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.