There is no doubt that my TN is much worse when my sinus issues flare up. I have used sinus saline nose washes and the have helped. The TN is still there but it does help with the pain. The TN pain at least doubles in frequency and measurable intensifies when my sinus are acting up.
I concur, definitely when I am congested the ATN is much more severe.
I've lived on nasal spray since I was about 12, a long time ago. It works for me.
One reason that I asked in an earlier letter , whether anyone had received any sort of official recognition of the possible interaction of facial neuralgia and sinus problems , was , that during the treatment that I had received over the years , from both ENT and the Pain Clinic , there was never any correspondance between the two departments , even though it was obvious that there was some kind of 'overlap' of the two conditions ... it seemed to me a very insular attitude and way of proceeding ... even though there literally only a brickwall between the two departments ... and perhaps metaphorically as well . During my appointments , mention of the possibility of there being a connection was ignored ... how dare I question a 'specialist' , or suggest any alternative approach !
Am I expecting too much ? ... and , am I alone in this experience ?
It is great to find others who have similar problems ... not that I would wish this pain on anyone ... but meeting you all , gives me hope , and makes me feel less isolated ... and not as if I were going out of my mind . Thank you all . Graham .
I agree with what you are saying. It is if they are saying there is no connection when it seems that it clear to me there is. When I am severe pain, as I am today, every episode of pain includes tears flowing from my left eye and usually my left nostril begins to run. And I might add that this usually takes place after the pain peaks and first starts to subside. Then after a few minutes the cycle begins again. The TN medicine does next to nothing when extra sinus issues crop up like they have now. I have wondered if sinus issues are part of the root cause of even the TN.
To be honest, I've never connected the 2. I guess I have always had all the extra pains when having a bad sinusitis attack. BTW, I also have MS + FMS. They believe that both have an effect on sinuses. In my first head MRI for MS they also specified that I have chronic sinusitis. As if I didn't know - lol.
There is definately a connection. My ATN was caused by sinus surgery 4 year ago and is definately worse when my sinuses are playing up. In addition to the pain I get a watering right eye and running right nostril. No specialist has ever connected the two and actually no one in the medical proffession appears to even want to discuss it. Lyrica works for me very well until I have a bad sinusitus attack then I will get break through pains. I find Tramadol helps with this.
OMG... yes I agree... My sinuses flared up after moving states in 2007. By 2010 they were so bad I had to have emergency surgery as I was losing balance. They drilled into my skull. I had that done in 4 different surgeries in 2010... Now its 2012... My sinuses are just as bad as ever... I don't even bother going to see my ENT Specialist anymore... All he was doing is wanting me to go to a private hospital and reopen the cuts I have at my eyebrows (which is now numb from the nerve damage NOT from Botox!!)... I have noticed a cycle... I have bad post nasal drip, it gets to my throat and I get a dry cough that I can't stop without Codeine. 4 days later the sinuses are so feral, I get to the point of 4-5 more attacks a day of TN. I go to docs, he says my body can't handle the stress, puts me on antibiotics, a week later I feel better, I might have 2 weeks where I can almost smell again, then BANG the cycle starts again... I have tried nasal sprays, even the ones that create the good bacteria I need for my nose to self repair, I have tried to do this with saline irrigation to the nose (I end up with a terribly sore throat from the saline and start to get croaky voice), I have tried herbal remedies, even hay fever over the counter meds... NOTHING!! I could cope with the extra attacks of painful TN but what I can't handle is loosing sleep. If I can get 6 hours straight then I think all my Xmas's have come at once!! With the sinus problems, I am lucky to sleep an hour without waking up choking! I sleep with 12 pillows so I sleep upright almost, its starting to hurt my back and quality of life... as if we don't have enough on our plates... Chronic Pain Sufferers... but to also have chronic sinusitis is like lighter fluid on an already burning out of control fire. My ENT made the connection and in the end he just GAVE UP! So if the best ENT in my state shrugs and says I can't help you, then you really know your screwed!!!!
Oh my word, this makes me feel so normal. The one side of my nose has been running since my TN started, but I can't find a lot about it on line. I have had three sinus surgeries over the years, and my TN started after a recent bad sinus infection. The infection is gone, been cleared and discharged by ENT but yet now TN, I think the atypical kind. I see a neurologist on Monday. My family doc started me on Neurontin. i'm only on 300 mg daily at this point and will increase from here. Good luck to you!
stephyb said:
There is definately a connection. My ATN was caused by sinus surgery 4 year ago and is definately worse when my sinuses are playing up. In addition to the pain I get a watering right eye and running right nostril. No specialist has ever connected the two and actually no one in the medical proffession appears to even want to discuss it. Lyrica works for me very well until I have a bad sinusitus attack then I will get break through pains. I find Tramadol helps with this.
Back to the beginning. On my first brain MRI the bottom line, in addition to MS, was chronic sinusitis on lower right. Like they told me something new. I guess there has always been a connection between sinus flares and extreme TN. Sometimes the TN is so bad that I pay less or no attention to the sinuses. I do, however, wake up every day with my LEFT eye watering and my nose running esp from the right nostril. So there you go.
I find lately that a combination of Lyrica and Tegratol through the day does help the TN, I think the Tegratol makes the difference.
I wonder why most western doctors don't think that sinus inflammation has `something' at least to do with TN. My TN is usually triggered by stressful crying/ break down followed by inflammed sinuses and a head ache. Then the TN flares up slowly but surely starting with a tooth ache or irritation around nostrils or the roof of the mouth. When I underwent Ayurvedic treatment for 3 weeks, they treated me for Sinusitis and my TN symptoms went away. But every time I cried hard, however much I wanted to avoid doing it...the TN just got triggered and I knew it was coming even though Ive been on ayurvedic medication continuously for the last 9 months!. Another trigger is a pressurised aircraft cabin. In spite of plugging my ears, the dry air and compression starts off a runny nose or violent sneezing ..another sinus attack and quickly followed by TN flare ups. I wish there were simple remedies for these and not anticonvulsives :( Maybe the Afrin spray that my ENT doc prescribed for use 1 hour before take-off, may be better than what one goes thru with TN later!!! Just thinking aloud :) Must try before my next flight !!
clyde3 said:
I agree with what you are saying. It is if they are saying there is no connection when it seems that it clear to me there is. When I am severe pain, as I am today, every episode of pain includes tears flowing from my left eye and usually my left nostril begins to run. And I might add that this usually takes place after the pain peaks and first starts to subside. Then after a few minutes the cycle begins again. The TN medicine does next to nothing when extra sinus issues crop up like they have now. I have wondered if sinus issues are part of the root cause of even the TN.
Graham said:
One reason that I asked in an earlier letter , whether anyone had received any sort of official recognition of the possible interaction of facial neuralgia and sinus problems , was , that during the treatment that I had received over the years , from both ENT and the Pain Clinic , there was never any correspondance between the two departments , even though it was obvious that there was some kind of 'overlap' of the two conditions ... it seemed to me a very insular attitude and way of proceeding ... even though there literally only a brickwall between the two departments ... and perhaps metaphorically as well . During my appointments , mention of the possibility of there being a connection was ignored ... how dare I question a 'specialist' , or suggest any alternative approach !
Am I expecting too much ? ... and , am I alone in this experience ?
It is great to find others who have similar problems ... not that I would wish this pain on anyone ... but meeting you all , gives me hope , and makes me feel less isolated ... and not as if I were going out of my mind . Thank you all . Graham .
No no no...Graham. I just chanced upon this TN related Sinus Group...and am I lucky to have found it. I have had chronic sinusitis since childhood thanks to my nasal anatomy - a deviated septum and right sinuses narrower than the left. That makes air travel a horror story...because of cabin pressure. My DH found these ear plugs called Airplanes which save me the ear pain and sinus inflammation resulting from ascent/descent. But....the other problem is the dry air that irritates my sinuses and sets off TN-like symptoms almost instantaneously. Hmmm...It may be worthwhile fixing the sinus problem first...
And I'd do anything to stay off anticonvulsives :)
Maris B. Mohr said:
I've lived on nasal spray since I was about 12, a long time ago. It works for me.
Hi Maris...so how does the nasal spray work for you. Does it keep the sinusitis at bay and so the TN?...im suffering from both ..so would be a great help to know. thanks