Lingering dry nasal passageways

Brandon, God Bless You. It sounds like you may have long Covid. If there is a Covid Recovery Clinic or you can afford out of pocket for an Integrative Medicine Doctor, they may be able to help. The Integrative Medicine Doctors think outside the box on Long Covid. I went to 5 doctors about all of this thick mucus and excessive saliva after Covid and had an endoscopy as well because my acid reflux had worsened. I was told all looked fine and I didn't have candida in my esophagus and I was so grateful. I take Prince of the Peace Ginger chews (Amazon)...only 2 a day for break through reflux and it has helped me greatly and I am now only on 1 20 mg Protonix a day (prescription) now. Prilosec did not work for me. My reflux has finally calmed down and I am so grateful. It's painful stuff. Covid attacked my joints, reflux and asthma greatly. I know this is discouraging. I do believe there is hope and it takes time with Long Covid. Have you tried Alkolol Moisturizing Nasal Spray with essential oils for your sinuses? I had sinus surgery back in 1994 and I still use this from time to time. It is good for dry nasal passages as is Ayr sinus spray is also moisturizing. You can get both of these from Amazon. Run a cool mist humidifer in your bedroom to add moisture to the air....it does help. I also use a Bed Buddy Heat pack for sinus pressure headaches (Amazon). They provide a moist heat. Ask your ENT & Gastro doctor before trying any of these. I'm so sorry you have so much on your plate right now and I am praying for you. You will get through this.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with all this. I know it's just torture! I don't have the same symptoms, just a tight nasal passage. Turbinate reduction didn't fix things for me either, but it likely helped a bit. For my inflamed nasal mucosa, I had some luck with acupuncture. Also, I found that Flonase was drying out my nose, so reducing its use seems to help. Nasal gel can also help, though too much of it will also block the nose. So, a combination of a little nasal gel, plus saline spray seems to be a good balance. It also seems that my previously mild pollen allergy became much worse. A combination of Astepro and Zyrtec really helps. And if things get really bad, I just close off the nostrils with tissue for a couple hours and that makes things better too, for a while. Good luck! I hope you're able to recover.

Brandon, many of us suffer from Long Covid. Plus there are so many different symptoms. Some of us have more than one symptom. Your description of your sinus and throat problem are exactly like mine. I have been suffering from this for over a year now. I have done what Drs have recommended with NO relieve. According to what I have read it seems Covid has cause our Autoimmune System. I also have 3 other symptoms of Long Covid. Covid Toes, hair loss, and a rash that appears when out in the Sun...red itchy blotches, even on my head
I have found that menthol cough drops gives me a temporary relief for the throat problem. I also put a little Vick’s in my nose for easier breathing. It still is not a cure, but any relief was welcome for me. Hope this helps a little.

Sorry, I didn’t finish my sentence above.

Covid has caused our Autoimmune System to not function properly.

Yes I have a similar history. Interesting is that I’d had a lab order for bloodwork prior to getting Covid in late July, 2022. It was a mild case and I waited until it seemed like symptoms had subsided but I still tested positive so I waited until I tested negative which took about 2 weeks from onset. So I had the lab work done and there were two tests in particular that were outta whack, both inflammatory indicators:

1. ProBNP was elevated though not extreme, like 265 on a < 125 normal scale and
2. ANA + and titer (titre?) 1:320 with normal being (-) but if titer is (+) and < 1:80 no further testing is required.

The proBNP led my cardiology clinic providing see to jump to a heart failure diagnosis and the ANA leaning toward lupus led me to Rheumatology. Both ended up false. The gagging phlegm started up about a month after Covid but it occurred when the cardiology guy gave me an rx for metoprolol 50mg. Not once but twice I tried taking it but at two weeks the respiratory distress was unbearable and I knew it was linked to the beta blocker, Metoprolol. He would not acknowledge that but at my insistence he took me off of metoprolol and gave me an rx for carvedilol another beta blocker and sent me on to a heart failure clinic where the provider actually listened to me and my detailed history of symptom onset. Meantime carvedilol was causing some bad respiratory distress as well, different trigger but bad. He determined I was not in heart failure and said I had asthma and beta blockers and asthma are a really bad mix. The story goes on and on to further testing, cardiac cath, pulmonary testing …

That said my main relief has also been menthol cough drops and chewing gum although I’m relying on an albuterol inhaler, seldom, but currently back on Symbicort as an asthma treatment. I’m currently waiting to see gastroenterology because the phlegm, SOB, head congestion and extreme dryness is triggered by eating but after pulmonary, rheumatology and ENT I can’t say that I anticipate a miracle ah-ha! diagnosis and cure.

I agree and both pulmonary and rheumatology doctors have agreed that the main cause is inflammation brought on by Covid.

Yep, it sucks but I appreciate those who keep posting updated because maybe, I keep hoping anyway, we’ll figure it out.

Thanks for your info Mimi! Please keep me informed further. I live in a tiny town, and we don’t have any Drs or hospital that has been able to help me find relief, in fact when you mention Long Covid , they roll their eyes and tell you to take a lot of vitamins! I am fed up with spending a bunch of $$ with no results.
But the way.... I also noticed the phlegm gets worse after I eat too....thanks for that info and confirmation that I was not crazy. Again, thanks so much!

You’re welcome! Currently my primary doc has me on an H2 blocker, Famotodine, to help with stomach acid until my Gastro apt in February. I’m afraid it’s not the solution but I think it has helped. She’s talking a PPI if the histamine blocker doesn’t do it. It’s been going on so long she says it will take some time to clear it up. I’ll keep chewing gum in the meantime. And keep my fingers crossed. Trust me I’ve considered the crazy often! But there’s so many people affected by this we are not just crazies. (There’s at least two other boards on this forum that are very similar.)How it fools the experts and tests though I don’t know!

I deal with dry sinuses , dry eyes, nose, swollen red cheeks. My ears feel plugged, blocked. I haven’t found anything to help me. I steam with Olbas oil 3 times per day. I use saline sprays, saline gel, and nothing helps with producing mucus. The dry eyes started Dec 2022 after 2nd bout of Covid. (first bout of covid left me with Tinnitus) I have just been ill again (maybe covid) and have been left with horrendous dry sinuses and nose. One day last week the sinus headache I had floored me and I couldn't do anything. bad pain. I have tenderness on scalp and temples....I am just trying to manage symptoms and hope and pray I will get better....I take Ester C (1000) and Vitamin A drops and probiotics.... and Krill oil....anything to improve my chances of recovery. I feel for everyone suffering from this problem....

Any help would greatly be appreciated on severe dry nasal passages, swollen inside , 2 years post Covid , have it every day since I had Covid , my quality of life is awful because of this dry nose , makes no moisture . Ent do not help. All I do is cry an want my old life back, will it ever go away , can this last for the rest of my life

I have had severe dry sinuses since feb 2021, every single day no relief , no moisture , swollen , red inside an irritated in the nose, my right ear is always clogged an have to manually pop it everyday several times a day, my nose makes me feel like I’m suffocating, also makes me hyperventilate, causes dis regulated breathing because my nose is so severely dry, nothing helps me what so ever