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Can A Sinus Infection Cause Inflammation And Irritation Down The Trachea?
Question: My throat has been swollen for almost three years making it hard to swallow food and drinks. I have been tested by many but with no results. I now believe it is coming from my sinuses. I can feel it starting to get bad again and it is coming from my nose down the back of my throat, onto the roof of mymouth and such. Is this possible and have you ever heard of anything that does this?????
Brief Answer:
it is possible
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.
It is possible for the sinus infection to cause inflammation and irritation down the trachea. This lies right next to the esophagus so could make it feel like there is some difficulty swallowing when you have that inflammation going on. It is concerning that the nose was too swollen for ENT to pass a camera. This makes it likely that there is swelling and inflammation going down into the trachea as well. What needs to happen is that you need to find out the cause for the nasal and sinus condition and have that treated aggressively. If you are infected you will need antibiotics. If you are not infected what I would suggest to a patient with these symptoms is using nasal saline spray 5-6 times a day or more, a prescription for nasal steroids and a daily non- sedating antihistamine.
If all of this does not work then I suggest you see an allergist for allergy testing.
One other suggestion is to see a speech pathologist. I know that sounds strange but the are trained specifically in evaluating swallowing and they may be able to shed some light on what is going on if it is not coming from you sinuses. Sometimes the muscles or nerves involved in swallowing are not working properly and they can help sort this out.
I hope you find a solution soon,
Dr. Robinson
it is possible
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for your question.
It is possible for the sinus infection to cause inflammation and irritation down the trachea. This lies right next to the esophagus so could make it feel like there is some difficulty swallowing when you have that inflammation going on. It is concerning that the nose was too swollen for ENT to pass a camera. This makes it likely that there is swelling and inflammation going down into the trachea as well. What needs to happen is that you need to find out the cause for the nasal and sinus condition and have that treated aggressively. If you are infected you will need antibiotics. If you are not infected what I would suggest to a patient with these symptoms is using nasal saline spray 5-6 times a day or more, a prescription for nasal steroids and a daily non- sedating antihistamine.
If all of this does not work then I suggest you see an allergist for allergy testing.
One other suggestion is to see a speech pathologist. I know that sounds strange but the are trained specifically in evaluating swallowing and they may be able to shed some light on what is going on if it is not coming from you sinuses. Sometimes the muscles or nerves involved in swallowing are not working properly and they can help sort this out.
I hope you find a solution soon,
Dr. Robinson
Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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