1. Community
  2. Ears, nose, throat and mouth
  3. Sinusitis

Could this be sinusitis?

Posted , 8 users are following.

sarah69037
sarah69037

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.

0 likes, 43 replies

43 Replies

Prev Next
  • richardvilla
    richardvilla sarah69037

    Posted

    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.
    • emmagall78
      emmagall78 richardvilla

      Posted

      Yes like my case lol, luckily they are just the back ones and can't see... sad 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.
    • richardvilla
      richardvilla emmagall78

      Posted

      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.
    • emmagall78
      emmagall78 richardvilla

      Posted

      Ok update, I think I've found the link to my problems... I think I've got tmj which is causing migraines.
  • sarah69037
    sarah69037

    Posted

    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?

    • richardvilla
      richardvilla sarah69037

      Posted

      Hi Sarah

      Well last year I had a cold shoulder and have a small fatty lump in my neck . I'm not sure this has an thing to do with my sinus problems though.

      I really thought that now winter has come my symptoms would have gone. Some have eased and I can drive again although only locally. But I still have aches in ears , jaws and upper teeth especially at night when trying to sleep.

      I hva e a dentist appointment next week so they will check them out. I still have a white swelling over my wisdom tooth. I would put all the problems down to that but I get gum ache both sides and front.

      Hope the aches do go soon because may time will be here again shortly, when it all started !

    • sarah69037
      sarah69037 richardvilla

      Posted

      That's good that you're able to get out & about again even if not far.

      Hopefully the dentist will find something for you, it the swelling is infected it could cause the rest of your gums & jaw to ache.

      Good luck, it's too long to be unwell for!

    • emmagall78
      emmagall78 sarah69037

      Posted

      Hi Richard and Sarah,

      I'm at a loss, I really am, sometimes im convinced its to do with my jaw, then I'm thinking my ears, then my neck I'm totally stumped.. sad

      I have noticed that my symptoms seem to start a few days before my " ladies week "..I've looked up things and have come across ppl with exact same problems and they are related to Hormonal changes apparently, but like I say I'm stumped... I hate the weird spacey feeling I get, it's like I know I'm there but it feels surreal almost if that makes sense... sad

    • sarah69037
      sarah69037 emmagall78

      Posted

      Emma, same here. Have felt pretty weird and rough during that time too, and as you said, alot of other ladies do too!

      I used to get that spaced feeling too, still do at times especially if in a busy shop with lots of noise but has got loads better.

      I'm sorry that you've been living with this for 4 years!!!! Thought nearly 4 months was bad enough.

      Fingers crossed for a miracle cure

    • emmagall78
      emmagall78 sarah69037

      Posted

      Hi Sarah,

      It's Alot better than what it was like at the start, I've been back and forth to docs and dentists, the only thing they note almost everytime is fluid behind by right ear!

      I'm awaiting to see a neurologist as they said. On the mri scan I had "showed change in brain relating to a form of migraine " which scares me as the doctor said migraines don't show up on scans, so what was the "change "? I have good days now and then maybe for a couple of weeks or so, but then it all flares up again for a few weeks... My symptoms are as follows..

      Upper tooth pain on a pre molar (gum around it aches)

      Imbalance (not dizzy,it's as though I feel faint)

      earache deep inside I keep feeling the need to push hard on my ear of that makes sense

      (doc always sees fluid or bubbles behind ear drum) " otitis media with effusion " apparently.

      My nose gets blocked but deep up inside not the actual nostrils ( if that makes sense)

      Coughing up green lumps in mornings when it's bad not every day

      Tired by 5pm! Mind I'm up at 6.30 every morning without fail my son whos 7 doesn't do lie ins lol

      In general the whole right side of my face feels different to the left.

      I've also noticed that it seems my right eye is bigger than the other ( I've often thought have I had a mini stroke)

      And I keep getting acne on my right cheek asking the jaw line, I've never had acne in my life ( I'm 37)

      My left tonsil is bigger than the right and has a white spot on it ( maybe a tonsil stone) .

      The tooth gum that aches the gum is receding around it considerably..dentist won't take it out though, says that won't be causing the symptoms.

      All they seem to want to do is push pills!

      And ladies week is a nightmare, I get so emotional like really bad never had put in my life, just the odd cramp etc, but now im irritable, emotional, so tired, body aches etc, also they have changed too very light, and only 2 days worth ( I used to be 5 days) I'm going to ask doc for hormone tests. I stopped taking the contraceptive pill 6 years ago.

      I hope we get a diagnosis soon instead of being fobbed off.

    • richardvilla
      richardvilla emmagall78

      Posted

      Hi Emma

      My god my symptoms are very similar (apart from the lady time of cause !)

      After months of thinking I have sinisitus (doc says bad allergies) my symptoms have eased in other roles but I still have..

      Upper teeth and gum ache especially at night when my heads on the pillow.

      Swollen turbinates with a blocked nose deep inside the nostrils

      Swollen upper left gum with white swelling type lump on it .

      Left side of my face feels different to the right (feels swollen and achy). Also a tingling feeling that goes from my upper gums to left ear then up to top of head on the left side.

      Itchy type feeling on scalp where I feel I need to scratch all the time.

      Eczma patch on left side just in front of ear.

      All docs have given me is amitripyline and predisone tablets none of which worked.

      Dentist appointment on Xmas eve to check the teeth.

      No scans of any type yet.

      Please keep in touch x

    • emmagall78
      emmagall78 richardvilla

      Posted

      Hi Richard,

      Funnily enough I've just been to doctors this evening, fluid behind both ear drums this time, more so on the right though.

      First time I've seen this doctor and he was lovely, said this has gone on far too long we are going to get this sorted.. He gave me antibiotics and some pseudephodrine, said it sounds like glue ear which is caused by a blockage of the eustation tube, and he wants to see me in the new year, told me I may have to get grommets.

      He's made me feel at ease, hopefully I'll get somewhere soon.. I mentioned the ladies thing and he said it could well be hormonal in my case lol.

      Could also be a sinus problem.

      X

  • sarah69037
    sarah69037

    Posted

    That's good news Emma! Great to find a doctor who understands and actually wants to help.

    Good luck with the pills & everything. I had grommets when I was little for recurring bad ear infections & they really helped so if you have to have them hopefully should help x

  • richardvilla
    richardvilla sarah69037

    Posted

    Yes that's good news your Doctor agrees it's gone too far.

    I've had my problems for months and the doctor has only forced pills on me. If he'd send me for a scan just to confirm it's nothing serious I'd be feeling a lot better in myself.

    I see him early January so will ask the question.

    Take care both x

    • emmagall78
      emmagall78 richardvilla

      Posted

      Hi, I would just ask to be sent for one, I'm scared to get grommets, as I've heard they can make you dizzier?! sad

      Do any of you have fluid behind the ear drums noted on doctor visits? X

    • sarah69037
      sarah69037 emmagall78

      Posted

      Oh, have never heard that about grommets...definitely something to look into & ask about as that's the last thing you need!

      Doctor has never said I have fluid behind the eardrum, both my ears are apparently clear, no infection, just slightly waxy on right side. Do your ears click & crackle when you yawn or swallow? X

    • richardvilla
      richardvilla sarah69037

      Posted

      Mine do Sarah! And they hurt and ache just in front . During the summer they would heat up all around and I had terrible tinnitus. Not so much of that now though.
    • sarah69037
      sarah69037 richardvilla

      Posted

      How weird, that's what i'm getting at times. Really clicky ears, whole ear & behind ear gets red hot, bad buzzing in ear & nose & sinus stuffs up. Have to cool down with a wet cloth till it goes! Can also get body shakes when this happens, almost like I have fever. Check temperature when I feel like this but it's normal & no sign of infection says doctor.

      It.s a mystery!

    • richardvilla
      richardvilla sarah69037

      Posted

      Does anybody get like a shortage of breath feeling in their chest ? It's usually when my sinus are blocked but not all the time sometimes I just have to take a deep breath to 'catch ' some air. Don't think it's asthma because threre is no wheezing or anything.
    • sarah69037
      sarah69037 richardvilla

      Posted

      Sometimes I have noticed that too Richard, as you said like you need to take a deep breath. It's also normally when my sinus is blocked too so you're not alone. Guess it's all because it's all connected & all part of the respiratory system it get 's a bit tight.

      I was prescribed a ventolin inhaler a few years ago as when I was suffering badly with hay fever & got all bunged up my chest would feel tight too so all part of the same thing

Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.