Any experiences with chronic sinusitis?

@TigerLilea, my ENT does the culture during an office visit. She uses some kind of little device to go into the sinuses to get mucous, I think. Anyway, it is uncomfortable momentarily, but not that bad. And I have a low pain threshold due to fibromyalgia.

It's odd your ENT would tell you it had to be done under anesthesia in the OR unless Canadian procedures for getting sinus cultures are different from the U.S.

 

I thought it was very odd also. He was an older doctor and must have been very close to retiring, so maybe this wasn't something he was taught in medical school.

 

I have read that if the sinus sample isn't taken surgically, it can miss infection that is high up in the sinus and give a false negative.

I have had sinusitis for a bunch of years. I find that taking MSM keeps the inflammation down so that the sinus drain. This prevents the really nasty sinus infections.

 

I have had sinus issues for around thirteen years. I’ll get a bit of respite and then it’ll flare again...often allergy induced. I often get migraine and TMJ triggered by sinuses too.

 

Hi Adreno,

Firstly I wouldn't recommend buying anti-biotics on-line, you don't know what you're getting. Secondly I have been there and no others also who have been there. No infection showing up on scans yet there is till inflammation. I used a nasal spray (SinuSoothe) that was finally recommended by a different doctor when I moved house. He was convinced I had a sinus infection and said if anything can get rid of it then this stuff can. He swears by it and recommends it to all of his sinusitis patients. Well it does sting like the dickens but after a few applications you get used to it. I knew it was working from the get go because fragments of dead infected skin started falling out of my nose when I blew it to remove nasal congestion. Some of the nose tissue had hardened blood through it - weird! To cut a long story short I was totally cured of the brain fog, fatigue, sinus headaches blah blah blah after just one bottle of this stuff. Went back to my doc and he just said 'I told you so'. Worth trying for definite.

 

ENT told me to flush with NEiL Med rinse, never use sprays.

 

I have had weird sinus issues off and on for 8 -10 years.
I usually get this pain in my left lymph node area it’s like it swells and gets inflamed and it’s only left side every single year. I had ct scans are always normal.
I had sinus surgery 6 years ago and that helped for year or so. Usually they put me on antibiotics when my throat / neck act up and it usually resolves but this time it seemed to work some but not all the way.
I saw a ent he said pus was visible when checking my sinuses and proscribed steroids and another antibiotic. Did a culture. No bacteria so I sssune it is viral.
I have classic pressure in forehead, under eyes and left ear pain. And my left lymph node under jaw area in my neck is swollen. Since I get this symptom and had scans I am not too concerned however could this neck pain be drainage or a swollen node due to have sinus issues? It’s just reacting to my sinus stuff?

 

I have similar sinus/ nasal congestion issues, with clear CT scan.

First of all, avoid taking Fluoroquinolone antibiotics like Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin etc., these can cause very serious and disabling long term side effects in a percentage of people.

There is some opinion that frequent saline rinses can, overtime, make issues worse as they wash out the natural microbiota.

The following have helped me at various times, to be clear they are taken by mouth in the usual way as recommended on the bottle. I’m not saying to take all these at once, just, here are various options for you to reseach and ask your health care professional about:

MegaNaturals BP grape seed extract 300mg as an antimicrobial
Bromelain as anti-inflammatory
Monolaurin antimicrobial/ antiviral
Guaifenesin FA (fast acting) as expectorant
N-A-Cysteine Sustain (Jarrow) also loosens secretions and decongests
Liposomal vitamin C can help keep mucous membranes moist
Also consider olive leaf extract as an antimicrobial, I've read good reviews.

 

Thanks, I'm going to try that nasal spray.

I just recently tried a product called Restore sinus spray, containing 'humic substances'... an interesting one. Slight headache on first use, but then did seem to have some cleansing action and temporarily relieve symptoms for a few days. Not sure it's still doing any good now though.

Anyone know a source for L. Sakei in the UK? Other than sticking your finger into a clump of kimchi, which is a mistake, believe me.

 

It could also be fungal.

Do you swallow this or spray it into your sinuses?

 

Thanks for asking. I’ve now edited my post for clarity. Everything I mentioned is taken by mouth in the usual way. I’ve not tried applying the MegaNaturals BP grape seed extract directly into my sinuses and suspect I’d get a head ache if I did... as I had a mild head ache for the first few days of taking it by mouth. Note that it is a grape seed extract not grapefruit seed extract. You’re in uncharted territory if you try spraying it into your sinuses... so I wouldn’t recommend it.

 

New here so I’m replying to a few folks. So this has been a month since first joining and posting. I will try to be clear and hopefully someone else out there has this issue that I’m having.

Every year around August / September I get this swollen achy feeling in my left neck area. Place your finger on your earlobe and move straight down and it’s like that area. Maybe it’s my lymph node reacting. But that’s the only real pain and it’s clock work each year same exact area etc for past 5 plus years. All ct scans normal. Sinus surgery was a joke and that was around 6 years ago.

Saw ENT and in the office he put this thing through my nose and prodded around. Left side same as neck pain shows that my sinus track is not as clear as right. Saw some mucus and said clear infection. Did a swab cultural and that came back not bacterial but no clue if fungal as he didn’t say. Antibiotics have not worked this year where they typically do.

I did a MRI on sinuses with some special lynmark or whatever it’s called. They have results. Said nothing serious but I need to go in to review. Most likely sinus infection but nothing alarming per the office.

I notice when I take naproxen my lymph node feels so much better. When I touch my cheek bone areas I notice it’s achy. I have the classic symptoms of cheek and some eye pain. Mid forehead ache and even back head like lower into neck. Left side from ear down to neck. Had some fluid in left ear. No ear infection though. For the most part zero mucos discharge. Mostly post nasal drip but not bring up any discharge or running nose etc. it’s like stuck in my sinus cavities mainly my check areas.

I was worried my neck thing was like cancer but after 5 plus years off and on and sinus issues could sinuses be blocked in my neck area ? Could this all cause my left lymph node to swell and ache. And lastly being fatigue is another issue. I plan on getting my neck scanned but my sinus MRI came up ok as in nothing alarming.

Sinus infections are the worse. I am 36 and never had allergies or sinus issues until I turned 26 or so. Now it’s chronic stuff like every single year and this has been going on for the last 3 to 5 months. Does this make sense ?

 

This can get real depressing. I can deal with crappy sinus issues but it’s the whole swollen achy side of the neck that bothers me. ENT saying yes your node doesn’t really feel swollen but it’s most likely due to sinus infection. Makes sense but I’m so beyond tired of having this pain come and go and not just go away. I took this augmenton with something else. It’s a strong antibiotic along with this steroid nasal spray. I wish I was coughing up stuff but it seems to be like hiding away in my cavity. It’s like a dry sinus infection. Also never have temperatures with this. Some mild body aches and overall fatigue.

I will start taking more vitamin supplements

 

@johnny_Drama
You need to get anti-fungal medication up into you sinuses using a sinus irrigator, not a nasal irrigator.
Swabs are not a reliable test because the infection may be farther up in the sinus than the swab can reach. I think most of the discussion of this is over on PR.

 

I had great success using Sinusoothe nasal spray for my chronic sinus infection. Even doc was surprised when I told her because she couldn;t do anything for me as the antibiotics had stopped working years ago.