I had one of the best nights of sleep last night after a visit yesterday to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor. The doc tells me my deviated septum may be to blame for sinus infections, snoring, headaches, and global warming. Okay, I made up that last part, but the rest was enough to get my attention.
I’ve never taken care of my nose. As a kid I was prone to fall out of bed in my sleep. I lost track of how many concussions that led to (this explains a lot about me right there, eh?). I’ve also gotten my share of bloody noses from these. There was also the time ten years ago when I face-planted while rollerskating at Lake Johnson park. I wound up fracturing my cheekbone from that incident. It healed on its own but may have packed my sinuses even closer than they were.
On the other hand, the deviated septum may be congenital. That happens, too. No matter where I got it, its time to get it fixed.
The doc hooked me up with an antibiotic, a nasal spray, and some steroids. I don’t know which ones made the difference, but the result was a fairly-restful night. I awoke at 5 AM feeling like it was 9. I was so happy that I laced up my tennis shoes and took a long walk around the neighborhood! It was 32 degrees out and still dark but I enjoyed every minute of it. I got to walk by the moonlight and to see Venus rise in the eastern sky.
I’m still checking into the ins and outs of septoplasty surgery (where the ENT reshapes the inside of my nose). The doctor said I would notice an “immense” improvement in how I breathe. Anything that will improve on dramatic difference the drugs made is worth exploring! Not only will I sleep better, I’ll breathe better during exercise and the long-winded demos I often conduct. My dentist says that breathing through the mouth dries out the gums, so my teeth will also benefit.
Breathing: its the first thing and the last thing you’ll ever do. It makes sense to get the most out of every breath.
I had a deviated septum and had the surgery about 20 years ago (I was only 14). The doc had to use a hammer and chisel to remove the bone. Then he had to “pack” my nose with gause. That was the worst part of the whole ordeal, especially the removal of the packing!!
I don’t remember if I was able to breathe better or not. I had the surgery done because my parents spent a lot of cash on braces and I was a mouth breather. (I guess it did help, because I am not a mouth breather anymore.)
have you tried Flonase? I’ve got similar problems and that works like a champ for me.
Yeah, the nasal spray is a generic Flonase. I wouldn’t be surprised if my successful breathing is due to it.
Still, there’s a lot to be said for being brave and getting the problem fixed once and for all. The packing stuff doesn’t sound pleasant, though! Gotta keep my eyes on the prize I guess.
Good to see jt is still alive. I check out jt.net every day for some new posts, but none since 10/13/06. What’s up?