i will never surf again!

Glad to hear it. Music to my ears. One less kook in the water.

 

Micah, I had my sinus' bored out when they repaired a deviated septum. All of it was based on the sizes and locations of the "drains" (for the lack of a better term) in the sinus cavities. Everybody's sinus' are different. Mine had relatively small drainage holes and some are not at the lowest point in the cavity, trapping mucus and/or seawater (with all it's little micro organisms) in certain sinus cavities. I don't dive as much as I used to, but it's still part of my job and sinus infections from saltwater were definately common.

The "roto-rooter" and sinus flushes definately help. The flush is basically the same as a neti-pot, but you don't have to crank your head to the side. I think NeilMed makes both.

Wrong thing to do? Did you lose your sense of smell?

 

yessssssss

 

I think the actual term isw FESS http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_endoscopic_sinus_surgery

 

Allowed me to breathe better, but just made my allergy symptoms worse since the nose was more open.

 

Allergy shots, man. They seriously changed my life.

 

But seriously did you lose your sense of smell.....

 

I've heard some people report being worse off after the surgery and wishing they hadn't done it.

 

definitely... i'll prob do the allergy shots.

 

I had "nasal" polyups a few years ago, and like most guys I put off going ot the Dr forever. When I finally went he said I was 100% blocked on one side, and 98% on the other! I don't know if that is what your situation is making the sinus infections worse, but with this condition you have an allergic reaction (mine was dust) and the membraines in your sinus get inflamed. When the membraines are inflamed, your natural tendency is to blow your nose, but with an alergic reaction it is not caused by mucus, but by the membraines in the sinus cavity being irritated. Long/short, blowing your nose does nothing to alleviate the problem, and by blowing your nose you create polyups. You have 8 sinus cavities on each side of your head, and when you force blowing your nose, the polyups build in the back and eventually work their way close to your nose.

I had heard horror stories about the surgery (ripping you open, long recovery, etc). However, my doctor used a method where they basically snaked something down your nose and conducted the surgery looking at a video screen. I was 100% back to normal within 3 days, and back to work in 2. Just go to the doctor and get it checked out, if it is polyups its an easy fix. Good luck!

 

So you're really never surfing again?

No offense but,

One down.... 499,999 to go!!!!


Good luck with your new sport!

 

Agreed one LESS KOOK in the water.

 

I constantly feel like I have something in my nose and feel the need to Cough like I have something caught in my throate. Dr said its post nasal drip but I have had it for long I have surfed all year long since I was 14 Iguess. Dr's said my PND is allregy related so I take Allegra which I have told them it dont so squat . I get more out of a sinus rinse twice a day

It sucks that I have to cough and clear my throat all the time

 

the same thing happens to me. I'll get so clogged up that i can feel the **** dripping down the back of my throat sometimes (also post nasal drip). I also get MASSIVE nosebleeds that sometimes last over an hour and get to the point where I'm so lightheaded I can barely stand. Trust me, if it gets as bad as I am go to an ENT and he will def help. No need to quit surfing, just invest in a doctor's appt

 

It's interesting to me that many surfers suffer from these intense sinus issues. I'm a Riverkeeper and I believe that many of these issues are related to water pollution. It's illegal for a sewage treatment plant to dump raw sewage into the ocean yet frequently, during heavy rains, many treatment plants dump raw sewage into our local waters. The Clean Water Act has a citizen suit provision that allows anybody to bring a suit against a polluter to force them to stop polluting when their government won't enforce the law.

It seems like a big step, but actually, this a way to force a sewage treatment plant to adequately deal with their pollution. If anybody is interested in learning more about this, please drop a line.

~Drew Koslow
Choptank Riverkeeper

 

no problems with smell.

 

Ya, I've been curious if avid surfers who are in the ocean a lot, are more prone to these sinus problems. Because, as you can see by this thread, there are a lot of us that have issues. I never had any allergy/sinus problems until my mid to late 20s... The doctors
just tell me I developed allergies later in life.

 

I'm pretty sure algea, along with plankton and the millions of viruses and bacteria that are naturally in the water of the coastal regions aren't supposed to be camping out inside your sinuses. I'm not saying there isn't a problem with pollution. I'm just saying even without pollution, guys with sinus problems may just need to douche their sinuses.

 

There's a rocket scientist for you.

 

exactly!! Why do some people always have to promote a f##king agenda!!!!!!: