Can sinus or ear issues cause dysautonomia? Also does anyone else experience this strange symptom?

[Fogbuster]

Hey guys,

I'm curious to know if anyone has read or heard of anyone recovering from autonomic dysfunction by having ear or nose issues corrected?

My most concerning symptoms are constant severe cognitive impairment, orthostatic Intolerance, PEM, visual snow and just a very hyperactive nervous system. Slightly less concerning symptoms I experience are constant full ears with a pressure sensation in my ear canal and sinusitis/pressure behind my nose.

My ears need to be regularly popped, but once the pressure goes down it goes back up almost immediately. When I lie down on my bed the pressure feeling in my ears almost immediately moves to behind my nose, which is odd, my ears will still feel a bit full and pop when I try and unpop them but the pressure sensation moves from deep under my ears to under my nose.

When I lie flat on my left side within about 5-10 minutes my left nostril will become chronically blocked and my right will be completely clear, if I decide to lie on my right side, after about 5-10 minutes there will be a pretty sudden switching of which one completely blocks up and which one is completely clear. So again rather oddly the chronic stuffiness in one of my nostrils seems to be dependent on which side I lie on.

I experience a flaring up of symptoms if I do any strenuous exercise eg walking, the more strenuous it is eg weightlifting the more spacey, anxious looking and brain fogged I become. Its not absolutely necessary for me but I do feel better faster if I go and lie down.

I believe that these sinus and ear issues have something to do with my autonomic dysfunction, brain fog, orthostatic intolerance and was hoping by chance someone may have some answers of what this could be and if they know of someone who has experienced this sort of issue. And by chance have they gotten better from it by having some surgery/treatment for sinusitis, rhinosinusitis, eustachian tube related issues?

Many thanks

 

[Wolfcub]

Every few days I get a similar thing. Then it goes away utterly and completely for another few days....then it comes back again, and so on and so on.
I don't get sinus or nasal symptoms. just a queer bad feeling where I feel like my head is in a box, my voice sounds strange, I have to keep swallowing hard to open up my ears. Yet at the same time there is no ear pain, loss of hearing, and I can hear many distant sounds, like a dog barking miles away etc.

At the same time this happens I am lightheaded like I am "fading away" badly drained, exhausted and weak, with terrible heart palpitations. My neck at the back where it joins the skull has a painless but horrible feeling, like it is being trapped in a vise. Being tired or having done too much physically (even going for a very short walk) can start it off, or make it worse if I already have it.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

When I lie down on my bed the pressure feeling in my ears almost immediately moves to behind my nose, which is odd,

This happens to me regularly. If I lie back, say lay down on my back- my nose feels like clothes pins pinch it off inside. Its back- behind the sinus someplace, I can feel- yet my adenoids were removed as a child so I don 't know what anatomy this is. I have dry sinuses. It feels often like- the few hours right before you know you have a cold- the raw irritation.

My throat is a mess too. I'm convinced this is some type of- well probably an immune Mast Cell thing.

 

[Rufous McKinney]

I believe that these sinus and ear issues have something to do with my autonomic dysfunction, brain fog, orthostatic intolerance and was hoping by chance someone may have some answers of what this could be and if they know of someone who has experienced this sort of issue

I'm not convinced I know the answer, but I have plenty of neurological issues- my ears its tinnitus connected to cellophane inside my brain.

But this nose symptom- always worsens later in the day when all my symptoms worsen.

So I do think- its someting in the neck/position/worsens that sypmtom. I'm undiagnosed but likely have chairi malformation, other spinal problems and long term collagen degradation. My whole neck is popping and floppping about..its a mess.

 

[Judee]

Yes, I would think it would be most definitely impactful. Our ears also control our balance. A doctor years ago prescribed Meclizine for dizziness I was having. It's actually dramamine but can make a person drowsy.

You could try something like that with your doctor's advice to see if it would help. They also make a dramamine less drowsy formula but it didn't seem to work as well when I tried it in recent years.

Also I would recommend figuring out your allergies and sensitivies--both food and environmental--and practicing avoidance whenever possible. My nose used to be perpetually plugged but now it only plugs up slightly about once a month and I can usually clear it quickly by blowing. (Years ago, I used to joke that I should have purchased stock in Kleenex.)

Edit: We still have to buy kleenex for my mom though. I think she has histamine intolerance. That is another thing you could look into.

 

[WinterWren]

I have everything you’ve described but I haven’t found any answers. I’ve also connected it to my vertigo... I’m thinking it’s intracranial hypertension related in my case. Sometimes I have headaches where the head pain will also move to whatever side I’m lying on at night (and they often go away during the day).