bea@alice.UucP (Bea Chambers) (10/11/85)
My husband has a deviated septum and has had sinus headaches for years. Usually, he would get them for a day or two and they would go away. Now, for the first time, his headaches are constant. His doctor has strongly suggested a septoplasty--an operative procedure to correct the deviated septum and to remove a large spur of bone and cartilage which is blocking the area of the left maxillary sinus osteum and impacting into the left inferior turbinate. ( Lest you think I am a doctor with all those long words, I am not. I copied this from the doctor's notes). Both of us go into a small panic at the thought of any surgery. Has anyone out there had a deviated septum corrected by surgery and has the surgery helped? I would hate to see him go through surgery and still have headaches. Any information would be helpful and very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
brown@utflis.UUCP (Susan Brown) (10/17/85)
In article <4417@alice.UUCP> bea@alice.UucP (Bea Chambers) writes: >My husband has a deviated septum and has had sinus headaches for years. Usually, >he would get them for a day or two and they would go away. Now, for the >first time, his headaches are constant. His doctor has strongly suggested >a septoplasty--an operative procedure to correct the deviated septum and to >remove a large spur of bone and cartilage which is blocking the area of the left >maxillary sinus osteum and impacting into the left inferior turbinate. >( Lest you think I am a doctor with all those long words, I am not. I copied >this from the doctor's notes). Both of us go into a small panic at >the thought of any surgery. Has anyone out there had a deviated septum >corrected by surgery and has the surgery helped? I would hate to see him >go through surgery and still have headaches. I had a similar operation just to make breathing easier and it helped my general sinus condition very markedly. I did not have such frequent headaches, but I did have frequent very long colds and infections which have disappeared completely (if I get a cold now it is a 3-day affair), and no sinus infections at all. It has been about l8 months now. I still have an occaisional sinus headache when the weather is really conducive to it for several days. None of this proves anything of course. I commented on the operation in response to another article on this net today but will respond again if you wish. It was an easy operation, although I feel as you do that hospitals are risky places to be! Susan
wws@ukma.UUCP (Bill Stoll) (10/20/85)
Dear Bea, 99.999% of all "sinus headaches" are caused by the habit of allowing ones teeth to touch (rest together) while relaxed. The teeth should NEVER touch except when one is biting something. The rest of the time they should be about 1/4 inch apart. If your husband has the above habit his headaches will probably not be relieved by the surgery. The best way to find out if he has the habit is for him to put it out of his mind and then, the second he thinks about it, to notice if his teeth ARE touching. The American Holistic Dental Association could refer him to someone in your area up to date in the management of this condition. Most Holistic Physicians would be able to take care of about 90% of these. If he isn't resting his teeth as above, and the Doctor's report you read is correct, the surgery very likely will be successful. -- cbosgd!ukma!wws(Walt Stoll) YOU Walt Stoll, MD, ABFP Founder & Medical Director ARE MORE Holistic Medical Centre 1412 North Broadway Lexington, Kentucky 40505 THAN YOU THINK (606) 233-4273