My nose is often blocked. I had a minor operation done 2 years ago, to remove a piece of flesh that was blocking my passageway. My specialist assured me that the symptoms would not occur again after the operation.
Recently, I am experiencing the same symptoms again. I also suffer from shortness of breath. My doctor concluded that it was probably due to the stressful nature of my job. I am very worried as this causes me great discomfort. What should I do?
Dr Aw Chong Yin, Specialist in Ear, Nose & Throat Surgery, Raffles Hospital
Your congestion of your nose may be due to long-term allergy or vasomotor rhinitis. These in turn have probably caused poor drainage of your sinuses.
Your doctor may have tried to improve your nasal breathing by shrinking your inferior turbinates (flesh in the nose), but as long as the root causes (allergy, vasomotor rhinitis, sinusitis) are not treated, the blockage will recur. There is probably significant mucus stuck in your nasal passages, and sinuses which you are unable to clear completely. Hence over a long period of time, this vicious cycle of swelling of the nose causing poor drainage and more mucus production and vice versa continues.
Medication will work up to a certain point. Sometimes the blocked nose is compounded by structural problems like a deviated nasal septum further narrowing the nasal passages.
Your shortness of breath may be related to your nose but you may need to check with your doctor to exclude a lung condition.
With regards to your nose, you may need to consult your ENT doctor again with a view of getting a CT sinus assessment done. We can only advise you on the next course of action after a full clinical and radiological assessment.