36 yr old male, great health (until
recently). One pack a day smoker for 17
yrs.
About early august, I noticed a slight
tickle in my throat. I also was in the
middle of a long addiction to afrin due to
chronic sinusitis. I was out of town in a
class and was to see my ent when I
returned. I returned the 18th and
immediately went to an urgent care
facility. My throat felt as if something
was pushing it closed from the right side.
I had no trouble swallowing and no change
in voice. There were no noticeable lumps
other than the feeling in my neck. The
pressure seems to be outside of the
throat, but in the neck. The md gave me
prednisone and antihistamines.
3 days later, it was worse. The same md
did an x-ray and found nothing remarkable
and sent me home to finish the
prednisone.... When I swallow now, my
neck bones crack and pop (front side, not
vertebrae).... Further, I constantly
swallow air and have an inability to burp.
I quit the afrin cold just prior to the
first visit.
2 days later, even worse.... But now with
post nasal drip so bad that my throat is
burning also. I could not sleep for any
extended period of time. I have already
arranged an appointment with my ent for
the next week.
Ent places a tool into my nostril and
looks into my throat. He finds nothing
and sets a date for a ct scan and barium
swallow tests.
Two weeks later I re-visit the ent md
after the ct scan and barium swallow. Ent
advised of nothing found, no
growths/masses. Ent did note sinusitis
again as evident by cavity filled up. I
took up nasal irrigation with saline just
prior to this visit. Seems to be clearing
up the sinuses as I can sleep at night
without aid of nose spray to keep my nose
clear. There was a noticeable amount of
blood when I blew my nose after
irrigation... But has subsided. Still
ocassionaly, I get yellow rubbery
discharge after irrigation. I am assuming
pus.
Ent prescribes antibiotics........ Also
prescribed flexeril as he stated I may be
having muscle spasms in my neck.
Has been two weeks since last visit.
Throat is as bad as it has ever been
during the last month and a half to 2
month ordeal. Trouble sleeping. Energy
level is drained. Pains from the right
side of my neck radiate through my jaw
around my ear and eyes on the same side.
I had a revisit with my ent the other day.
I explained the pains, and the still
present neck pressure and pains. He
advised of chronic sinusitis.
Rhinosinusitis. He referred me to another
ent because he doesn’t surgeries
anymore. He stated I might have a
cyst/polyp that needs to be removed from
my sinuses. He also set me up another ct
scan for the new ent. From what was
shown to me of the ct scan, it does show
two masses, one in each cavity on either
side of my nose. Of course the tech
stated she could not advise me of what
they were. She would only state that the
areas should be black… which they were
not.
My new ent appointment isn’t until nov
8th, which is another month tacked onto
the two months of suffering so far.
Btw, my throat actually feels better when
I eat
Is it possible that the neck pains,
pressure, etc are side effects to the
rhinosinusitis?
Anything else I should consider? Any
experiences similar to mine?
Thank you for your time.
