I have been treated for underactive thyroid for around 30 years. The past decade I keep experiencing what is like very severe cold symptoms on a regular basis. My body produces excess amounts of thick green slimy sticky mucous, my sinuses get blocked, I have endless nasal drip/cough and it makes me really ill for weeks at a time. It usually ends with me getting conjunctivitis then it goes again for 6 or more months. I have been to several ENT who have managed to do absolutely nothing to help. They shrug shoulders. Antibiotics, steroid sprays don't relieve it. I even had a sinus operation! I am now wondering if this can be linked to my thyroid condition and what if anything can be done to relieve it?
Many thanks
Written by
OzMan
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Nasal/sinus issues are common on the forum and as I see it are are driven by two forces:
Inadequate thyroid hormone - There are thyroid hormone receptors within the mucus membranes which may become swollen with inadequate thyroid hormone levels. Once swollen they produce liquid (mucus) which is the body's way of trying to reduce inflammation.
Unmanaged Hashimotos - Hashi is the most common cause of hypothyroidism and elevated thyroid antibodies not only destroy the thyroid gland but instigate other unwanted chronic inflammation, and up-regulating our response to allergies.
Going gluten and dairy free are known to help a proportion of people. Also keeping thyroid hormones optimised, and essential cofactors such as Vit D which itself is an immune modulater. I also find Vit C and quercetin helpful .
Have you any recent test results (including ranges) to share?
Don't ask me where I read this as it was years ago but gut problems can cause nasal mucous. To protect the stomach lining the body produces more mucous and this increased mucous production affects the nasal cavities as well. So consider your gut function.
I will see if I can find out where I read that so I'm not just speaking off the top off my head.
Can I add to Lalatoot's comment... I suffer from silent reflux, and have done for years, with awful post nasal drip and chronic cough. Over time I have learned to manage this with diet, and have learnt that it's likely due to low stomach acid (a common hypo complaint). Now, I avoid dairy which caused terrible mucus, plus onions and processed foods which cause bloat (which puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter). I also find taking a betaine hydrochloride capsule after certain meals helps... raising stomach acid helps close the sphincter and stop the reflux
For a number of years I have had post nasal drip and cough along with occasional sinus infections, which generally start on the right hand side. I was prescribed a steroid nasal spray which did help to a certain extent. A few months ago my dentist diagnosed a chronic infection caused by a poorly located crown post. We had a discussion about a sinus which runs past the site and she wasn’t surprised that I had sinus issues. I subsequently had root canal treatment and had the post repositioned. Lo and behold my sinus problems reduced dramatically virtually overnight once the inflammation subsided. Hope this helps.
On a slightly lighter side. For years I have had problems which doctors put down as allergic rhinitis but could not tell me what I am supposed to be allergic to, as there was no specific pattern. My nose used to get so blocked up I could be sitting up in bed at 4am trying to get some relief. I went to the ENT consultant, who gave me inhalers and sprays. One day I had the symptoms of a gynaecological problem, saw a consultant and she gave me some pills. It might have helped the problem a bit, not completely, BUT my nose cleared up. Since taking those pills I have not had any sinus problems at all and it is well over a year now. Just a thought about your problem OzMan because it is a bit greenish you might have a low grade infection, or one that needs a different antibiotic. Maybe your doctor would send a smear for analysis.
Do a search on Amazon for any or all of these phrases :
Nasal rinse
Sinus rinse
Neti Pot
There are lots of different designs for the above things.
None of these gadgets use plain water - that would sting like crazy. Instead they seem to use something like salt water/isotonic water but it would be better to buy the "official" rinse product at least the first time you use the gadget, rather than making your own.
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