Medical Questions » Nose and Sinuses Questions » Question No. 741
| Question: | My sinuses are always blocked. I can' t breathe through my nose, which runs constantly, and my face aches. Nothing seems to help me. What can I do? |
| Answer: | Those of you with the constant irritation and annoyance of a blocked nose and sinuses should work steadily through a ' therapeutic crescendo' . This means that you start with the simple remedies available over the counter from chemists, and gradually use the stronger medicines and procedures available from doctors.
The starting point is to use nasal decongestant sprays. To these can be added pseudoephedtine tablets (to be used with caution by people with high blood pressure) and then antihistamines (which may make you drowsy). If there is still no success, doctors can recommend stronger antihistamines, and some that will not cause drowsiness. More effective nasal sprays, that can be used long term to ptevent the problem, are also available on prescription.
If you continue to be blocked up, the last step in medication is to use mucus-liquefying drugs, and if these combinations fail, a minot procedure to wash all die ' gunk' out of your sinuses may be performed.
Physiotherapists can use ultrasound on the sinuses to break up the mucus and allow it to drain.
The last resort is surgery, to cut and burn away the mucus-secreting lining of the nose, remove some of the bones inside the nose, and to dtill larger drain holes into the sinuses. At some stage of this treatment crescendo, nearly everyone should receive some relief, but it is important to persevere with a doctor until you reach that point.
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