Yesterday afternoon I visited my ENT. He removed the tonsil stone and I can't say that it was a very pleasant experience. First, he sprayed my throat with a numbing agent. He warned that it would taste bad. That was a serious understatement. Imagine what insecticide probably tastes like… Right. Very awful. Then he poked around with a sharp instrument, which hurt a little so what was the point of the insecticide then? Once he got it out he showed it to me and it was almost nothing. I swear it looked like a huge rock when it was still attached to my tonsil.
While I was there, I mentioned to the doctor that I wasn't feeling well and also told him how I often have to clear my throat, cough and sputter for about an hour after eating a meal. He decided to look me over thoroughly. My ears revealed nothing of interest, but he noticed major congestion in my sinuses. So he sprayed some decongestant in both nostrils, followed by a spritz of the insecticide stuff. Ugh.
Then he used a thin, lighted instrument called an endoscope to look through my sinuses and down into my throat. He recorded a video, which he showed me when he was done. It didn't hurt, just felt sort of weird. The throat area looked fine to him, but my poor swollen sinuses! They're really a mess.
He didn't prescribe any medication for me, but wants me to take my Flonase twice a day instead of once and he told me to purchase a neti pot and use it twice a day. So on the way home, I stopped at Target and bought one.
Since I had skipped lunch in an effort to make sure the tonsil stone didn't become dislodged, I treated myself to a mango fruit smoothie as I was leaving the store. They are very delicious (and are currently on sale for $1). However, the numbing agent the doctor had sprayed in my sinuses had caused a slight numbness in my front teeth and my upper lip. Sucking my drink through a straw just wasn't happening. But I'm sure it was fun to watch me try.
Once home, I was completely worn out from the day. My head ached from the sinus pressure. I retired to the spare room and after watching an episode of Leverage, took a nice, long nap.
Later in the evening, before dinner, I gave the neti pot a try. It looks like a little plastic teapot, in which I added lukewarm water (should use distilled) and a sinus rinse packet of powder. I shook the solution gently, then leaning over the sink and turning my head to one side, I put the little spout in my upper nostril and poured. After a second, the solution began to flow from the lower nostril.
It was the oddest sensation. I won't go so far as to call it pleasant, but it didn't hurt and I didn't feel that I was going to drown. The point behind the system is to wash away excess mucus and allergens (pollen, dust, pollutants, bacteria) from the nasal passages. The rinsing should reduce inflammation, allowing one to breathe more normally. I thought I was breathing fine, for the most part, but after seeing my swollen sinuses, I'm surprised I'm breathing through my nose at all.
I hope this helps because the doctor also suggested I read up on septoplasty, in case that becomes necessary in the future.
While I was there, I mentioned to the doctor that I wasn't feeling well and also told him how I often have to clear my throat, cough and sputter for about an hour after eating a meal. He decided to look me over thoroughly. My ears revealed nothing of interest, but he noticed major congestion in my sinuses. So he sprayed some decongestant in both nostrils, followed by a spritz of the insecticide stuff. Ugh.
Then he used a thin, lighted instrument called an endoscope to look through my sinuses and down into my throat. He recorded a video, which he showed me when he was done. It didn't hurt, just felt sort of weird. The throat area looked fine to him, but my poor swollen sinuses! They're really a mess.
He didn't prescribe any medication for me, but wants me to take my Flonase twice a day instead of once and he told me to purchase a neti pot and use it twice a day. So on the way home, I stopped at Target and bought one.
Since I had skipped lunch in an effort to make sure the tonsil stone didn't become dislodged, I treated myself to a mango fruit smoothie as I was leaving the store. They are very delicious (and are currently on sale for $1). However, the numbing agent the doctor had sprayed in my sinuses had caused a slight numbness in my front teeth and my upper lip. Sucking my drink through a straw just wasn't happening. But I'm sure it was fun to watch me try.
Once home, I was completely worn out from the day. My head ached from the sinus pressure. I retired to the spare room and after watching an episode of Leverage, took a nice, long nap.
Later in the evening, before dinner, I gave the neti pot a try. It looks like a little plastic teapot, in which I added lukewarm water (should use distilled) and a sinus rinse packet of powder. I shook the solution gently, then leaning over the sink and turning my head to one side, I put the little spout in my upper nostril and poured. After a second, the solution began to flow from the lower nostril.
It was the oddest sensation. I won't go so far as to call it pleasant, but it didn't hurt and I didn't feel that I was going to drown. The point behind the system is to wash away excess mucus and allergens (pollen, dust, pollutants, bacteria) from the nasal passages. The rinsing should reduce inflammation, allowing one to breathe more normally. I thought I was breathing fine, for the most part, but after seeing my swollen sinuses, I'm surprised I'm breathing through my nose at all.
I hope this helps because the doctor also suggested I read up on septoplasty, in case that becomes necessary in the future.
An oddly entertaining post...because it all sounds so unpleasant but I liked reading about it.
Neti pots are great. I used one for a while. Thanks for the reminder of the benefits.
Posted by: Denise Baum | August 19, 2009 at 09:43 AM