Sinuses....
Hi all....well, this seems to be the week for sinus troubles! I have noticed that the 'shoulder seasons' --Spring and Fall, cause a lot of havoc here in So Cal because of the Santa Ana winds. A lot of pollen and irritants get blown our way...plus, those of you who are sensitive to changes in pressure....are also the ones with a combination of allergies and slight colds from time to time. Kinda like 1+1=3 sort of dynamic.
All the previous advice from cdavis, cliffgollus, and everyone else whose written sounds right to me: I hadn't heard about the no-no on caffeine, wine, and beer (aren't two of those major food groups?) I can't live without those!!
---Yes, oral cortisone (usually a short 'burst' for at most three weeks) works wonders on the sinus lining that is inflamed and in the process is growing thicker, if there is no infection present although sometimes it is prescribed in combination with antibiotics when the sinuses are tightly shut. (Chronically irritated sinuses are more sensitive and easily damaged by changes in pressure and lack of ambient moisture....especially when they are not given time to heal properly. Hear me, Sven?)
Normal sinus tissue is very thin, lies flat against the bony cavities, and will allow water to flow freely in--and out. Remember those akward moments when your sinuses would spontaneously 'dump' water out your nose hours after swimming? Well, it seems that years of exposure to cold, allergens, etc. causes the lining to sometimes become thicker and occlude the sinus openings. 'Polyps' or little protrusions can grow from the sinus lining (actually they are the same tissue, just more of it) and can prevent the sinuses from emptying freely. What you don't want are the sinuses to become closed 'pockets' in your head: bad things, like germs and especially fungus, can grow in a warm moist environment like that....and cause long-term problems I won't mention here.
The good news is that there are ENT docs out there who like to dive too...and the armory of treatments is growing daily, it seems. The bad news is that to achieve a long-term goal of a freediving lifestyle, you must be compliant and obey what your doc tells you to do....to the LETTER.
You may have to give up a few months of diving to allow badly damaged surfaces to heal. The net gain is a better diving experience overall in the course of your lifetime. Surely a 6 month break is a better trade when you can gain many years of painless diving. It really is worth it.
I don't want to meet any of you in Surgery with such chronically abused sinuses that we do a biopsy and find something not easily cured.
Please, remember, if any part of the body is continuously traumatized and not allowed to heal, it may cause growth of cells that are abnormal. Trust me, you don't want that.
I will search the 'net and see what I can find out from the Medical Forums...I'm new to this site, so perhaps Papa Smurf can forward some links for me to browse. I have a few colleagues who dive....I'll find out what they say too.
---BTW, if any of you fellas have a history of broken nose, consider that it might be contributing to your difficulty. A diagnosis of Deviated Septum can also cause some misery with sinus problems...all due to blockage.
In my opinon, if you are having chronic problems with your sinuses, there must be some underlying cause. Consider treating the cause and not the symptoms.
My sincere sympathies. I've had troubles of this kind as well.
P.S.
Sorry if this reply sounds like the lecture from Mom. No offense intended.