Breathing through nose

Apparently you are on the same track as I am. I’m up the creek without a paddle. All the ENT s have said nothing there but have not offered any suggestions. I use the gels, the creams, the washes nothing has helped. How do I go about trying to get help. I’m desperate I’m miserable. My primary has told me I need to see a psychiatrist. I do feel like I’m going crazy with these smells and head pressure. What can stimulate nerves up in the nose

@gtl- first try to remain positive.
And do know that anytime a PCP or any health care provider can not “see” or understand what you are explaining, there next referral will be to a psychiatrist. So don’t allow that to deter you.

In order to provide some insight/advice, you would just need to provide more info.

-What was your initial diagnosis that deemed surgery necessary/needed for you?
-Did the ENT ever address the root cause of your symptoms?
-Did ENT explain to you that these surgeries do not stop/cure any systemic issues going on?
-Did ENT confirm your headaches were sinus related?
-Did you have underlying allergies, never addressed?
-How long did you experience issues, before opting for surgery?
-When you saw the multiple ENTs that you saw post surgery, did you explain to them that the cotton ball made one side of your nose feel better? If so did any one of them take the time to explain to you why that would be? Most likely not, because they have no idea how the nose functions. Words from an ENT, not from me.

Answers to your questions are no or they reinstate that there’s nothing up there all scans and MRIs are clear. The only diagnosis was for deveated septum. The cotton in nose got no response other than I don’t know. Tested for allergies, dx was rhinitis of sorts.

@gtl- you could see a Neurologist to navigate the nerve sensitization with you. They would most likely treat this as a migraine type situation. They see a lot of patients that originally had “sinus headache” complaints that actually were really migraine type headaches. Migraines refer to the nose as congestion. They are also referred many patients after sinus surgeries.

-the cotton ball relief, sounds like it is slowing, redirecting, warming air, before hitting the sensible nerve area.
The same way someone wears ear muffs to block the cold air from ear irritation and or exits a building into the cold and puts a scarf over their nose for protection. Both of these responses are to slow/adjust the nerve sensitivity to the external cold air, until the body adjusts.
-Nerve irritation in the nose can cause a sensation of head fullness. Kind of like the nerve that gets activated when cold drinks are taken into quickly, the “ice cream” headache. This nerve sits directly in the back of the nose.
-As far as anything that stimulates nerves, you actually want to desensitize the nerves. Hopefully you can find a Neuro to explain all of this.

So guess next step is to find a neurologist that doesn’t think I’m crazy and is interested in trying to help this 61 year old. The ENTS are less that interested and no one believes in ENS. Thank you for all your comments.

I sympathise with you since I I have similar symptoms, including thick, post nasal drainage but very little nasal drainage, intermittent nasal blockage, discomfort when air hits my nasal passages, and pain/pressure over bridge of nose, cheekbones, and around eye orbits. Sometimes causes overall fatigue and malaise. When it occurs at night I sometimes get a bit panicky and anxious.
I view my problems as caused by chronically diseased and inefficient mucosa, and a deviated septum. My ENT says anything he would do would be only palliative and might make it worse. Yet he also diagnosed my problem as mild to moderate chronic sinusitis. So do I just make too big a deal of it? The intensity varies but the impact is pretty constant. I find great comfort in MayoConnect and knowing that others have to deal with similar symptoms.
Below is a list all the self help approaches I find helpful. Some help more than others and sometimes they don’t work at all. Many of these are suggestions I have found in this group.
Nasal irrigation - I do this every evening and I do think its helps.
Inhalation with a drop of peppermint or eucalyptus oil in boiling water - really soothing
Nasonex nasal spray - I stopped this but resumed and feel it helps a little
Guaifenesin - thins secretions - not sure if helps much. Need to take lots of fluids with it
Sterile sea water spray - helps somewhat, but possibly a bit drying?
Humming - during an inhalation or in steamy shower. Vibrations may help to move mucous
Cold water splashed on my face and cold showers
Tapping over sinus areas - same principle as humming
Ginger drinks, drink hot and breathe in steam
Wet cloth over eyes and nose - very soothing
Nasal gel - Ii think this helps when nose is sensitive or dry. I am going to try “Ayr” as mentioned in this string
Mindfulness practice - It is normal to feel anxiety and panic when dealing with this kind of chronic problem. But if uncontrolled it can make the situation worse and even heighten pain. - I use the free Palouse mindfulness based stress reduction program based on the original work of Jon Kabat Zinn. https://palousemindfulness.com/MBSR/week1.html. it contains lots of good meditations.
Hope this helps others and I would appreciate additional approaches and advice members have have. All the best!

Well after string suggestion front ENT, primary care and gastro doc I saw a psychiatrist much to my dismay but anyway. With all of my complaints and physicians unable to find anything after two years I had to know if I was going crazy. Complaints and problems for 2 plus years of:
Trouble breathing through nose
Normal air breathing making me sick smells distorted
Stomach pain
Excessive weight loss
Depression because of feeling bad and concern of job performance
Head feels fuzzy
Not sleeping
Loss of concentration cognitive skills off
Feeling if something from head draining down into my stomach giving me all these feelings.
Have been on and off antidepressants and ambien. Tried remeron but didn’t work.
So therapist has put me on trazodone for sleep, Zoloft for depression and buspar as needed. Now I’m so drowsy dry mouth and still have all the above complaints. I need someone to try to understand. They are telling me my brain is not taking to my stomach.
Where to go??

@gtl- sorry you are experiencing this...

I have attached a case study. You can read it and see if what you had been explaining is similar to the person in this case. In the end they diagnose neuropathic and provide a therapy that seemed to work. Every person and perception is different. This is just an example of a case that has been documented.

I first had these kinds of problems when I had an ear infection followed by Eustachian tube dysfunction. I suddenly had constant thick drainage down the back of my throat. I had heard “post nasal drainage” mentioned but I didn’t really know what it was. I was concerned that it was drainage from the Eustachian tube. This concern annoyed medical people because it is not possible. They just dismissed it as drainage that occurs all the time but you are not aware of it. Well that was true but didn’t explain to me why I was suddenly aware, and bothered by it. They were unable to put themselves in the position of the patient. I subsequently understood that it was caused by damaged and inefficient mucosa that caused the drainage to become thicker and more bothersome. Just knowing what was going on rather than feeling I was somehow not “getting through” to my doctor helped me considerably. I thought it worth sharing my experience. Good luck with your search for answers.

Most interesting sounds hopeful but since I have seen 7 well established and highly recommend ENT’s and no one seems to offer ANY information or suggestions other than nose sprays and washes which I do. My difference from this study is there is no pain but the flow of air through the nose changes everything changing smells, making me feel fuzzy in the head and creating that sick feeling. After reading many many articles I think this might be related to nerve issues.
Do ENT Not treat patients with nose nerve disorder s 🤪🤪