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What Causes Stiff Swollen Head And Pulling Nerve Sensation In The Head?
Question: This question is targeted to an ENT (ear/nose/throat) specialist:
My mother is 77 years old and has a host of medical ailments including fibromyalgia, diabetes, and arthritis. One of the things that bothers her the most is the constant pain that she experiences in the head. A naturopath she has seen very recently says that this is due to a chronic sinus infection. The head symptoms are very severe, long lasting (over years), and are as follows:
- Head stiff; feels sticky
- Head feels swollen / feels pressure in head
- Sensation of nerves in the head pulling
- Forehead – similar pulling sensation
- Head burns
- Eyes very tired
My mother gets lot of mucous in mouth and throat and has a watery nose.
My questions are:
- Do you concur that the head symptoms may be attributable to a chronic sinus infection?
- What test or tests would conclusively confirm this?
- Assuming this is chronic sinus infection, what treatment plan should she be following to permanently get rid of this condition? (Today, she gargles with salt water, takes hot/steamy shower in the morning, keeps head elevated when sleeping, and uses a nasal herbal stick. But, these steps have not helped to ease her symptoms.)
My mother is 77 years old and has a host of medical ailments including fibromyalgia, diabetes, and arthritis. One of the things that bothers her the most is the constant pain that she experiences in the head. A naturopath she has seen very recently says that this is due to a chronic sinus infection. The head symptoms are very severe, long lasting (over years), and are as follows:
- Head stiff; feels sticky
- Head feels swollen / feels pressure in head
- Sensation of nerves in the head pulling
- Forehead – similar pulling sensation
- Head burns
- Eyes very tired
My mother gets lot of mucous in mouth and throat and has a watery nose.
My questions are:
- Do you concur that the head symptoms may be attributable to a chronic sinus infection?
- What test or tests would conclusively confirm this?
- Assuming this is chronic sinus infection, what treatment plan should she be following to permanently get rid of this condition? (Today, she gargles with salt water, takes hot/steamy shower in the morning, keeps head elevated when sleeping, and uses a nasal herbal stick. But, these steps have not helped to ease her symptoms.)
Brief Answer:
a CT PNS will put more light
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for the query.
The symptoms you have described may or may not be attributed to sinus infection.
The way to confirm is a CT scan para nasal sinuses and sometimes a diagnostic nasal endoscopy is also done.
Presuming these symptoms to be because of sinusitis, steam inhalation and mucolytic along with nasal decongestants for few days should help.
if CT shows some finding which needs surgical intervention, endoscopic sinus surgery will be required.
Otherwise steroid nasal sprays take care of minial symptoms.
Please see an ENT and get the patient investigated.
Feel free to ask another query.
Regards
a CT PNS will put more light
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for the query.
The symptoms you have described may or may not be attributed to sinus infection.
The way to confirm is a CT scan para nasal sinuses and sometimes a diagnostic nasal endoscopy is also done.
Presuming these symptoms to be because of sinusitis, steam inhalation and mucolytic along with nasal decongestants for few days should help.
if CT shows some finding which needs surgical intervention, endoscopic sinus surgery will be required.
Otherwise steroid nasal sprays take care of minial symptoms.
Please see an ENT and get the patient investigated.
Feel free to ask another query.
Regards
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. Shanthi.E
Answered by
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