Nasal Deviation, Septoplasty, Empty Nose Syndrome

[mrbrightside614]

Hey guys, I was wondering about another bothersome symptom I have that has gotten much worse since my car accident on June 19th. I get this persistent blockage/post-nasal drip that is incredibly hard to clear in the left side of my nose (nasal cavity/nasopharyngeal region). I have a diagnosed deviated septum towards the left. My questions are as follows:

1. Does anyone else with nasal deviation get this feeling of blockage/the need to swallow down mucus in the back of the nasopharyngeal region?
2. If you've had a septoplasty, how has it improved your symptoms related to PND/airflow?
3. Is empty nose syndrome what I'm transiently experiencing? I have tremendous difficulty and effort expended in swallowing back the mucus in the left side of my nasopharyngeal region, to the point where it does feel like I'm drowning.
4. Could getting a septoplasty without nasal turbinate reduction possibly make my symptoms worse?

Thanks for any information ahead of time.

 

[PugDog1]

I'm getting some form of sinus surgery this year! I'm the same with the post nasal drip and constant blockages it drives me (and my tinnitus) insane

 

[mrbrightside614]

I'm getting some form of sinus surgery this year! I'm the same with the post nasal drip and constant blockages it drives me (and my tinnitus) insane

Omg keep me updated!! Definitely ask your ENT if they intend to perform turbinate reduction. Turbinate reduction can cause that feeling, all of the time ("empty nose syndrome").

I was scheduled to get a septoplasty in May but considering all of my healthcare providers have failed me dearly, I am losing faith in their ability to improve my quality of life at all. I definitely don't want to make things any worse.

It's interesting that you say it makes your tinnitus worse. If that's the case, surgery could really help you because it may be related to chronic inflammation due to negative pressure/ETD. I'm sure my tinnitus is a straight up acoustic-trauma related issue, and thus reacts to nothing apart from more noise and select drugs.

 

[PugDog1]

Mine reacts to nothing apart from the shower & when my sinuses/tubes act up!
I'm not going anywhere NEAR turbinate reduction! I've read about ENS & the thought terrifies me more than tinnitus.

How are you doing at the moment? I'm headed for a severe spike I've managed to catch yet another cold off the kids in my class!

 

[mrbrightside614]

Mine reacts to nothing apart from the shower & when my sinus/tubes act up!
I'm not going anywhere NEAR turbinate reduction! I've read about ENS & the thought terrifies me more than tinnitus.

How are you doing at the moment? I'm headed for a severe spike I've managed to catch yet another cold off the kids in my class!

Good call.

Sorry about your spike. I'm not doing very well atm unfortunately because I haven't been able to get to sleep despite my heavy meds and emotional reaction to tinnitus becoming decidedly less aversive. This just confirms to me that Jastreboff knows literally nothing about tinnitus pathology and its associated comorbidities.

 

[PugDog1]

I'm sorry to hear that :-( When mine is spiked it keeps me awake a lot, I end up reading AskReddit all night

Is there nothing you can do to really tire you out so you fall asleep even with the noise? Sorry I know my severe tinnitus is probably your mild!

Are you dead set against the sinus surgery?

 

[mrbrightside614]

I'm sorry to hear that :-( When mine is spiked it keeps me awake a lot, I end up reading AskReddit all night

Is there nothing you can do to really tire you out so you fall asleep even with the noise? Sorry I know my severe tinnitus is probably your mild!

Are you dead set against the sinus surgery?

Nah, there isn't. I strength train at an incredible intensity with similarly ridiculous volume. I'm tired all of the time. My brain just doesn't shut off, even when I'm tired, comfortable, and not very stressed or spiking.

I'm not completely writing it off but I can't imagine having that awful suffocating feeling all the time. Right now the risks currently outweigh the rewards, for me.

 

[Backpacker]

@mrbrightside614 Did your injury move your nasal septum? Or you always had it and you just got diagnosed now? I am asking because I am pretty sure a lot of people have some degree of deviation.

 

[mrbrightside614]

@mrbrightside614 Did your injury move your nasal septum? Or you always had it and you just got diagnosed now? I am asking because I am pretty sure a lot of people have some degree of deviation.

It certainly became a more pronounced problem after the accident, though I probably had a little deviation beforehand. I've never had such a problem with post nasal drip.

 

[Backpacker]

@mrbrightside614
An article about empty nose syndrome which is long but worth reading
https://www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/jo...yndrome-real-and-if-not-why-are-people-killin

 

[PugDog1]

Hi @mrbrightside614 I had my surgery on Tuesday! Nowhere near as bad as I was expecting it to be.

I had a middle meatal antrostomy in the end. The post surgery pain isn't great but keeping on top of it with regular pain meds.