Chronic Sinus Problems

[Spockie]

I have such an awful time with my sinuses.  I take Nexium, I do the nasal wash thingy, use Rhinocort daily and I take antihistimines. I cannot take decongestants because they would conflict with my beta blocker.  I have chronic sinus problems in the sinus just over my left eye.  It aches all the time and I have constant sinus drainage which makes me cough my head off.  At night I have to do the nasal wash and then take one and 1/2 diphenhydromine antihistimes before I can get to sleep because otherwise my sinuses drain so bad I just cough and cough.  The question I have is...is there anything that can wash out your upper sinuses?  The nasal wash makes the sinuses around my nose feel so good and helps there, but it doesn't reach the sinuses up in my forehead.  I use a bulb type syringe to do the nasal wash.  I don't want to have sinus surgery because people I have known who had it don't seem to be much better, plus it seems very, very painful and I just don't do well with surgery.  I swore I'd never have any more elective surgery after nearly going blind following cataract surgery.  I have autoimmune system problems and developed an auto immune response optical neuropathy.  Anyway...any ideas on the nasal wash?

[National Jewish]

If the opening of the sinuses are blocked and that is the cause of your continued sinus problem, then it is unlikely that the nasal washes are going to have much effect.  Having a CT scan of the sinuses is a good way to visualize the openings of all of the sinuses. I can understand your fears for major sinus surgery.  However, if the openings are blocked, there is a much less invasive procedure to try to open these sinuses.  I would suggest speaking with your ENT about a CT of the sinuses as the next step and discussing options on the basis of the findings.

[Spockie]

I had a cat scan done back in 2005 when I had the optical neuropathy problem.  I guess I'd better see one of those ENT's.   I'll bet it is blocked because I have trouble blowing my nose sometimes.  I can feel the junk up in there but I can't blow it out.  Thanks.