doctors' research (that's the first time I've seen someone say it's the snot, but it may very well be, I'm no doctor) or that these are the problems you two are having, but here's my story:

It's about last October, and I have a sore throat that occasionally worsens. Of course it could be the usual Larynx pain from CFIDS, which I also have, but I'm not sure so I see my ENT. Turns out some harmful bacteria has infected my sinuses, my sinuses open and close periodically, and my mucus is unable to get into the sinuses to attack the bacteria. I get a spenoidectomy, which is a surgery in which the ENT cuts holes into my sinuses so that the bacteria can't hide there any more and my mucus will begin to attack the bacteria in my sinuses. This fixes the throat pain caused by the bacteria draining into my throat, but presents a new problem as well. (keep reading mommaduck2two!)

I've always been allergic to pollen. Where as before it would stop in my nasal passage and give me an itchy nose, now it goes into my sinuses (which have been permanently cut open) and gives me sinus headaches. I also live on the Pacific coast (not sure if that means anything), and have noticed that every Spring is the worst for my pollen allergies, followed by Summer, then Fall, then Winter. I figure it has to do with how all the flowers (which produce pollen) are blooming in Spring but dying in Winter.

There is a new procedure they've begun doing that has so far shown great potential, and I wish I'd have done. Instead of cutting open the sinuses, they stick a tube in them so that they can drain and the mucus can enter them. If I'd have had that instead of the surgery I could be having itchy noses now instead of sinus headaches. (that's for you mommaduck2two)

Anyways, this is what I've gathered makes these sinus headaches occur:

My body's Histamines encounter and react with foreign allergens. This reaction causes inflamation in the sinus walls which in turn causes pain. So, My Histamines + Nature's Allergens -> Inflamation -> Pain. Now I'll explain the treatments I've tried:

Nasal Saline Irrigation - The idea is that you fill your sinuses up completely with salt water every few hours, the salt water picks up all the allergens not covered by mucus in your sinuses and takes them out of your sinuses, thereby prevent future inflamation by removing allergens (refer to formula above). I've found this to be the most effective treatment yet. However, you'll need to combine it with other treatments since this only prevents pain (prevents pain by removing allergens, but doesn't heal pain or inflamation already taking place). Don't use a water spray, use the bottle where you practically drown yourself. The more surface area of the sinuses the water touches, the more allergens you'll remove and the more pain you'll prevent. I use the NeilMed brand but I'm sure there are other good ones too.

Capsaicin Spray - It's a spray of concentrated capsaicin, the chemical that makes hot peppers hot. I've found it to be quite useful, especially after I've done the nasal saline irrigation and it still hurts (in other words, after getting allergens out but the inflamation had already occured too much). This also works for clearing up nasal congestion. Also, the more it burns your nose, the more it will work. This and the nasal saline irrigation are a must (for me). I've only used Sinus Buster brand so far (you can google them to learn more).

Air purifier - Make sure you get one that actually pruifies the air. This helps a lot too. The idea is to get the allergens out of the air so that they don't enter and harm your sinuses. I've noticed a significant different when I spend all day with it blowing in my face.

Breathing in hot steam - If there are any allergens still in your sinuses after doing the nasal saline irrigation that are covered by mucus but still touching the sinus walls, this will help to remove them. Mainly, however, this doesn't work for the actual pressure/headache part; you might need to do this in order for the above two treatments to work (if you are too congested with mucus, they won't be able to get into the sinuses much).

Antihistimes (Benedryl) - These help a tiny bit. I don't recommend them because they make you tired and less able to function and don't really work that well.

Antiinflamatories (Motrin, Alieve, etc., common pain killers) - These help, but you can't rely on just these because they don't really fix the underlying cause of the pain.

Moving somewhere (like the remote island thing) - I'm seeing a neurologist on August 14th and am going to ask him this. Logically, I think a really cold place where plants couldn't survive shouldn't have much pollen in the air, but I'll see. You may need to contact an Allergist and find out what you're allergic to.
[This Message was Edited on 07/30/2006]

Thanks for posting, that's an interesting story, how did the ENT discover this? - what kind of test or -?-scan or --?

I have tried all of that short of moving to an island... including treated for allergies for several years, I think it helped me get rid of my one month/year seasonal allergy, but not the sinus pressure pain headaches;

... I don't know about moving to a really cold environment... I'd really hate it for other reasons, would hate for that to be a catch-22 situation, wouldn't that be ironic!

all the best, Victoria

The ENT found the chronic bacterial infection from looking up my nose through a camera tube thing. Then, in order for the insurance to cover the surgery, we got a CAT Scan of my head and neck and that showed it too.

For finding out if the headaches are allergy related, you could see an allergist or try the Nasal Saline Irrigation and see if it helps (if it helps then that means some of the pain is being caused by allergies). So far that's been the most effective treatment for me, but still isn't effective enough. Also, the more often you do it, the better. Like, don't wait until you have a headache to do it, do it every 3 hours throughout the day.

Also, I saw the Neurologist today (someone cancelled), and he was very smart and informed on this. I just started the new treatments he gave me of Topamax, Migranal, and Migrelief. The Topamax is supposed to heal the nerves that may have been damaged during the surgery, or something like that. The Migranal is some spray that so far works very well but 'can't be used continually'. And the Migrelief is some herbal thing to do something, I forget. I'll keep you guys updated.

Also, this topic may be worth following: http://www.immunesupport.com/chat/forums/message.cfm?id=893091&B=FM (Skip to my post in it if you want)
[This Message was Edited on 07/31/2006]

You go off to the doctors office with great faith in their ability to cure, the fact is if you are not careful they can ruin your health. As a former sufferer I can speak from experience. The problem starts in the colon. The colon has good bacteria and when the doctor gives you all those antibiotics it kills the good bacteria that keeps the yeast in check and the yeast goes wild and causes problems like sinusitis as well as other things. What does your doctor do? He gives you antibiotics, resulting in more and worse sinus problems and when that no longer works he gives you something else until he finaly says you need surgery. The secret to it all is get off the antibiotics, cleanse the colon and rebuild the good bacteria in the colon. In time your sinus probelms will go away. You would think doctors would know these things which they do but they will not advise you of such things for what ever reason I don't know. The bottom line is when you go to your witch doctor they do not have your best interest in mind and are acting more as a business man getting your repeat visits and your money. Clean the colon, rebuild good bacteria, and do the things that will get the yeast in check such as no sugar, no alcohol, and no fruit. Go to the web and look up symptoms of candida and follow the food guidlines until you correct the problem. I could not tell you these things if it did not work for me and how doctors almost ruined my health with antibiotics and seldane. Doctors practice a reactive science, in other words you have an emergency and they react. If you have a car accident or a fall they are wonderful, but for chronic disease they are useless and destroy more than they cure. So unless you have an acute emergency stay away from the witch doctors.
[This Message was Edited on 09/04/2006]
[This Message was Edited on 09/04/2006]

bumping up...

Seem to be my issue. After ents, allergists,etc. Chronic pain, inflamation with no infection and breathing fine. The allergists says I was allergic to all he tested for. My main ones dust, mites, pollens and mold in spring.

This all started with fibro/fatigue and one would think a cold climate would help but in the winter things dry out with heating and so one must deal with more dust. I just started using an air cleaner and keep humidity around 35-40 but short of living in a bubble I don't know what else to do as a desert island would also have allergins:)

I started allergy shots about six months ago and I'm hoping it will soon help. Of all my fibro/fatigue symptoms this is the worst now as it is chronic and I suspect a big factor in my fatigue. My face aches all over and above my eye brows. I have found some relief with massage of the pressure points and sinus areas. Time will tell but I will post if I find some relief. Hope we all get better

i can but my nose runs 24/7 and i get vertigo . i live on decongestants. new here- BLKKAT

ME! Had sinus surgery 3 months ago :(

Andy

I was re-reading, I don't think I said I'd tried all the stuff wkirk87 said to try plus more with no luck, but they are all worth trying. I know they have helped some.

However, for me, the past few months I have realized I have not been able to chew on my upper right teeth in particular... took a long time to dawn on me as it was so gradual.

There's still no obvious infection or abcess on CTscan or x-ray (saw dentist within days of seeing ENT) however I do have pain in 1 or 2 teeth - hard to tell since they're adjacent what is referred pain or not.

Anyway, since I had no response to cold applied to the one tooth (#5 on upper jaw), I had a root canal. However, I can set off #4 by just pressing on it. It's been 3 weeks, had permanent filling just put in by merc free dentist complete with ozone etc.; he says that if the other tooth continues to hurt, to get it done as well.

I am SO hoping that this will take at least some of the pain away as the past few months have been worse...

I should mention I started abx immediately after seeing dentist but about 3 days before root canal, but it never showed a reaction to it.

and I wonder if there can be a subclinical infection/abcess that isn't obvious... except finally by symptoms.

I am also taking mucinex for the past 3 months 2 600 mg extended release tabs 2Xday - things seem to be flowing better, even tho the pain overall has been bad... but again, don't know how much has to do with my teeth.

I am doing this because a friend told me that on an MRI taken for other reasons, she was told as an aside that it showed she had a fungal infection in her sinuses (heavy metals concentrate in the fungus), and that is how she got rid of it; this was about 7-8 years ago. Before that she'd had chronic sinusitis.

Time will tell, I will post back in about 3 weeks after hopefully things have settled down, as I'm betting I'll be having the other tooth done next week.

all the best, Victoria


[This Message was Edited on 04/24/2007]

Hi, Doc has me on glutathione nasal spray. You need a prescription. Its the only thing that saved me. I had chronic sinusitis for 2 years. Now Ive gone a long stretch - 7 months without a sinus infection. Doc said to use a saline nasal solution. Nothing else in it but saline then 1 hour later use the glutathione nasal spray. Im like you I tried all kinds of medications and sprays. The glutathione is natural and is one of the strongest antioxidants known to man. Hope this helps. take care.

sdown,

You mention that your glutathione nasal spray made your chronic sinus problem go away for 7+ months....

What were your chronic sinus infection symptoms so we can figure if your nasal spray would help our condition?

Thanks, cherylesq

would any compounding pharmacy be able to do this, or is there a special one you use?

I had my root canal done, may need a second one but it is taking it's time... everything was quiet for a few days totally and now, a month later I'm able to chew on that side, but sinus pressure started again anyway. :(

Altho at least some of the pain has been relieved, the pressure when it is on that side still likes to pick on the adjacent tooth, the 'iffy' one... just not obvious enough symptoms for anybody to do anything. My merc-free dentist is going to continue giving me shots of ozone for 3 more times...

Thanks, Victoria

I see someone posted here that they had sinus surgery. My ent suggested it, how was it, and has it helped? Did you have a deviated septum??? Thanks

i have found out the hard way that sinus infection will lead to migraine headaches got so bad had to give myself needles medicine from doctors i think immtrix something like that one day for one reason or another my mind said to try sinus medicine did well stopped needle since then have used green tea capsules haven't a probelm it works alot better.

all my life until Grapeseed Extract took over. That was 13 yrs ago and sinus/allergies/headaches are History.

I've posted this on FM board until the "cows came home" but thought I'd post it here. For whatever it's worth...give it a try, one and all may be pleasantly happy. jam