posted
There are a variety of issues that could be going on with your sinuses. I have had enormous sinus issues through the years and even had surgery. I would talk with Dr. W about it, but you may need to get a CT scan of the sinus cavity to see if there is blockage and what needs to be done about it.
Posts: 96 | From Ft. Worth, TX | Registered: May 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I started taking generic benadryl everynight and my sinuses got much better, though not perfect.
Posts: 526 | From NJ | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
ROCHESTER, MINN. -- Mayo Clinic researchers say they have found the cause of most chronic sinus infections -- an immune system response to fungus. They say this discovery opens the door to the first effective treatment for this problem, the most common chronic disease in the United States. An estimated 37 million people in the United States suffer from chronic sinusitis, an inflammation of the membranes of the nose and sinus cavity. Its incidence has been increasing steadily over the last decade. Common symptoms are runny nose, nasal congestion, loss of smell and headaches. Frequently the chronic inflammation leads to polyps, small growths in the nasal passages which hinder breathing. "Up to now, the cause of chronic sinusitis has not been known," say the Mayo researchers: Drs. David Sherris, Eugene Kern and Jens Ponikau , Mayo Clinic ear, nose and throat specialists. Their report appears in the September issue of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. "Fungus allergy was thought to be involved in less than ten percent of cases," says Dr. Sherris. "Our studies indicate that, in fact, fungus is likely the cause of nearly all of these problems. And it is not an allergic reaction, but an immune reaction." The researchers studied 210 patients with chronic sinusitis. Using new methods of collecting and testing mucus from the nose, they discovered fungus in 96 percent of the patients' mucus. They identified a total of 40 different kinds of fungi in these patients, with an average of 2.7 kinds per patient. In a subset of 101 patients who had surgery to remove nasal polyps, the researchers found eosinophils (a type of white blood cell activated by the body's immune system) in the nasal tissue and mucus of 96 percent of the patients. The results, the researchers say, clearly portray a disease process in which, in sensitive individuals, the body's immune system sends eosinophils to attack fungi and the eosinophils irritate the membranes in the nose. As long as fungi remain, so will the irritation. "This a potential breakthrough that offers great hope for the millions of people who suffer from this problem," says Dr. Kern. "We can now begin to treat the cause of the problem instead of the symptoms." More research is underway at Mayo Clinic to confirm that the immune response to the fungus is the cause of the sinus inflammation. The researchers are also working with pharmaceutical companies to set up trials to test medications to control the fungus. They estimate that it will be at least two years before a treatment will be widely available. The researchers distinguish chronic sinusitis -- sinusitis that lasts three months or longer -- from acute sinusitis, which lasts a month or less. They say that the cause of the acute condition is usually a bacterial infection. Antibiotics and over-the-counter decongestants are widely used to treat chronic sinusitis. In most cases, antibiotics are not effective for chronic sinusitis because they target bacteria, not fungi. The over-the-counter drugs may offer some relief of symptoms, but they have no effect on the inflammation. "Medications haven't worked for chronic sinusitis because we didn't know what the cause of the problem was," says Dr. Ponikau. "Finally we are on the trail of a treatment that may actually work." Thousands of kinds of single-cell fungi (molds and yeasts) are found everywhere in the world. Fungal spores (the reproductive part of the organism) become airborne like pollen. Some people develop allergies to fungi. The new evidence from the Mayo study suggests that many people also develop a different kind of immune system response.
Posts: 789 | From CT, | Registered: Jun 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Please go see an ENT. They can use the scope to see if you have any polyps,or other things causeing trouble in the nose & throat.
A cat scan of the sinuses can show if you have blockages/fungus in the sinuses, where the scope can't go.
I had been having chronic sinus infections { mainly on the left side} for years and had enough with the gp and went to an ENT on weds..I had suddenly begun to have ear problems with pain on the left side. And waking up feeling like I was being choked.
The gp told me to do saline washes daily, which I did but still got infections. I was still waking up feeling like I was being choked, and couldn't breathe.
Imagine my surprise to hear I have a diviated septium {sp?}on the right side and a bone spur on the left one. When you have an infection everything can swell, when there is an obstruction in there, it makes it worse.
The ENT gave me some meds( a decongestant) and I have to have a cat scan done.Then we will discuss the game plan.
Abt 2 yrs ago, I had to start wearing glasses all the time and couldn't figure out why my nose was more conjested and it felt like a sore spot was there. Turns out this bone spur is right under where the foot of the glasses sit.
8 yrs ago, my voice got really wacky & I had a sore throat.The gp kept saying laryngitis and not to "stress the voice", drink more water, etc. This went on abt 6 mons.
I demanded to see an ENT.I had a very large polyp on the vocal cord!! Which was removed asap!! This was around the time all my health went crazy and I was dx'd with fibro, before I knew abt lyme.
Please see an ENT and don't suffer with this. Don't assume its just lyme or a herx.
-------------------- Take Care, DakotasMom01 Posts: 371 | From NJ | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
lymeinhell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4622
posted
Could very well be fungal (perhaps from all the abx you've been on, perhaps from mold/fungi hanging around in your home). Repeated exposure to an allergan like mold can knock your immune system for a loop.
While seeing an ENT and getting a CAT scan is a good idea, please know that not all ENT's are up on fungal issues (been there....) For me, it took an LLMD to say, "Gee this issue with your sinuses could be fungal, let's try some Diflucan and see how if your sinuses ()and trashed GI system) clear up".
Xlear is a very good preventative.
-------------------- Julie _ _ ___ _ _ lymeinhell
Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they shall not be disappointed. Posts: 2258 | From a better place than I was 11 yrs ago | Registered: Sep 2003
| IP: Logged |
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
what's xclear??
can it get it at wally world?
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
Angelica
Unregistered
posted
Make sure you are not having any teeth, jaw or gum problems as well.
IP: Logged |
posted
I thought I was the only one with sinus issues. I have had them since childhood. Dr W ran and MRI to rule out tumor or MS and it showed a small mucus retention cyst. He sent me on the an ENT to check it out. The ENT wants to take my tonsils out to help and is going to run a CT scan to see if I need sinus work at the same time. I though I was alone on this...
Posts: 183 | From Texas | Registered: Nov 2007
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic