Deviated septum?

Tulsa, that sounds like it! Thank you

Wow. Was I over thinking it. Turbinoplasty, rhinoplasty, septoplasty, etc....

nasal packing

what does this torturous looking procedure do?

Klseiverd, that appears to be just a visual of the way they insert the nasal packing after the actual sinus procedure is done. In the late 70s my late father had what was called a "submucous resection" for a deviated septum (repeated sports injuries) which doctor said was causing his breathing difficulties. While at home 2 days after surgery the packing started to unravel & go down his throat. Panic. My mother the nurse tried to reach it to cut visible gauze but my father kept biting down in panic. Surgeon wanted to wait until next day to see him to rectify situation but parents insisted it be done that day. In the end the procedure did nothing to improve my father's ability to breathe through his nose. Literal mouth breather with sleep apnea as long as he lived.

Kathy it isn't clear whether you had the procedure (exam) at the ENT's office or surgery in a hospital.

Many, many people have 'a deviated septum'. (I recall it also being the medical for 'a nose job'.)

I had three surgeries for nasal polyps, ten years apart, trying to end my chronic sinusitis. The first was mostly just punching holes (drainage) in my cheek bones. This is the surgery where I was not given enough anesthesia, but was still anesthetized too much to be able to move. It was like some horror movie.

The second surgeon charged, but was too timid to approach the eyes. Zero relief.

My last surgery was with Dr. Stankiewicz at Loyola in Maywood. He 'mapped' my sinuses with CT beforehand. This was successful -- a little *too* thorough, as it left me with no 'filtration system' for what I inhale, and passages so wide that I don't have enough lung power to fully clear them -- as well as sounding like an elephant trumpeting when I 'blow'.

What is the new thing being advertised that involves inflating balloons within the sinuses to compress the lining? It's supposedly an office procedure. There's probably no need to pack the sinuses after this since there's no cutting involved.

I am on my third round of antibiotics and if they don't clear this blasted infection I am looking at endoscopy that will be performed in the ENT's office. My boss had it last year and said that it was not uncomfortable and that she had relief of the congestion afterward. I am nervous about having a tube up my nose.

It was done in hospital, out patient.

What had happened was that I had had a root canal done at the dentists office. Well, for a year I was constantly sick. Dr. finally sent me to an ENT who said that my sinus' rest on my gums (?). Apparently the root canal broke thru into the sinus cavity and I had an infection which was everlasting! After the ENT did his thing, I felt great!

Go a couple of years forward, I had to go to the oral surgeon to have a tooth pulled. On the way home from the office, when I took out the gauze, I could breathe in thru my nose and feel the air in my mouth! Broken thru to sinus' again! Called DDS and they said to give it a couple of weeks, it may heal by itself. Nope! Had to go back to the DDS and they did surgery, didn't cost me a thing! Except discomfort.

Go another year or two forward and had to have another tooth pulled, did not want to have it done, but had to do it. This time they did not break thru to the sinus cavity, thank God, but I sure was leery about it!

Kathy, that certainly does not sound like fun. I would be leery too. Hopefully the method has improved and it is not as unpleasant as your experience.

Blech, you folks are giving me the willies, I had my deviated septum fixed probably 20 years ago. Cleared up my breathing problem and my chronic sinus headache. I do recall, after they took the packing out, they kept asking me if I felt OK. Yeah, I'm fine. After about 15 minutes, they let me go. I got to the car before the shock kicked in and I almost passed out on the pavement!

Ah, medicine -- as much art as science!

My daughter had the roto-rooter surgery (as an old teacher used to call it,) about 10 years ago and at that time they used packing that dissolved on its own, so there was no traumatic pulling out of the packing materials. It really was a piece 'o cake.

endoscopy that will be performed in the ENT's office. My boss had it
last year and said that it was not uncomfortable and that she had relief
of the congestion afterward.

Ditto for me, except last year and it was a same day surgery. I agree with your boss. I'd even pay to have it done all over again if I ever needed to. They shaved a bone, removed polyps, complete overhaul and I haven't needed antibiotics. I even got back my sense of smell (that's another story. There was a 100% recovery, and now it's diminished again, but not gone. I go see him in a couple of weeks). No discomfort. Not at all. Don't worry one bit. It's an easy one.