...I did a CT scan and showed inflammed mucosa of all the sinuses. That blocked the sinuses so I couldn't equalise therefore I got the forehead pain...
treatment I received by a good allergy doctor (I have spring pollen allergy) :
6 days on cortisone pills, then antibiotics for 12 days (right now I am taking antibiotics) and another 6 days of cortisone pills.
It feels much better already and also on diving!
another option for blocked sinuses I have heard yesterday by a diver friend is laser treatment, they cauterise the foramens so it stays open and the built up is clearing for months... anyone else know about this treatment option?
FESS is another option, but takes longer to rehabilitate (you can see a relevant thread). Laser, from what i have heard, has minimal -close to zero-recovery time....
...
I had a similar experience in America a few years ago. The Dr. gave me a CT scan at that time & suggested a common over-the-counter-medicine (the name of which escapes me), which I think was a mixture of ibuprofen* and some other medicine. He offered a spray but knowing that I prefer not to take medicines unless absolutely necessary - he said it might actually make things worse! Although I had not previously had allergy issues, I think I had become allergic to the pollen in the area as other family members had, in one case very seriously. April was the worst month for us (lots of tree pollen) & we lived in a "city" that was basically a forest with houses (mainly maples & conifers). Even now, we often head to the coast in April for some relief, although things seem much better for us back here in the UK. A retired neighbour recently moved to Australia and soon aquired asthma and pollen allergies ...so perhaps it has something to with pollens that you are not used to? Several other Brits in the same area as us, especially the women, got asthma, allergies and/or ecsema (sp?) after 2 years of being there; a Chinese friend told me many of the Chinese in the area aquired similar problems, although usually after 4 years in the area.
April & early May was bad for us but there are several other times which can affect different people in different ways (grass pollen, weed pollen, mold spores,...). Spring & Summer are usually worse but I read somewhere that you can even get pollen in January!
If it continues or gets worse, I'd suggest you go back to the doctor. It is possible to get a sinus infection that requires antibiotics...if left untreated, things can get
very nasty.
I'm not familiar with the operation that you mentioned but it seems a bit drastic if this is the first time you have experienced this. That said, if it helps keep the nose clear it might well avoid more serious problems - although I would personally avoid things which circumvent your body's natural defenses, unless they are harming you. Did you doctor check for nasal polyps?
I would think antihistamines might also help but consult a physician first (even though you can get these over-the-counter in the USA), if you have a sinus infection it might make things worse.
*Some people are allergic to ibuprofen (20% of asthmatics). Some people become allergic to ibuprofen with the onset of asthma, which can occur in your 30s, 40s,...,70s,...?
