Hello Everyone,

I have been dealing with chronic nasal obstruction for about a year
now. I've been to 5 ENT docs and have gotten varying opinions. I had
submucous cautery done to my inferior turbinates back in mid May, but,
I still have head and facial pain, loss sense of smell, and the
inability to breathe through my nose most of the time. My Ct Scans
show no sinus infection and only a moderately deviated septum, but, in
2 different places.

The Doc that did the cautery on my IT's said that it would be best to
leave the septum alone. I went to see Dr. Steven Houser in Cleveland,
Ohio last Monday. After scoping my nose and reviewing my Ct Scans, he
said that my turbinates don't look too bad and advises against any
further reduction of my IT's at this time. He did say that I should
have a septoplasty done, though. I told him that when I look up my
nostrils with a flashlight, I can see that my middle turbinates are
huge and swollen and obstructing my breathing and sense of smell. He
showed me the scan and said that they really aren't that big. My nasal
passages look so small and pushed in. I can clearly see both my IT's
and MT's are pushed into my passages against my septum and blocking my
breathing and ability to smell.

After listening to my symptoms and complaints, Dr. Houser said that I
might have a condition known as (or similar to) barosinusitis. He said
that targeted, conservative sinus sugery with specific focus on the
ethmoid sinuses might be a good idea along with the septoplasty, but,
before having sinus surgery, he said I must see a neurologst to see if
there is anything else causing my head and facial pain besides sinus
and nasal swelling.

I am at a loss as to what to do. Even taking 3 or 4 twelve hour
sudafeds in a 24 hour period doesn't do much. I doubt having sinus
surgery will do much to open up my nasal passages and shrink my middle
and inferior turbinates. If anyone has any advice for me, it would be
greatly appreciated. I just want to breathe normally again and be able
to smell.