Sinus inflammation without usual sinusitis symptoms? (sinuses, allergy, x-rays, pain)

[pet1984]

I'm in Texas, which has had some bad mold issues since the big floods earlier this year. And the fall allergies has started up here, and everyone appears to be affected to some degree.

Back in April, I got a bad URI and was prescribed clindamycin. I had discolored discharge from my nose and throat, some of which was streaked with blood. Since then, I've had some minor congestion issues. I went back in early August for the issues and my doctor gave me amox clavulanate. Not sure if it worked, but then later that month, I started my dental work. After my root canal on a lower premolar two week ago, the dentist prescribed amoxicillin 500mg (2x/day) to clear the infection.

In late August, I had some fillings done on my maxillary left premolars and molar #1. The fillings on the premolars were a bit deep while the molar's was just average. Since then, I've on and off experienced some minor aches from that area - nothing sharp or stabbing. Just dull and lingering. In addition, I've had headaches and pressure in my head (forehead, temples, around my eyes, back of my head closer to my ears).

My dentist adjusted the fillings three times in total, but that weird ache is still there (predominantly now in the upper molar but it's hard to be exact). The new dental x-ray doesn't seem to suggest he over-drilled and hit the root either during the fillings. On the third fillings adjustment last week (Sep. 27), he looked at my x-ray and noticed the sinus area above those teeth (the area should be darker than it was). He then suggested I have some allergies and that that could be causing the pain. My next dental appointment isn't scheduled until Oct. 26 (more fillings).

Since this weekend following my most recent dental fillings adjustment, I've been using my relatively new neti pot with a pre-mix solution of sodium bicarbonate (that came with the pot) with some added pink salt to drain my nasal passages. My mucus is clear and nothing gross has come out of my passages. I've had infections in the past so I've seen some absolutely nasty stuff in my discharge.

Since I realized that I bought my neti pot almost three months ago I replaced it last night with a NeilMed sinus rinse (a squeeze bottle that shoots the rinse straight up into the nostril, which comes out the other nostril). I used it twice yesterday, and twice today with the pre-mix solution that comes with it. Made sure to disinfect it thoroughly before each use, too, as directed. Anyway, my nasal discharge is still clear after each rinse. Shouldn't there be evidence of some discolored or bloody nasal discharge if it's causing the pain in my maxillary molars? I blew my nose last week and saw a speck of blood, but that could've been from blowing my nose too hard (which isn't unheard of for me).

It's only been about four days since I started doing nasal rinses. And apparently I didn't know you had to rinse both sides? I assumed just doing one was enough. I had only been irrigating the right nostril all this time until I Googled a neti pot video on Monday! I do notice some temporary relief on the right side where my upper teeth hurt, but the dull ache and congestion (my nasal breathing is a bit strained, especially on the side where my teeth ache) typically returns within an hour or two. Is that normal?

In addition, I bought an air purifier for my room, and have vacuumed my room's carpeting for dust. Also washed my sheets and put a hypoallergenic case protector on my pillow.

I realize I'm impatient. I just don't want this to actually be a dental issue (i.e., another root canal, but my dentist says that's only a last resort). And going back to my doctor seems pointless because he might prescribe another antibiotic (if the amox clavulanate and amoxicillin didn't help, I doubt anything else will... I might have some resistant bugs, too). I just really want some relief as I'm also a caregiver and I can't help my relative if I'm also sick.

I'm sure someone will suggest adding GSE to my rinse, but please clarify if it's grapefruit seed extract or grape seed extract as they're very different things. And if it has to be liquid extract added to the rinse, or if I can just take it in capsule/pill form. Links to the exact products would help, too.

[Mikala43]

My sinuses become inflamed without mucus and other symptoms. When they are bad they make my top teeth hurt. Another time I woke to an excruciating headache and I had to literally crawl out of bed slowly, I thought I was dying..... off the ER.... it's sinuses. But no symptoms.

It really hard to tell.

[OhZone]

OP you have taken a lot of anti-biotics. You now need to replenish your natural gut flora. Get some probiotics.
Also do the research on Candida to see if you have any of the other symptoms.

You said that when you blew your nose the mucous that came out was clear.....was any of it white or translucent? That would be Candida yeast.

[pet1984]

Originally Posted by OhZone

OP you have taken a lot of anti-biotics. You now need to replenish your natural gut flora. Get some probiotics.
Also do the research on Candida to see if you have any of the other symptoms.

You said that when you blew your nose the mucous that came out was clear.....was any of it white or translucent? That would be Candida yeast.

When I blow my nose, my discharge is clear. When I hock up some discharge from my mouth (especially after a sinus rinse), it's clear with some minimal white bits. I just quit eating dairy again about a week ago. Prior to then, I started eating dairy (about two months worth) after avoiding most of it for years. I noticed my mucus was whiter/thicker when I ate dairy. I feel the most congested at the top of my chest/below my throat most of the time.

I only did two sinus rinses yesterday, and four the day before hand. I'm not sure it's helping. Maybe it's just causing me to produce more mucus?

Here is an average day for me:

- Wake up at 10AM (I work evenings). I don't eat breakfast.
- Rinse my mouth out with Listerine Naturals for 30 seconds.
- Brush with Kiss My Face sensitive toothpaste with fluoride for 2 minutes. I have been using a manual lately because my Oral B Vitality powered toothbrush made those restored teeth ache (or so it seems).
- RECENT ADDITION: Apply a 0.04% fluoride gel to my teeth for 1 minute, spit out. After 30 minutes, I rinse with water.
- Come home around 2PM for lunch break.
- Run for 20-30 (lately only 20) minutes on the indoor treadmill. Do this at least 6x a week.
- I try to rehydrate after every run, but sometimes I slack. And sometimes I don't drink enough water before running.
- Shower.
- Eat lunch.
- Rinse mouth with battery powered oral irrigator (Conair). I've been using this one for about two weeks. It's a lot weaker compared to my old irrigator (an H2ofloss model), which I returned to Amazon. The old one was quite strong, even on the lowest setting. I imagined all that water pressure on my restored teeth was causing sensitivity. Yet even with the new, comparatively weaker Conair model (which has two settings, low and high), my teeth with fillings still feel sensitive after irrigating. I only use it for like 10-20 seconds to remove food particles between teeth. The ache lingers after. As of last night, I stopped using the Conair model, hoping that might be why my restored teeth are sensitive. However, those filled teeth feel a bit sensitive right now so there goes that theory. All I ate for lunch today was a meat bun, and I generally just chew on the opposite side that has no fillings yet.
- Return to work.
- Come home, shower again (remove outdoor allergens on clothes, skin, and hair as well as sweat).
- Eat late night dinner.
- Repeat dental ritual, but instead of using fluoride gel after brushing, I use a 0.02% fluoride rinse (Natural Dentist brand, alcohol free). Spit out fluoride rinse after 1 minute, rinse with water 30 minutes later.
- Try to go to bed between midnight and 2AM. I have terrible sleep issues. I used to take a lot of supplements such as melatonin 10mg, Valerian root, l-theanine, lemon balm, l-tryptophan, chamomile - usually all at once. Now I pop a Zolpidem and that works about 75% of the time.

Other supplements I regularly take every day and have taken for quite some time: acidophilus (generic store brand, 1 billion flora formula), vegetarian friendly calcium supplement with vitamin D and magnesium (4 capsules=100% of calcium requirement), and vitamin C 500mg. I ceased the calcium and vitamin C when I was taking the amoxicillin after my root canal as I read those could interfere with the antibiotic's effectiveness. Resumed once I finished the amoxicillin.

My nagging headaches (which feel worse with sitting) and lingering dull aches in my restored upper teeth are still intact. I figure this is just how it is and I have to live with it. I cannot afford another root canal at the moment (the premolar root canal alone was $550), if that would even help. I read online at other sites that sometimes deep fillings will just ache and be sensitive for months after the procedure. I don't know if that's true. My dentist said to avoid applying direct water pressure to my teeth and I thought I was by only shooting the irrigator water stream between my teeth.

My nasal passages as of this write up are clear and don't feel stuffed up there. So I'm guessing that has no effect on my upper teeth ache and all that nasal rinsing was for naught. I still feel congested in my throat.

[pet1984]

Well, I gave in and made an appointment with my doctor tomorrow afternoon. I imagine he could at least confirm it's a sinus issue, not dental. I mean, if my dentist hasn't found just cause with the premolar fillings and molar #1 filling after three adjustments, and he suspects it's allergy related because of the maxillary area on my x-rays being gray as opposed to black, then the simplest reason I can think of is sinuses. The sensation I feel comes from the upper molar region anyway, not the premolars. The fact that I had fillings on some upper teeth seemed like a confusing coincidence.

I feel more of a pressure on my upper back molars than an actual sharp toothache of sorts. Along with the stuffiness, a tired jaw, all day headaches, and pressure in my forehead and sometimes around my eyes, I'm concluding this is a sinus problem, not dental. It's been over a few weeks (maybe over several months if I'm considering the previous issues even before I went to the dentist back in mid-August) and I'm just done feeling terribly on and off. I work 7 days a week alone to provide for my mother and I can't continue doing that if I'm sick myself.

My nasal discharge is clear and not discolored yet I feel congestion welling up in my throat when I do a nasal rinse. Speaking of, I do feel a minor bit of relief in the teeth when I do the rinse. Even more so (albeit temporarily) when I suck on a menthol lozenge. I just don't think the rinsing is enough at this point (it's been a week). I don't know if my doctor will prescribe another antibiotic (amoxicillin clavulanate and amoxicillin have had no effect), and the side effects I've read online for the stronger antibiotics (i.e. Levaquin) are admittedly scary.

I read on another site about a patient who felt that her bite changed overnight, and her upper molars hurt, too. Her dentist didn't find a dental cause and it turned out that it was a maxillary sinus infection all along. The sinuses pushed so much onto her teeth that it almost seemed like it changed her bite. Well, I can only hope this is the case for me as well. I want to feel better.

[pet1984]

Well, I went in to see my doctor. Cost me $51 and he only spoke to me for less than five minutes before sending me on my way. Sigh. I tried to explain everything I could as quickly as possibly since I read the average time for doctors cutting you off to speak is about 14 seconds. They got that right. He doesn't think it's a sinus infection because of how long it's lasted (3-4 weeks), but he said my ear was a bit closed up. I told him I had been nasal rinsing and maybe that could've caused that. He prescribed Bactrim DS after trying to prescribe amoxicillin (I told him I had just done amox. clavulanate and amoxicillin...), but that's not specifically for sinusitis, right? Anyway, he prescribed more Singulair and told me to take some Allegra since it's ragweed season in Houston till Thanksgiving.

I barely slept last night having woke up around 5AM even after taking an Ambien at 1AM. I can't seem to get more 6-7 hours sleep with an Ambien... I have felt terrible all day because of that I assume. The pressure on my right upper teeth seems to have switched to the left side? Ugh.

Is Bactrim DS tolerable (as far as antibiotics go)? Drugs.com has a lot of negative reviews for it.

[wit-nit]

Prednisone knocks out my severe sinus problems, almost immediately, did your doctor discuss this with you.

[pet1984]

He only spoke to me for like less than 5 minutes before seeing me out. :/ I actually wanted to ask about prednisone, but alas no. He just said it's seasonal (ragweed) allergies and gave me more Singulair and Bactrim DS. I've opted to hold off on the Bactrim DS.

[Mikala43]

I would just sit there and tell him I had more questions, or, find another doctor.

Have you been allergy tested? If you know it's allergies, have you tried the most common OTC? Flonase and the like?

[pet1984]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

I would just sit there and tell him I had more questions, or, find another doctor.

Have you been allergy tested? If you know it's allergies, have you tried the most common OTC? Flonase and the like?

Sadly I'm not that "aggressive" and have been trained by years of customer service to be acquiescent. I even wrote all my thoughts on a piece of paper to remind myself and he just kept cutting me off. I do need to find another doctor, but money is tight as I'm an unpaid caregiver.

Anyway, no, I've never been tested for allergies. The ragweed count in the area is extremely high right now so I believe that is the culprit for a lot of people's allergies.

I took a Zyrtec with the Singulair and Mucinex last night and my nasal passages are pretty clear today, and the pressure on my teeth is minimal. It was more noticeable after I ate some oatmeal for lunch before my deep cleaning session at the dentist today. So I can only hope things get better than worse without the Bactrim DS. My doctor recommended Allegra, but I already had a bottle of Zyrtec lying around.

I also made sure to drink plenty of water, more so than I already do, with the pills and supplements I take (calcium/magnesium/vitamin D, acidophilus, and vitamin C).