wisdom teeth removal

O.k., so it's been a week; healing is going great, back on solids, etc. I am, however, dealing with kind of an odd side effect something or other.

The sinus area behind my nose/eyes is terribly congested, my ear on the left side is 'popped' and I can't seem to 'unpop' it. My nose is not runny and I can breathe just fine. Sometimes the congestion spreads to the ear area on both sides, and sometimes just my left ear (when I first noticed this, it was mostly the left side/ear). I'm getting spells where my face feels very warm and I end up with a dizzy spell.

Now, normally, I take Zyrtec D for allergies (1 daily, although I'm allowed 2). This started the day of the surgery, but I figured I was congested because I hadn't taken my allergy pill that day. I restarted them on Friday morning. This hasn't changed with the pill.

Yesterday, the pressure and popping seemed to be better. At my job, we get seated massages every now and then, and yesterday, I got one. I also took a second allergy pill in the afternoon, on the offchance that the antibiotic was causing the allergy pill to shoot through my system faster than normal. I felt fine all day. Obviously, I don't know which was the one that helped, or if NEITHER helped...

Today, the pressure is back and as bad as ever.

I am on antibiotics that the oral surgeon gave me. If I had an ear or sinus infection, it seems to me that the antibiotics would have knocked it out, by now. I talked to my oral surgeon (unfortunately, he's out of town on a family emergency and can't see me until Monday) and they're going to call in a different antibiotic for me, in case this is a side effect or allergy to the current one and that should help if it's an infection.

I'm not in any pain, honestly. I don't believe this is TMD, although I suppose it could be, but there really isn't any pain to speak of, at all. Just this intense pressure.

Has anyone else who had their wisdom teeth out experienced this pressure without pain thing? Do you remember what it was that was cayusing it for you? Did it go away?

I felt discomfort and pressure for at least 2 weeks after my surgery until it was fully healed...but from your post it sounds like you could have developed a sinus infection. The antibiotics should have knocked any infection out, but they dont work for every person. Try the knew antibiotic and if there is still no improvement in a week I would get checked out again. But if pain or fever come then go to the doctor or ER, cause that means infection. Good luck

Will do. Thanks!

It's good to know that someone else had the discomfort and pressure, at least. Hopefully, I'm just overreacting and this is similar to yours!

yeah it just felt weird back there you know....the skin healed over the holes but it still had a very big dips in there for a long time...but yeah those two weeks were weird....the pressure is a funny sensation....sounds like you are doing really well though....

I agree; I think I've been super lucky (especially compared to the other stories I've heard....). I think if this pressure thing is the worst that happens the whole time, then I really have nothing much to complain about.

The pressure seems to have gotten a little better. I think it may be some kind of referred sensation from the mouth... I think it only comes on after I've 'bumped' one of the areas back there badly enough to make it sore (like stabbed it with the corner of a chip or something like that). I've been trying to pay attention to when it happens but it's gotten better, so it's hard to distinguish.

Rosie H, I have the same holes. I can't see the top ones very well, but the one on the bottom left has no stitches left in it and the hole is slowly, but surely, closing up. The right one is still covered in stitches, so I can't really see down in.

I'm eating normally and just making sure that I irrigate very carefully afterwards, before rinsing with the mouthwash stuff, so that I know it's cleaned out well.

I know what you guys mean about the holes too. I thought i was going to be stuck with those forever! they come to get annoying. You feel and look healed, but you still have those huge holes that trap food every time you eat. Though it's entertaining to try and get the food out with your tongue, haha.
Mine fully closed/evened out in about 4 months.

Ugh, 4 months? Bleh. At least it's not painful, though, right? =0)

I'm starting to get a little concerned about the one on the left side (the wide open one). It seems that there's a 'scab' down in there and I'm worried that maybe it's not filling in anymore the way it's supposed to be.

I guess, though, if it can take 4 months, it probably is and I just can't tell because it's filling in so slowly....

Yeah... the good thing is they don't hurt anymore, and you can poke them all you want with your toothbrush so you get all the food out. I don't remember noticing any 'scab' like thing in any of the holes. They seemed all healed, just with a huge hole where the teeth used to be. I panicked too, i thought they would never close and that i would be stuck having to flush the food out of the holes for the rest of my life. Pheww! turned out they did even out, but they sure took their time!
So don't worry duchess, yours will even out too for sure. Just be patient.

Well, I finally have my post op. appointment, today, with the oral surgeon (it was supposed to be the 14th, but my surgeon had a family emergency, so it was pushed back). I'm sure he'll check them all out and make sure everything looks the way it's supposed to look.

Thanks, Biani, the time frame was a big help to hear!