Nasal passage blocked

@zaa
Nasal blockages are common occurrences.
80% of people have a deviated septum.
Sometimes people will notice this sensation more than others upon congestion.
-The nose has a nasal cycle. Every 2-6 hours it rotates. One side congests while the other side relaxes. It is an autonomic process. As well as vasomotor rhinitis.
-ENTs have only 3 options to offer. Rinses/Sprays, Antibiotics and Surgery.
-Rinses/Sprays would never work, because the body is doing its genetically programmed job. This congestion blockage is a systemic response. No amount of sprays will help.
-If an ENT tells you a septoplasty surgery will help you, be very very careful.
-Your body is used to your airway, regardless if you feel “blocked” or not. This is your subjective feeling. An ENT can not determine how you breathe after he/she alters you’re nose off visual assumption.
-I will even attach an article on Regenerative Medicine and Nasal surgery. By the Mayo Clinic themselves. What you won’t see listed in here is that the push for Regenartive Medicine in Nasal surgery is so big right now, because ENTs cause a lot of harm to people from there surgeries with no ability to fix.
-I would learn to cope with your current blockage, as it will change overtime naturally throughout life.
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(14)00877-5/pdf

Even though I have experienced these nasal blockage and symptoms of inflammation for a good while, every now and then, especially at night, I also, get those panicky feelings that there is something “wrong” and somehow “dangerous”. When this happens, I tell myself that I don’t even need my nose to breathe. You get much more air through your mouth anyway! And like you I usually only have one side blocked so I breathe through the other. This “self talk” helps me. Very gently massaging the sides of the nose can help also.
I also do nightly irrigation. It doesn’t necessarily stop the blockage but I think overall it helps. I was using Nasonex but I decided to stop for a while and see how I did. It has been some weeks and I think maybe the steroid spray made a marginal difference. I am not averse to restarting but I am not sure it helped sufficiently to do so. I find inhalation with hot water and a drop of peppermint is soothing, as are steamy showers. My ENT guy told me this inflammation is not something he has the tools to help with, unless I have significant obstruction. So I know, for me anyway, this is actually nothing dramatic. Yes, occasionally debilitating, but very common. I am writing this because It has helped me to know how common this problem is. I can deal with it. But that doesn’t make it easy!

For me, the blockage is in the same nostril. Always my left. I get scared when I wake up because my mouth is so dry and I know I’ve been breathing out of my mouth only. It’s not healthy. Last March/April was extremely hard and I can’t go through it again. As I stated before, the combination of tmj pain, tinnitus, fatigue, face soreness and bumps, headaches, neck pain along with the sinus issues was too much to deal with not to mention sleepless nights. Feeling better now, maybe due to humidity and warmth. I’m wondering if my house could have something in it that is causing me issues. Be careful using the steroids for they can do more harm.

@zaa I have the same problem. As long as I can remember I have always had problems breathing through my nose. Mostly it's the right side of my nose that is blocked and hard to breathe through. I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea a couple of years ago and have had some difficulty with the face masks due to breathing mostly through my mouth.

I have been using a nasal wash every so often in the evenings which is a 50-50 chance of clearing the nose. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't clear up after using the nasal wash. I had been thinking about a septoplasty for a couple of years to correct my deviated septum but I wanted to learn how bad it really is and what my options were. I talked with my primary care doctor who gave me a referral to a Mayo ENT doctor for a consultation. I met with the ENT doctor and PA Monday and discussed the options available to me. After the exam and the little camera they poke in your nose and record a little movie they were able to explain what they thought was causing the blockage and what my options were. He also mentioned I have a longer nose and one of the options to fix the issue is to open the nose and do reconstruction. He mentioned that I have a couple of small bone spurs and enlarged turbinates which could be reduced in size to help as an option. Then he went through the risks and no guarantees talk about what the surgery involves. He also explained that they have had success with more conservative treatments using a special Mayo proprietary nasal spray compounded in their pharmacy.

I opted to try the conservative treatment for 90 days to see if it helps before considering surgery or just living with it. They gave me a Neilmeds sinus rinse starter kit which I already had one at home. I have to use it twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. After rinsing I have to use 2 sprays in each nostril of the Mayo spray which contains Mometasone to reduce inflammation, Ipratropium to reduce nasal drainage and Diphenhydramine which is an antihistamine to help reduce nasal drainage. I started using it Tuesday and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I can breathe through both nostrils freely now and it seems to be helping with my CPAP. At 78 years old I really don't want surgery unless it's a last resort and will help quality of life. I would have never guessed the Mayo proprietary nasal spray would have worked this well as I have tried all of the normal nasal sprays with no help at all. I'll know for sure in a couple more months.

I would definitely have a meeting with an ENT specialist if you have not already seen one.

Happy to hear you won’t have surgery and that the Mayo helped. Looks like they gave you a good treatment plan. I did go to ENT but next time it will be at the Mayo. Thanks John.

@bride-you give excellent advice. Especially how you choose to focus on the way you speak to yourself about the sensation you have. Steam + Peppermint is a great way to soothe and provide relaxing inhalation.

When I see recommendation for sinus/nasal surgery I feel compelled to reply. The nasal cavity is not just for breathing. It performs about 50 other functions and is all connected to your cranial nerves and your central nervous system. ENTs view the nose/sinus cavity as a part and not an entire functioning process connected to the rest of the body. They have little to no clue about inflammatory processes and nerves as well.

Do not allow an ENT to rearrange an entire system that has developed to work together. It is truly messing with your genetic make up and Mother Nature.
And it is not the root cause of the issue.

We are told on here that we can’t make recommendations because we are not medical professionals. In that case, given this is a Mayo Clinic site, I would encourage any person considering a nasal/sinus surgery to look up Dr. Eugene Kern, whom worked for Mayo for 30+ years. Warning the ENT community about the trauma of nasal/sinus surgery.
Sometimes hearing/reading the way doctors speak to one another, is as honest as you will hear it.

You are so right. @nrd1, @johnbishop, @zaa and all. I followed you to this site, John, from 2 other sites. Didn't realize you're dealing with this nasal issue.

I just saw my ENT assistant and hearing doctor last month. My hearing is going, have constant tinnitus and chronic sinus congestion/infection. You just helped me so much!

I may just stay hard of hearing until it gets worse, due to cost and plumbing/issues/costs just found in my condo. Can't spend it twice! But, the sinus issue is pretty serious and I want it addressed. The ENT assistant basically told me to not see an ENT if I didn't want a nasal surgery since they generally do surgeries, or cochlear ear implants from others in area. I just need to breath better through my nose and with fewer infections. Perhaps my issues aren't as severe as yours.

She prescribed NeilMed nasal rinse as well. I love it. I use it at least once daily, should use twice daily. Just lazy at times. It helps me breath more easily, less drainage after the drainage it causes stops. Less congestion day to day. This has been great at this time since I'm dealing with severe headache and sinus/facial ache issues. I think related to mold just uncovered.

I wasn't told about the proprietary nasal spray. I'm emailing my ENT nurse today to ask about possibly ckg into me using this. Might be answer for a lot of us. I will not have nasal surgery either. My son had severe deviated septum, with no air on one side. He had nasal surgery by the best in town at that time. It was horrid! He had to go back into surgery a second time for a correction. No. Not going there. He suffered greatly in pain, lots of bleeding, long recovery. Breaths well now, but can't smell anything and taste is affected of course. So, not for me.

Thanks again, John. You're the best.
Blessings, elizabeth

@ess77 -Elizabeth-thank you for sharing your story and experience.

The only way to make people more aware of the damaging risks of all ENT surgeries are to speak up about them.

As a patient in an ENT office, you will never get the full real scope of the risks. If anyone thinks for one second an ENT surgeon actually documents the damage done to their patients and then repeats their statistics to a new prospective patient then they are naive. Every ENT is trained to say the same thing when it comes to risks/benefits. Only 10% of patients who ever present to an ENT will maybe find some benefit of their poor surgeries.

The nose is a fine organ system. Ask yourself...would you let someone cut into your liver, kidney or heart? The only reason these surgeries can be presented as “minimally invasive, is because your nose is already open to the environment. That is it. ALL surgery is invasive and is a trauma to the body. Never let an ENT downplay this.

90% of the reason you are having breathing issues does not have to do with your anatomy. Do not be fooled into thinking so.

Get to the root cause. This does not involve a scalpel or cutting out of parts.

Elizabeth-I am glad you encountered an honest assistant.

I had a deviated septum repaired 27 years ago without issue. I saw another ENT about 15 years ago, and he removed polyps from both nostrils, again without issue. I then had a sleep study done with the blessings of the ENT, and I have been using a Bi-Pap. I sleep, I breathe, and use saline to clear passages. There are quality ENT's in practice, and you may wish to locate one and set your biases to the side until you hear a definitive plan. I am 73 and am pleased to have been well treated.

@nrd1 and all. I agree with much you said in your last message. But, don't get the idea I'm negative about ENT in general. I'm not. There are good, excellent doctors in all fields, but I had a difficult experience with mine many years ago. Today, I only see Mayo docs when possible as I have so many different fun things to ck out! I had some difficult times with several doctors prior to Mayo and mis-diagnoses, no diagnosis and such and several very difficult emergency room experiences. I have been going to the Mayo Florida Clinic since 2019 and experienced excellent care, kindness and concern for my best. I now know what's really happening in this body and getting good treatment and advice.
I am not a candidate for sinus surgery. It would be very helpful, but not at this time in my life with what's happening with me. And, my son did have a tough time with his 2 nasal surgeries for the same issue, by a reputable doctor. So, it depends on the patient and personal needs, and on the doctor.

Blessings to you as you get these issues addressed....elizabeth