Anyone had sinus headache successfully treated?

[Frizzzmonster]

I've had an ongoing sinus headache for over a year no. I'm not getting anywhere with my GP. He's prescribed me heyfever tablets to try for a month, 2 weeks in and there's no change.

I'm considering getting a private Rest test. Has anyone had one of these and it helped?

Has anyone had one of these and it come back as not allergic to anything...then what did you do?

Has anyone had any other treatment on their sinus and it worked? How did you get to that point?

Thanks

I think it depends what's causing the issues, I've had chronic sinus problems for years and the only thing that made any significant difference was sinus surgery (septoplasty and turbinate reduction) which I had to fight really hard to be referred for! Otherwise, things that have helped me are antibiotics when I have an obvious infection, sudafed to provide temporary relief, using a Neilmed sinus rinse regularly and using tigerbalm on my forehead for temporary relief.

In the end the only was I got taken seriously was to see a private ENT for an initial consultation who then referred me back to the NHS having discovered structural issues were the likely cause.

You have my sympathy - sinus pain is awful and so debilitating!

I have, but it was traumatic.

Scans revealed my Sinus issues were probably caused by a tooth root penetrating the Sinus and causing a major infection.

Maxillofacial removed the tooth, cleaned masses of pus out the Sinus, debrided the damage to my jaw bone and grafted the hole between the sinus and jaw.

The whole thing was awful, but the results amazing. I am Sinusitus and headache free for the first time in 5 years.

Thanks for your reply. That's really helpful. It seems the way to go is to go private to push the NHS. I can afford a consultation and a rest test private but defo not surgery!

Sudafed doesn't do anything for me. I get relief from doing the saline rinse and drinking ice cold water. I never seem to get a sinus infection which I find strange.

My DH has had success on his sinuses almost as an accidental side effect . He had had problems for years and years , but went to a new physiotherapist for something else , who realised his teeth and jaw were misaligned . He went to a private dentist and got a brace for his teeth to wear at night , which realigned his jaw. It allowed his sinuses to drain properly , and also changed his glasses prescription quite radically too .( He did have some exercises to do too though )

Oh wow there's so many causes that I had no idea about.

@Arranstorm did you get the scan through the NHS? If so how did you get to that point?

@bookbook that's fascinating!

The scan came after an ENT referral because I had lost my sense of taste and smell (before Covid)

I know it sounds ridiculous but I had no real understanding that those symptoms could be due to sinus until they examined me in clinic. I was so used to my blocked sinus and constant headache that it was just normal for me.

I am now revelling in being headache free and able to breathe properly again😊😊

@Arranstorm Yes you can enjoy life again!! Amazing.

So from reading these threads it seems I need to push for a referral to ENT

Several years ago, I had sinus pain for months. I tried everything I could think of - sudafed, various smelly balms, the GP even prescribed ABs - nothing helped. I was desperate enough to try anything.

So I tried acupuncture, despite alternative remedies really not being my thing. To my amazement it worked. After months of pain I woke up the day after my first session pain free. It took about 5 sessions for it to go for good. I have no idea how it worked, and I don't care.

I had surgery for a polyp that turned out to be paranasal schwannoma, I was then symptom free for a good while but over the last few years the symptoms are returning so I am guessing it is growing again. Have you had a dental x-ray to rule out a tooth root growing into the sinus?

I'd had years of chronic sinusitis, and in absolute desperation tried a cranial osteopath. I had 6 sessions, and she advised me to cut dairy out of my diet. It was literally life changing - within 3 weeks, the headaches cleared and so did my awful blocked nose.

I still stay well clear of dairy - I had a slice of cheesecake a few weeks ago that DD had made, and the next morning I could barely breathe out of my nose.

Exactly the same as this for me. It's not completely got rid of the pain, surgeon thinks some may be migraine related. A million times better though and I can breathe now!

@JudyJ @Justhereforaibu1 thanks for your replies. So when you say chronic sinusitis were you having infections and being prescribed antibiotics?
I've not been prescribed antibiotics at all and to be honest I don't think I've got an infection as I don't get a fever with it. I don't even get phlegm with it either. My sinuses ache, my head hurts, I get a slight sore throat, slight ear ache and dry eyes. The worst is the headache and sinus behind my cheek hurting. Do you think I should be pushing for antibiotics? If only to build my case for getting referred to ENT?

Do you steam? It's the only thing that get rid of mine BUT you have to do it twice a day at least and for weeks on end but it does work. I use a steam mug with Olbas oil.

Apologies I forgot to revisit. Your symptoms sound like mine were, I had facial pain and headache, and feeling stuffed up all the time. no fever or much phlegm. Every time I got even the slightest cold it would turn into sinusitis, I'd ride it out for a couple of weeks then get antibiotics every time. Definitely infections as (gross alert) the surgeon said there was a lot of pus in there, even though at the time I didn't have a bad infection so I dread to think what it was like sometimes. I'm not sure about getting referred, I had a lot of antibiotics, 3 or 4 times each winter, and a referral was never mentioned, I went private.