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Suggest Treatment For Chest Infection With Head Cold

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Posted on Mon, 21 Sep 2015
Question: i recently had a chest infection with a head cold , It took two courses of antibiotics and a steroid. Including self treatment with the usual pharmacy with over the counter meds it lasted nearly 4 weeks. I'm much better now and 4 days since i finished the antibiotics. I still have a little bit of nasal and sinus congestion and have to constantly pop my ears. my ears make creaking sound when i try to pop them. More worryingly is that my sense of taste and smell is almost gone. This has never happened before.
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Answered by Dr. Michelle Gibson James (36 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
the senses would return, the sound due to eustachian tube dysfunction

Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic

The sense of taste would be related to the loss of the sense of smell , these two senses are connected.
Nasal congestion reduces the ability to smell but the inability to smell also affects our taste. The residual inflammation of the nasal passages would cause the problems with both of these senses but this would resolve on its own.

The sinus congestion, slight nasal congestion would cause the abnormal noises in the ear. This is due to dysfunction of the eustachian tube.
The eustachian tube is a tube that essentially connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, it has different functions including equalizing the pressure in the middle ear.

With the cold and sinus infections, it can temporarily stop working properly and this can cause different symptoms including the popping sound.
Some persons also have fullness in the ear, decrease hearing, tinnitus.

The continued use of an antihistamine/decongestant combination would help with this symptom.

Summary: (1) taste and smell linked , when the smell returns so would your sense of taste
(2) problems with these due to residual inflammation which would resolve on its own
(3)abnormal noise due to eustachian tube dysfunction- using antihistamine/decongestant combination would help

I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
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
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Answered by
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Dr. Michelle Gibson James

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 16808 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Chest Infection With Head Cold

Brief Answer: the senses would return, the sound due to eustachian tube dysfunction Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic The sense of taste would be related to the loss of the sense of smell , these two senses are connected. Nasal congestion reduces the ability to smell but the inability to smell also affects our taste. The residual inflammation of the nasal passages would cause the problems with both of these senses but this would resolve on its own. The sinus congestion, slight nasal congestion would cause the abnormal noises in the ear. This is due to dysfunction of the eustachian tube. The eustachian tube is a tube that essentially connects the middle ear to the back of the throat, it has different functions including equalizing the pressure in the middle ear. With the cold and sinus infections, it can temporarily stop working properly and this can cause different symptoms including the popping sound. Some persons also have fullness in the ear, decrease hearing, tinnitus. The continued use of an antihistamine/decongestant combination would help with this symptom. Summary: (1) taste and smell linked , when the smell returns so would your sense of taste (2) problems with these due to residual inflammation which would resolve on its own (3)abnormal noise due to eustachian tube dysfunction- using antihistamine/decongestant combination would help I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions