Sinus pressure sufferers - SURVEY - please participate.

[slpagirl]

Hello, This year was the first time I've ever experienced sinus problems. For 2 months now, I've had terrible pressure in my sinus cavities (ears, eyes, top of head, neck) everyday, varying from mild to severe. I've been through the process of seeing my ENT, the CT scan, the meds (antibiotics, nasal spray, allergy meds). It has helped to some degree, but I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel yet. I am curious as to what all of us sufferers have in common, therefor I am taking this survey. Maybe it will shed some insight and help us understand the causes and nature of sinus problems. Please respond. I think it will be interesting. Add questions if you like. I probably will, as I think of more...

1) Do you have allergies?
2) What are you allergic to?
3) How old were you when your sinus problems started?
4) Where are your sinus pains? (ears, nose, eyes, top of head, neck, etc)
5) Do you experience pain or pressure... or both?
6) Did you change your physical environment, prior to the onset of your sinus problems?
7) Does your current environment have obvious allergens? (dust, dust mites, mold, dogs, cats, etc)
8) Has there been significant changes in your life, prior to the onset of the sinus problem? (divorce, job change, moved, exercise routine change, change in your work station (ergonomic factors), activities); I am just wondering if muscle tension, may be a factor, since there's a slight chance that bad ergonomics may have played a role in mine... doubtful?
9) Has antibiotics worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one?
10) Has allergy medicines worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one?
11) Has nasal spray worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? Which one?
12) Does your sinus problems seem worse when weather changes?
13) Did you have a illness, such as a cold or flu prior to onset of sinus problem?
14) How many hours do you spend on the computer everyday?
15) Do you suffer from stiff neck?
16) What is the cause of your stiff neck?
17) Do you sleep well normally? How do you sleep since the sinus problems?
18) Do you consider yourself easily stressed? Worry a lot?
19) Do you often suffer from illness, in general... or are you generally, healthy?
20) Generally, when you have a sinus "attack", how long does it last?
21) What time of day are your sinus symptoms the worse? worse as day progreses?
22) Do you feel the pressure on your head worse, when standing or laying down?
23) If your pressure is by your ears, is it audible?
24) What has helped you the most to alleviate the symptoms?
25) Have you had any major dental work recently? (bridges, root canal, etc?)

Thanks... I hope none of these questions are offensive. They are not meant to be. I am just trying to get to the bottom of this, in any way I can. To help all of us. I'll answer the survey too. Take care!
And PLEASE, if you find a good solution for your sinus problems, please come back and share it with us. Greatly appreciated.

[ny01]

1) Do you have allergies? Yes
2) What are you allergic to? Perfumes, Dust, Cats, Yeast, Mold
3) How old were you when your sinus problems started? 28
4) Where are your sinus pains? (ears, nose, eyes, top of head, neck, etc) Ears, Nose, Eyes.
5) Do you experience pain or pressure... or both? Pressure
6) Did you change your physical environment, prior to the onset of your sinus problems? No took antibiotics though which sparked a rash and then allergies to everything.
7) Does your current environment have obvious allergens? (dust, dust mites, mold, dogs, cats, etc) No
8) Has there been significant changes in your life, prior to the onset of the sinus problem? (divorce, job change, moved, exercise routine change, change in your work station (ergonomic factors), activities); I am just wondering if muscle tension, may be a factor, since there's a slight chance that bad ergonomics may have played a role in mine... doubtful? Only change was antibiotic treatment for a sore throat.
9) Has antibiotics worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one? No. Made it worse. Cipro and zithromax.
10) Has allergy medicines worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one?No.
11) Has nasal spray worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? Which one?No.
12) Does your sinus problems seem worse when weather changes? A bit.
13) Did you have a illness, such as a cold or flu prior to onset of sinus problem? Sore throat.
14) How many hours do you spend on the computer everyday? 4
15) Do you suffer from stiff neck? no
16) What is the cause of your stiff neck?
17) Do you sleep well normally? How do you sleep since the sinus problems? Used to be an insomniac. Now I sleep easily because sinuses make me so fatigued.
18) Do you consider yourself easily stressed? Worry a lot? Yes.
19) Do you often suffer from illness, in general... or are you generally, healthy? Healthy.
20) Generally, when you have a sinus "attack", how long does it last? It's all the time.
21) What time of day are your sinus symptoms the worse? worse as day progreses? Morning.
22) Do you feel the pressure on your head worse, when standing or laying down? No difference.
23) If your pressure is by your ears, is it audible? Ocassional ringing.
24) What has helped you the most to alleviate the symptoms? Exercise and aviodance.
25) Have you had any major dental work recently? (bridges, root canal, etc?) No.

[pd50]

Originally Posted by ny01

1) Do you have allergies? Yes
2) What are you allergic to? Perfumes, Dust, Cats, Yeast, Mold
3) How old were you when your sinus problems started? 28
4) Where are your sinus pains? (ears, nose, eyes, top of head, neck, etc) Ears, Nose, Eyes.
5) Do you experience pain or pressure... or both? Pressure
6) Did you change your physical environment, prior to the onset of your sinus problems? No took antibiotics though which sparked a rash and then allergies to everything.
7) Does your current environment have obvious allergens? (dust, dust mites, mold, dogs, cats, etc) No
8) Has there been significant changes in your life, prior to the onset of the sinus problem? (divorce, job change, moved, exercise routine change, change in your work station (ergonomic factors), activities); I am just wondering if muscle tension, may be a factor, since there's a slight chance that bad ergonomics may have played a role in mine... doubtful? Only change was antibiotic treatment for a sore throat.
9) Has antibiotics worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one? No. Made it worse. Cipro and zithromax.
10) Has allergy medicines worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one?No.
11) Has nasal spray worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? Which one?No.
12) Does your sinus problems seem worse when weather changes? A bit.
13) Did you have a illness, such as a cold or flu prior to onset of sinus problem? Sore throat.
14) How many hours do you spend on the computer everyday? 4
15) Do you suffer from stiff neck? no
16) What is the cause of your stiff neck?
17) Do you sleep well normally? How do you sleep since the sinus problems? Used to be an insomniac. Now I sleep easily because sinuses make me so fatigued.
18) Do you consider yourself easily stressed? Worry a lot? Yes.
19) Do you often suffer from illness, in general... or are you generally, healthy? Healthy.
20) Generally, when you have a sinus "attack", how long does it last? It's all the time.
21) What time of day are your sinus symptoms the worse? worse as day progreses? Morning.
22) Do you feel the pressure on your head worse, when standing or laying down? No difference.
23) If your pressure is by your ears, is it audible? Ocassional ringing.
24) What has helped you the most to alleviate the symptoms? Exercise and aviodance.
25) Have you had any major dental work recently? (bridges, root canal, etc?) No.

I started with my allegies at age 15, I am now 50. I was skin tested and tested positive to mold, rageweed, grass, horse, dogs, cat, ect......
Normally kept under control with actifed and antibiotics when sinus infections came from the inflamtion allergies caused.
Now on rhinocort aq nasal steroid, actifed, and atenolol for high blood pressure.
Get congested, ears block......off balance feeling from the clogged up head.
Had cat scan of head, blood work hearing tests.negative
Diagnosed with viral labrynthitis........that is slowly going away.
Weather changes causes the tissues to swell and then the congestion starts.

I have read over the years in many books that when we get viral colds...... the tissues swell up and thus makes us prone to develope allergies......When the tissues swell the allergens have better entry to cause imflamation.........so many people that never had sinus or allergies problems may develope them after a viral infection. The only thing you can do is work closely with your ENT to find out what reduces your symptoms.......Being 50 years old I have been there and still am there. Hang in there......it will get better with proper treatmeant. With flare ups from time to time.

Forgot to mention I do have neck pain......but I have bulging discs in the neck.....that comes with age......no relation to my sinus condition. As we age so do our bodies......some things we have to get use to living with.....I learned to live with the neck pain and stiffness....Best thing to prolong neck problems is proper posture and strengthening excercises for the upper back.

[slpagirl]

1) Do you have allergies? yes; used to be in form of rash/hives/hayfever; now, it's in the form of inflammation of sinuses, it appears.
2) What are you allergic to? dust/dust mites/pollen/mold/dog dander
3) How old were you when your sinus problems started? started 2 mos. ago at age 42
4) Where are your sinus pains? (ears, nose, eyes, top of head, neck, etc) ears/nose/eyes/top of head
5) Do you experience pain or pressure... or both? mainly pressure, sometimes pain (maybe tension, when it's pain)
6) Did you change your physical environment, prior to the onset of your sinus problems? yes
7) Does your current environment have obvious allergens? (dust, dust mites, mold, dogs, cats, etc) yes!
8) Has there been significant changes in your life, prior to the onset of the sinus problem? (divorce, job change, moved, exercise routine change, change in your work station (ergonomic factors), activities); I am just wondering if muscle tension, may be a factor, since there's a slight chance that bad ergonomics may have played a role in mine... doubtful? yes, lots of changes
9) Has antibiotics worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one? yes, but it's hard to tell, what really works, with all the different medications at once being taken. took biaxin
10) Has allergy medicines worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one? somewhat helps, allegra
11) Has nasal spray worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? Which one? yes, at first it was noticably improved; now, it's not as obvious.
12) Does your sinus problems seem worse when weather changes? yes.
13) Did you have a illness, such as a cold or flu prior to onset of sinus problem?
I had fifth's virus, aka "slap cheeks" virus in May. Don't think it is associated with my later developing sinus problems, but who knows.
14) How many hours do you spend on the computer everyday? 3 hours
15) Do you suffer from stiff neck? yes!
16) What is the cause of your stiff neck? maybe computer work station setup or bad sleeping posture or stress from sinuses.
17) Do you sleep well normally? How do you sleep since the sinus problems? sleep well now. when sinuses first developed, did not sleep well.
18) Do you consider yourself easily stressed? Worry a lot? Yes.
19) Do you often suffer from illness, in general... or are you generally, healthy? very healthy, except for high bp.
20) Generally, when you have a sinus "attack", how long does it last? it's lasted for 2 mos. This is my first sinus problem.
21) What time of day are your sinus symptoms the worse? worse as day progreses? usually in evening, but if I have an active day, it is bad during the day too.
22) Do you feel the pressure on your head worse, when standing or laying down? laying down, I feel pressure intensify against my eyes.
23) If your pressure is by your ears, is it audible? at first, I heard loud throbbing by my ears. after meds, it disappeared, but comes back occasionally.
24) What has helped you the most to alleviate the symptoms? Flonase has helped some. Sinucleanse has helped some. Allergy meds seems to help some too. Nothing alleviates it all together. Oh yeah, and decogestants help some.
25) Have you had any major dental work recently? (bridges, root canal, etc?)
yes, I had a two bridges put in on my left side of my mouth. Coincidentally, that is where I have pressure on my ears (left side).

[Dove1960]

1) Do you have allergies? Yes
2) What are you allergic to? Never tested but know pet dander and dust for sure
3) How old were you when your sinus problems started? every since I can remember
4) Where are your sinus pains? (ears, nose, eyes, top of head, neck, etc) ears/nose/eyes
5) Do you experience pain or pressure... or both? pressure
6) Did you change your physical environment, prior to the onset of your sinus problems? n/a
7) Does your current environment have obvious allergens? (dust, dust mites, mold, dogs, cats, etc) yes
8) Has there been significant changes in your life, prior to the onset of the sinus problem? (divorce, job change, moved, exercise routine change, change in your work station (ergonomic factors), activities); I am just wondering if muscle tension, may be a factor, since there's a slight chance that bad ergonomics may have played a role in mine... doubtful? Possible that this may have an effect. I went to the chiropractor and was sinus problem free for 10 years after a life of suffering. I need to go back to the chiro soon.
9) Has antibiotics worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one? No unless there was an infection then yes
10) Has allergy medicines worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? which one? Some I am taking Zytec at the momemt but still get congested.
11) Has nasal spray worked for you to alleviate sinus problem? Which one? I have a nasal spray for the congestion it seems to be working some but not completely
12) Does your sinus problems seem worse when weather changes? OH YES
13) Did you have a illness, such as a cold or flu prior to onset of sinus problem? NO
14) How many hours do you spend on the computer everyday? 3-4
15) Do you suffer from stiff neck? No
16) What is the cause of your stiff neck? n/a
17) Do you sleep well normally? How do you sleep since the sinus problems? Yes/fine depends how bad the drainage is
18) Do you consider yourself easily stressed? Worry a lot? yes
19) Do you often suffer from illness, in general... or are you generally, healthy? Healthy
20) Generally, when you have a sinus "attack", how long does it last? It depends on the weather
21) What time of day are your sinus symptoms the worse? worse as day progreses? morning and evening
22) Do you feel the pressure on your head worse, when standing or laying down?
23) If your pressure is by your ears, is it audible? ears feel plugged up
24) What has helped you the most to alleviate the symptoms? The chiropractor
25) Have you had any major dental work recently? (bridges, root canal, etc?) NO