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Have Sore Ear, Pressure In Head, Watery And Itchy Eye. Looking For Proper Solution
Question: Hi I have been suffering with something since almost two months. My right ear has been sore since a long time but october of this year I was taken too my local hospital with severe pressure in the back of my head... It really scared me I Thought I took a stroke but they ruled everything out with a ct scan of my head there was no fluid or masses found. I find my head is continuously full and pressure and I have a constant post nasal drip. My doctor found no rebounding light in my right ear and it I always like its cracking. I am continuously rubbing my head to relieve the fluid and oddly it works. When I put my head back it feels like everything is cracklying I can hear it. I have been on three rounds of antibiotics it gets better but I find the damp weather really bothers me. I am getting really depressed!!! I also have watery and itchy eyes and the bridge of my nose feels extremely blocked!!!
Hi
Thanks for posting the query
Soreness in the ear could be due to blockage of the Eustachian tube (the tube connecting nose and the ear). Severe pressure over the back of the head with post drip is one of the features of sinusitis. Hence, during sinusitis there can be blockage of the Eustachian tube making the ear very painful.
Rest, all the other features mentioned by you are also in favor of sinusitis and more specifically, sphenoidal sinusitis.
To explain to you in detail; along with various other structures, the facial skeleton comprises of multiple paranasal sinuses. The paranasal sinuses are a group of four paired air-filled spaces that surround the nasal cavity (maxillary sinuses), above the eyes (frontal sinuses), between the eyes (ethmoid sinuses), and behind the ethmoids (sphenoid sinuses). The functions of these structures are to increase the respiratory surface, phonation, making the skull light, etc.
All these sinuses open into the nose. Whenever, there is recurrent nasal infection, the opening of these sinuses block giving rise to various other problems such as headache, nasal block, pain around the eyes, earache, post nasal drip, sore throat, cough, etc.
Blockage and infection of the particular sinus can be perceived around the area surrounding the sinus. In your situation, the pain is over the back of the head which is typical of sphenoidal sinus problem. Similarly, the maxillary sinus related problems is perceived over the either side of the nose and those of the frontal sinus over the fore head and behind the eyes.
My advice to you is to consult a good ENT specialist and request for a CT scan of the paranasal sinuses. CT scan will be able to identify the problems in the sinuses; based on the report, further management can be planned.
Also, you need to follow the suggestions below:
1. Drink plenty of warm water – this helps in improving the blood circulation, keeping the mucosa moist and relief from pain.
2. Try taking anti-inflammatory medicines such as diclofenac or ibuprofen for the pain relief.
3. A mucolytic such as bromhexine or ambroxol reduces the viscosity of the secretions and facilitates easy clearing of the thick secretions from the sinuses.
4. Use saline nasal spray followed by steam inhalation 3-4 times a day - this helps in removing the thick secretions from the sinuses and thus reduces the nasal block, earache and headache.
5. Also, avoid smoking/chilled food & beverages/alcohol/coffee till you recover.
Hope I have answered your queries; I will be available for the follow-up queries.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
Thanks for posting the query
Soreness in the ear could be due to blockage of the Eustachian tube (the tube connecting nose and the ear). Severe pressure over the back of the head with post drip is one of the features of sinusitis. Hence, during sinusitis there can be blockage of the Eustachian tube making the ear very painful.
Rest, all the other features mentioned by you are also in favor of sinusitis and more specifically, sphenoidal sinusitis.
To explain to you in detail; along with various other structures, the facial skeleton comprises of multiple paranasal sinuses. The paranasal sinuses are a group of four paired air-filled spaces that surround the nasal cavity (maxillary sinuses), above the eyes (frontal sinuses), between the eyes (ethmoid sinuses), and behind the ethmoids (sphenoid sinuses). The functions of these structures are to increase the respiratory surface, phonation, making the skull light, etc.
All these sinuses open into the nose. Whenever, there is recurrent nasal infection, the opening of these sinuses block giving rise to various other problems such as headache, nasal block, pain around the eyes, earache, post nasal drip, sore throat, cough, etc.
Blockage and infection of the particular sinus can be perceived around the area surrounding the sinus. In your situation, the pain is over the back of the head which is typical of sphenoidal sinus problem. Similarly, the maxillary sinus related problems is perceived over the either side of the nose and those of the frontal sinus over the fore head and behind the eyes.
My advice to you is to consult a good ENT specialist and request for a CT scan of the paranasal sinuses. CT scan will be able to identify the problems in the sinuses; based on the report, further management can be planned.
Also, you need to follow the suggestions below:
1. Drink plenty of warm water – this helps in improving the blood circulation, keeping the mucosa moist and relief from pain.
2. Try taking anti-inflammatory medicines such as diclofenac or ibuprofen for the pain relief.
3. A mucolytic such as bromhexine or ambroxol reduces the viscosity of the secretions and facilitates easy clearing of the thick secretions from the sinuses.
4. Use saline nasal spray followed by steam inhalation 3-4 times a day - this helps in removing the thick secretions from the sinuses and thus reduces the nasal block, earache and headache.
5. Also, avoid smoking/chilled food & beverages/alcohol/coffee till you recover.
Hope I have answered your queries; I will be available for the follow-up queries.
Regards
Dr. Naveen Kumar N.
ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Dr. Naveen Kumar Nanjasetty
Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist
Practicing since :2001
Answered : 2540 Questions
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