I battled sinus infection from Oct. to April. I am 46 year old female. Finally got under control with antibiotics, flonase, claritin, beconase and washing out 2 times per day. Had Functional Endoscopic Sinus surgery in early May to open osteomeatal complexes and ethmoid sinus, small amount of 2nd turbinate trimmed. Prior to this I was also having difficulty swallowing and occasional lump in throat (my daughters said I occassionally looked like I had an Adam's apple). Modified Barium swallow showed very slow movement with stops full way down esophagus. Had Endoscopy and esophagus stretched which eliminated most of the swallowing difficulty (was drinking about 30 oz with each meal just to get food down). Still occassionally choke on small amounts of fluids. Now the area behind my front teeth is "numb" and my upper lip is also now getting tinglely "burning" and numb. Local Dr. said to see the Dentist., Dentist is stumped except he discovered cracks (under halogen light) in 3 of the 6 teeth in the area affected.
Could all the past problems be realted? What kind of Dr. do I ask to see? --
Reply ------------------------------
You are describing numbness and a dysesthesia to the upper lip and palate behind the front teeth. It is unlikely that this has any relationship to the sinus disease itself nor the swallowing problem. Occasionally trauma to a nerve supplying sensation to this area can occur during a surgical procedure known as a septoplasty whereby the middle partition of the nasal passages is straightened. However, in such instances, the abnormal sensations in the upper lip and palate behind the front teeth are experienced immediately or soon after the surgery.
Sinus surgery itself would not cause such a problem. It is possible that trauma to the teeth could occur in any surgical procedure in which general anesthesia is used. General anesthesia requires the placement of a tube into the windpipe to maintain oxygenation during the anesthesia. The placement of this tube into the windpipe is known as intubation and can be associated with trauma to the teeth, particularly the front teeth. Rigid endoscopes placed into the throat such as that used in esophageal endoscopy could also injure these teeth. A dentist is the appropriate specialist with whom to consult at this time in my opinion.
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Steve Dankle, MD
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Milwaukee, Wis
NOTICE: OFCN is not engaged in the rendering of professional medical services. The information contained on this system or any other OFCN system should not supplant individual professional consultation. It is offered exclusively as a community education service. Advice on individual problems must be obtained directly from a professional.
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