I. My present condition.
Everyday for the past 3 years, I feel
throbbing on the left side of my nose in
one place. It seems to coincide with my
heartbeat. About once every two days a
shooting pain originating in the middle of
my left eye shooting downward though my
eye will accompany the slight throbbing in
my nose. Then about once or more recently
twice a week, I will have an episode. The
episode is a throbbing pain in my left
nose that will increase and increase to a
point of extreme pain. It gets to the
point where I am nearly in a fetal
position. The pain in my eye becomes a
much greater shooting pain. It gets worse
and worse. My blood pressure starts to
increase and eventually goes into the
180s. I have tried many things to make the
pain stop, I have shot salt water though
my nose, I have used Afrin, Flonase,
Fluticasone, Nasonex, and Astelin. No
relief. I tried to use a Q-tip to apply
the medicine and salt water more
accurately. This led me to pushing a Q-tip
up the left side of nose. When I force
the Q-tip up my nose and through what
feels like under a bone, my ears pop and
the intense throbbing slows down
immediately, I even become dizzy. I feel
as if the Q-tip is creating separation.
The Q-tip head is often flat b/c of the
pressure needed to force the separation.
When inserted, the Q-Tip is completely in
my nose. I will leave it in their for 30
minutes. When I take it out, I will
usually have some dried blood and I will
often sneeze out some smalls scabs and
dried blood. I have been using this Q-tip
method for two years now. Sometimes the
Q-Tip method will not work because the
pressure is so tight I cannot force it
open. . I almost exclusively use the Q-tip
on my left nostril. Maybe once a month, my
nose will burn on both sides in the same
exact spots and I will put the Q-tip in
place on both sides; this also somewhat
helps. To clarify what “helps” means,
it brings the pain down to a level that I
can tolerate it.
To date, seven ENTs have said that the
Q-tip method is strange, but does not pose
a threat. I believe two ENTs have said not
to do it because “it might mess
something up.” My reply is I can no long
deal with the pain. It is the only thing
that gives me some sort of relief.
I have been to the ER due to the extreme
pain. I have gone as recently as three
weeks ago, and almost went last week. What
happens is they move me in quickly due to
my high blood pressure, and then give me
Xanex, take x-rays of my brain and then
move me out the door.
a. Other symptoms I am experiencing since
my 2003 surgery:
1. Sneezing: I sneeze violently 20 plus
times a day now. Prior to my surgery I
would not sneeze 20 times a month or maybe
a year and never so violently.
2. Ringing in my left ear: I often have a
ringing in my left ear that will last for
hours. It often follows when my left ear
pops. It is only on the left side. This
seems tohappen when the pain in my nose is
at is at its least. It sounds like
Tnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. When this happens, my ear
just feels weird, like there is water in
it or something and it often is itchy.
3. Ears popping: My left ear seems to pop
all the time now. It has popped six times
since i started writing this. Like the
ringing, it seems to happen when the pain
is at its least. I can’t recall the last
time my right ear has popped.
4. Dizzy: I often find myself getting
dizzy now.
5. Fatigue: I am very tired, will
decreasing desire to do anything (very
unlike me)
6. Nerves, restlessness: I am often on
edge and cannot sit and rest anymore.
7. Neck pain: I have increasing been
feeling nerve pain in my neck. I have no
idea if this related, but I find it
strange that i have never experienced it
before the last three years. This has seem
to become more intense in the last year.
On a scale of pain (with my nose being a
9., I would give it a
2. I can live with it.
8. Left shoulder blade: Let should blade
pain. I have had a throbbing in left
shoulder blade for six years. It feels
like a nerve is being compressed.
8. Depression: I feel like I am in a deep
hole looking up, and everyday it gets
deeper.
b. Personal Habits
I do not drink, and have never smoked or
used drugs, ever. I have always been an
athlete. Up until a year ago I was
working out the best I could, but all that
has ceased due to my constant daily
struggles.
c. Triggering Events
1. When I go on an airplane, I almost
always have an episode.
2. When i seem to drive long distances, I
almost always have an episode.
3. Weather changes, I almost always have
an episode.
4. For no reason, out of the blue I gets
episodes too.
d. Treating Physicians
In the last three years, I have seen nine
ENTs, and three neurologists. Only two
ENTs really listened to me. The others
just prescribed Flonase with really
looking at me. The two that listened
looked at my sinuses and said they seem to
be clear and I should be fine. The
neurologists, tell me to see an ENT. The
ENTs tell me to see a neurologist. There
has never been any real communication
between the two despite each sending back
forth like a ping pong ball and despite my
demands they speak. I also was told to see
an allergist. This has gone now for three
years and brought me to the brink. I was
tested and told no reactions over a plus
1.
I was told that it was not trigeminal
neuralgia b/c my pain is constant. I was
also told the ringing and general
headaches could be TMJ, but TMJ was not
the cause of nose pain.
II. Prior medical history
1997- Tonsillectomy
2004- Complete sinus surgery, including
polypectomy, turbinectomy, septum, and
left side nostril bone spur removed.
III. Questions:
What is odd to be is that the left side of
my neck has pressure points; my left
shoulder blade has one very hot point, and
my left side my nose has one extreme hot
point that has completely taken over my
life. Can this be related? Seems like an
odd coincidence
Could the sinus surgery in 2004 damaged my
nerve?
Could the bone spur removal in my left
nose have caused a hot point? I remember
waking up after the surgery and there was
this extreme hot spot on the left side of
my nose. That is the same spot that hurts
me today. Could that be the cause?
I am desperate. I have no more energy to
fight this.
, I would give it a
2. I can live with it.
