Allergy Investigating
Your responses to my post from last year on allergy issues has inspired me to share my doctor's recent findings. I'm trying to piece together exactly why I struggle with sinus and ear issues and how best to cope with them.
After a year of weekly allergy shots,
my ENT required me to make an office visit for a procedure. He numbed
my sinuses and inserted a super skinny tube with a light in search of
polyps. While investigating, he told me I still had adenoids, or some
remains of them. Apparently, most people's adenoids are gone by
adolescence even if they aren't removed in childhood.
"Could this be why I get so many
ear infections?" I asked.
"Possibly," he answered.
Finally, a clue as to why I've
suffered beyond childhood with ear infections. Human ears, nose and
throat surely are a strongly trinity.
My history includes nose bleeds as a
child. Allergies became an issue during my teens. But the ear
infections never stopped. My mother wanted the doctor to take out my
tonsils. Those were the days when surgeons started to pull back from
performing this minor operation. Mom never heard of adenoids.
Was Mom on the right trail? One of my
doctors told her I had smaller than average ear tubes (not sure what it's called), keeping my ears
from properly drying. This can cause bacteria to build up and breed
infection. In spite of drying my ears after showering and avoiding
swimming, infections persisted. In summer heat, moisture from
perspiration may also be a culprit for those infections that
frustrate me.
Now I instill a drop of alcohol in
each ear after showering to dry up water and moisture. This may also
keep infection down by killing bacteria. I believe using a neti pot
to flush my sinuses, when allergy season is bad, helps reduce ear
infections as well as sinus infections.
Last year, when I posted about
beginning allergy shots, I had gum pain that turned out to be a badly
infected tooth that needed root canal. That's how painful sinus can
be. As I write this, my gum is throbbing. Another tooth infection? Or
sinus pain?
I receive allergy shots every other
week now. This is the second phase of a three year possible treatment
for allergies that may also be a factor in my ear issues. Small
improvement may be the result of the shots, along with my alcohol
regiment and neti pot. I'm experiencing less body moisture due to
natural aging. My guess is, this also helps with my nose running
less.
I'm no doctor and am grateful to those
who have aided me in pain relief. I'm just trying to figure out what
the whole story is with my sinuses and ears. Allergens surely have
been my silent enemy, but winter ear infections always boggled me.
Sinus issues and ear infections may
not be deadly, but the pain and recovery can significantly dim
quality of life. My wise ENT said that frequent and extended bouts of
pain and discomfort can slip one into depression, which can be
deadly. So many people suffer from these health issues. Thank you
again for the information you included in your comments to my last
post on this topic. I look forward to others.
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