Could this be sinusitis?

Ears, nose and throat
1

Hi all.

So I had an mri 3 weeks ago that showed no abnormalities except for a thickening & inflammation of my left maxillary sinus. I am on 2x betahistine 3x a day which seems to be keeping the really bad vertigo spells I was getting away. Along with these spells was also getting nausea, ear & sinus pressure, tinnitus, hot sweats.

Doctor said my right ear is full of wax so that could be the root of the problem there but it is mostly the left side that is affected. The ear gets very hot at times & hearing feels sensitive with a buzzing noise, just generally feels uncomfortable.

I do still get some sinus & ear pressure, & my ears click & pop like crazy sometimes. I also have the feeling of having to clear my throat all the time.

Could all of these symptoms be sinusitis? I do suffer with hay fever & allergies to something in the Autumn/winter but wasn't so bad this year when all these problems occured. I have suffered with sinus pain in the past.

Doctor has told me to use avamys nasal spray & using steam to clear & see how I go.

2

Hiya

Yes I have the same and ironically most of the problem is coming from my left cheek (pain) which has scars me a few times as it runs up the side of my head and I've had tingling/itchy sensations. I e had all your symptoms and still get them and for 6 months. I'll have good days and bad days where my nose will completely block and the symptoms start. I've taken steroid sprays, and amitripyline to calm the nerve pain. Atleast you've had a scan which I am still pressing for with my GP.

What part of the world you from ?

3

Hi richardvilla

That's interesting to know. I get a tingly sensation in my temples too, itchy ears too. Only had a blocked nose when I had a cold a few weeks ago, otherwise not that bad.

How did your symptoms start? I had a bad vertigo attack back in June but then nothing except for pressure in my ears & head until early September when it started with a vengeance. It's weird how the symptoms seem to change over time.

Yes, keep pushing for a scan! How did you get on with the steroid sprays? Did you find symptoms get worse after you stop using them?

Oh, I'm in UK btw

4

Hi Sarah

I'm in the UK too (Birmingham).

Started around late may. Pressure headache, real bad gum pain (like the dentist was pulling out my tooth without anasthetic). Since then chronic blocked nose, pressure in ears causing tinitus, vertigo ( so much so I didn't drive for a few months), constant dry.mouth, gum swellings, swelling's in nostrils, pains in left cheek to my ear and temple, shortness of breath feeling, and now the last few weeks had tingling/itching down the left side and scalp. Worried me sick over the months as things like MS, trigeminal neuralgia and even Tumor went through my thoughts and I am generally not a health worrier. Had nasal steroids, predispose tablets and amitripilyine. Some symptoms have eased but a new symptom seems to pop up. Haven't done anything this year because of it.

5

It does knock you off your feet doesn't it!

Sounds a lot like me, a lot of the symptoms have eased just the tiredness & uncomfortable head & ears with slight dizziness. Didn't work for nearly 2 months or drive, just easing myself back into it, so I hope that things will improve for you too. I'm guessing I will always be susceptible to problems with ear & sinus problems as always have had from when I was little.

Who would have thought such a small thing could cause so many problems!!!

6

Hi

When I was a kid I had my tonsils and ananoids removed plus I had a non cancerous growth on my ear which sent me really ill. Maybe it's all connected I don't know. The only comforting thing is that others have been through similar and I'm not alone.

Don't know if you had the tooth/gum ache but I'm going to the dentist next week just to make sure my teeth are okay and it's all sinus related as the cheek is close to the upper gums.

I seem to have vasomotor rhinitis too as very sensitive to warm and cold air.

Irritating !

7

I think it is all connected, I had grommets put in as had severe ear infections when I was little and had my adenoids removed too.

It's not until you go through these things that you realise how many people go through exactly the same thing.

I haven't had any problems with teeth but I do get an aching jaw at times on the sides.

8

Hello Sarah...Although you are quite a distance from me.  (Hot Springs, Arkansas USA) I have had lots of sinus problems having severly surgical polypectomies and can relate to being uncomfortible.  I don't know how easy it is for you in the UK to obtain an Ear Specialist, but  what you have posted appears you need one.  A specialist would be able to wash the wax from your ears and treat your verdigo as well as sinus infections.   When I have sympoms of my own, I like to check the various medical websites such as MayoClinic WebMd and MedicineNet.   If I can't find a solution to what is  affecting me, I try my General Practicioner first and if the symptoms persist, I ask for a referal to a Specialist. I'm not familiar with your Nasal Spray, but some can do more harm than good. I wish you the best Sarah!

9

Hi John

Thankyou. It can be difficult sometimes over here getting to see specialists but will be seeing my GP before Christmas & if things haven't improved significantly by then I will be pushing to see a specialist. Fortunately my GP is pretty good she does push things along.

I think all these problems are down to my sinuses, left sinus & ear feeling very blocked today!

Thanks for your help

10

Me too sarah!

As usual weird weather we have in the UK . Can be mild one minute then freezing the next!

Completely blocked up today so much so i have to mainly breath through my mouth which is uncomfortable. Ears also ache.

I often wonder if there was some kind of pollution in the air over the summer than set suffereres off?!

11

Hi Richard.

I'm having the same trouble as you today, been a change in the temperature again so wonder if that's the problem.

Could possibly be something during the summer that sets everything off. I know the last few years my hay fever during the summer is not so bad but Autumn & winter my allergies go into overdrive. And I live by the coast, so much for clean, fresh air!!!!

Has your doctor ever mentioned to you about drinking through a straw or pinching your nose when swallowing to try & open up the tubes & sinuses? Have been using a straw for few weeks now & think that's helped to relieve some pressure so maybe worth a try if you haven't yet.

12

Omg hello all.I'm new here, but am this post whilst I was researching yet again.

I have all the symptoms but mainly on the right very occasionally it will affect my left side.

It all started 4 years ago, I woke up one morning and had a dizzy spell and shook it off, then later that day I went for a bite to eat with my friend and I got this weird pressure on my head and went dizzy again.. I'll try to shorten my discussion lol.. The dizziness turned into full on room spin vertigo,pressure in my head, confusion, nausea, ears full and jaw pain.. I got rushed to hospital and was put on a drip for dehydration, and got blood tests which showed high white blood count and got told I had flu. Sent home with antibiotics..I remember at the time they couldn't find a instrument to check my ears so didn't even bother checking them.

Anyway this all lasted months, back and forth to docs etc,they sent me eventually to an ent who said ear was full of fluid and bubbles behind ear drum, they couldn't even get camera up my right nostril it was that inflamed, gave me steroid sprays and sent on my way, didn't work, they sent me for an mri which showed change in brain relating to a form of migraine, migraine tablets help with headache but not with the ear sinus symptoms, seen a second ent who sent me for a ct scan, showed my right turbinates were inflammed. More drops still didn't help, fast forward to today, and still back and forth to docs and dentists.. As my back teeth and gums started to ache badly.. Had all my back teeth took out Inc wisdom teeth, thinking it was them, crying at my dentists to remove them.. Which they very hesitantly did, (impacted wisdom teeth and big silver filings in the molars).. But to this day I still get the ear fluid and random bubbles popping in my right ear occasionally my left ear, jaw ache below the ear area, sore gums, constantly congested right nostril, my right side of face always feels weird my cheek bone hurts when I press on it, the very start of my brow bone hurts when I press it, when I rub my eyes they hurt behind, and a really weird almost head cold headache, like fuzzy and can't concentrate. Tired all the time when its bad, no appetite, balance issues, cough up green mucus in mornings, nothing will come out my nostrils when I blow but when I snort I can feel it come down my throat... Anyway I'll leave it there coz its becoming very long lol, if anyone wants to respond I have more info.. And hopefully we can help each other.

13

My symptoms started exactly like yours Sarah , and I used to suffer bad Hayfever but it all of a sudden stopped, I also used to get tonsillitis quite abit I've never had sinusitis, I'm almost certain that something keeps causing a blockage or inflammation, I.always feel like somethings stuck up my throat area, when I swallow my ears crackle,when I hold my nose and blow my eardrum pops but stays popped then kind of crackles back to being blocked. If that makes sense...

14

Hi Sarah

Did the pain in your teeth go when you had them out ? I am still convinced it's not my teeth as both sides are affected. More so at night when trying to sleep both cheeks ache and upper gums hurt. Still blocked up to the brim. I've been on amytrypiline to try calm the pain which could be a trapped nulerve due to the inflammation. Not doing much so far apart from giving me a decent night sleep when I can get to sleep. Also feelings of shortness of breath and chest feels tight when I am. Locked up. Ears still aching too. Had this for 6 months now !!

15

Sorry to bother you, mine didn't go away when I.got my teeth removed, I.now instead just get gum ache instead of toothache, I've noticed what helps with my congestion is taking an antihistamine daily (cetrizine hydrochloride) and pseudephodrine..I'm being referred to neurologist they think it's migraines.

16

Thank you. I am going to the dentist early next week I will not have them taken out If not needed. I've heard loads of cases people having their teeth took out but the pain has continued.

17

Yes like my case lol, luckily they are just the back ones and can't see... I can't say it didn't help coz obviously I don't get toothache anymore, but just tender gum ache and the ear and jaw symptoms are still there along with the weird headaches... I even asked my dentist if I could have tmj coz one side of my jaw kinda pops out when I open my mouth if I press my finger infront of my ear and open I can feel it on the right.. But he said no coz id be having more pain when opening and that doesn't bother me.

18

Was your teeth bad when they took them out? I roots decayed or anything? It's interesting when you said you press on one part of you ear and feel it elsewhere. I press on the same spot on my left ear and feel it through my cheek and gums. I can press the top of my head and feel it in gums too. We'll strange. I'm hoping it's just inflammation on my skull.

19

Ok update, I think I've found the link to my problems... I think I've got tmj which is causing migraines.

20

Hi Richard & Emma!

How's everyone doing?

It's so strange isn't it, how similar but at the same time how different all our symptoms are.

I was getting on fairly ok, slight congestion, little bit of lightheadedness but nothing major.

I woke up one day really off, left ear aching, sinuses had a dull ache, ears sensitive, sore throat on the left side & whole body felt sore to touch. Treated myself with painkillers, cough medicine & ginger tea, symptoms went in a few days.

But last week or so, my neck & shoulders have been acting up & giving me fuzzy eyes & brain shifts when turning onto left side in bed or even just turning head slightly. My head, from behind my ears into the middle is really sore to touch. But a weird thing is, when I massage these sore points to relieve them, or put heat on them to soothe them my nose starts clicking away & my sinuses clear completely! Lovely feeling!!!!

Went to doctors & was given exercises for neck, no signs of infection in ear, to be honest doesn't seem fussed anymore.

From the start of all this have had tension in neck, job involves slot of looking down & lifting heavy things, so I'm beginning to think now that my neck is contributing to alot of this.

Have either of you had problems with neck or shoulders that may have been overlooked?