My husband has had blocked sinuses for 4 months

The use of spray indicates that the ENT believe there is an underlying allergy problem. I need to ask, are you talking about the NHS?

a proper investigation of chronic  sinus at least should have:

- CT Scan

- allergy test

if that has not been done you need to require a second opinion.

 

I fail to understand why they have not consider surgery. Where are you?

We live in the Borders. The consultant is loathe to operate. I was reading about a procedure called sinuballoon?! Not sure if that's it exactly as I don't want to navigate away from this page?

 

Ok let's me explain in this way if his sinuses are compromise is like pretending that a block drain is gonna cope with a small pool draining. I am south American but I live in Scotland so I gonna give you instructions totally based on the Scottish NHS. Be aware I consider the NHS Scotland not to be trusted and I tell you why.

I will give you some reasons and recommendations then instructions in order to get the best of the NHS or private

Recommended

1) You better forget this Web page is a mere proyection of British guidelines which are Only based in cost cutting. I am south American and a surgeon in there told me that European guidelines suggest to inflate the patient on steroids in order to avoid an operation that you would need in the end, I will text you in private the official Canadian guidelines where you will find a statement near equal to this. I research a lot myself on Internet and I picked the Canadians for its neutrality, The conclusion was going private but being foreigner made that easy. In your case I'll explain what you can do in Scotland.

2) allergies is the main cause of sinusitis, the problem is NHS Scotland only have proper allergic clinics for venom allergies, many ENT  have to fill that gap with bad results, please consult with your GP if being in the border make possible  to be referred to an allergic clinic in the north of England, if not possible you have to require an allergy test to you Ent, then I can make suggestions, controlling my allergy symptoms was the key for the cure. I also had a surgery.

3) at the moment the data about balloon surgery that you can find is not convincing, BTW neither you nor me know if that fits because it depends on the cause of the blockage I.E. My sinus blockage wax cause by overgrown of low turbinates which needed cutting.

4) Your ENT is right now the main problem as I was in your situation I will tell you how you can proceed.  

5) ENTS in Scotland do not interpret  the ct scans, my own report from the NHS was totally scrapped by another Ent who I met private but works for the NHS.

Actions to take within the NHS:

A) Go to the hospital you got the scan and ask for the “information government" in there your husband may request the copy of the scan (the pictures copy not the NHS interpretation), should cost around £10 and they have to provide it compulsorily. It is a data protection right acces, it's not negotiable by the law. The scan will come in a cd, it is a small self reading app that you can downloaded to a windows laptop.

b) you are entitled to a second opinion within the NHS, your GP is likely to allow you to see other practician, but you need to bring that cd or even better a laptop, it could be that image specialist who has suggested he does not need a surgery when is not the case. A second opinion would be farcical if nobody else read that scan (again it was my case)

C) to any Ent you may meet, request an allergy prick test. It is done within the NHS Scotland and reliable. In this case the result copy will go to your GP, request the copy of it, again it is data protection law and you'll get it for sure.

d) The cheapest way to go private is going to a clinic in Edinburgh or Glasgow with those results in hands.

Sorry I did not have space: 

I went to albyn hospital in aberdeen with a laptop and a copy of the allergy results, the ENT suggested to send me straight back to the NHS for surgery if I wanted, it is a way to seek the solution within the NHS paying only one consultation in private. I went abroad for family reasons so using a private ENT to seek the surgery within the NHS is my recommendation if you do not have BUPA.

I find not use sharing my allergy problem before knowing any test results of your husband. 

You can text me in private.

sorry for my English, my tablet keyboard is being moody today.

 

Wow! Sorry so long in replying but it took a while to process all this information. Thank you, thank you thank you! We see the consultant today so we will be making these suggestions.

 

I am blushed , usually people in here does not understand my cynical attitude on doctors, just to make clear sinusitis is not a simple sickness is a syndrome where different factors related to each other. This is a very naive sum up of the sinusitis reasons:  allergy cause inflammation > inflammation cause a good environment for bacteria grow > chronic sinusitis > constant inflammation > tubinates and polyps growing > more sinusitis. Shutting down this vicious circle means that you may need different solutions at the same time, such as: surgery, antibiotics and antihistaminics. You most insist and make sure you inform the consultant that his improvement is zero in order to make those NHS (lazy...)consultants to react. 

I forgot a last thing, did the consultant tried antibiotics?