Post your best ENS coping tips here (ENS Survival Guide)
We are in the process of updating the website. One of the things we desperately want to improve are the "ENS Survival Tips". A lot of practical knowledge of how to deal with ENS has been gained and shared on this forum in the past 3 years. Please help us to write a concise ENS survival guide for all sufferers to benefit from now and in the future. Share your tips here. . This is your chance to reciprocate the entire ENS patient community for the support you received when you first found this forum. Thanks 8)

It truly would not be too hard to organize a number of short, but very helpful ENS survival tips. You could organize tips from the following sources: By doing searches on this forum. By reviewing the treatment tips in my book. By reviewing treatment tips in other sinus self-help books, such as The Sinus Cure or Sinus Survival. By considering what has worked for you. It would be terrific if someone would take us up on this offer and spend some time organizing the various treatment ideas. As noted, the information is already out there. Not only is this a way to give back, but it would be tremendously helpful for people with ENS who are coming to this site for the first time.

Here are my tips for ENS management. First, consider my history and symptoms to assess how my tips might apply to you. I have ENS-IT following two surgeries (outfracture and resection), two somnoplasties, and one cautery. All safe alone, but not safe in conjunction or repetition. My main symptoms before intervention were postnasal drip, snoring, and increasing congestion/swelling. As ENS progressed with each procedure, my postnasal drip became thick and sticky mucus that caused congestion and increasing blockage, and my nasal tissue became dry, raw, and bled often. After all these procedures and my own self-diagnosis of ENS from this site, I could no longer sleep through the night without waking up congested with mucus, and having to rinse out the mucus with saline irrigation. Now I am recovering with implants from Dr. Houser!!! For mild ENS as I had at the start: 1. Use Breathe Right Strips instead of more surgery to open up your nasal passage around your swollen turbinates. For mild or ENS-IT, I have always had relief from the following treatments: (Breathe Right Strips made me too dry after I had too much turbinate tissue removed, but now they are working well with my implants as I wait for the swelling to decrease). 1. If you have nasal congestion from swollen turbinates, get into a routine of saline irrigation. Morning and evening has always worked for me at any stage. At my worst I did it as many times a day as needed. I don't get much satisfaction from Rhinaris, Ocean, Ayr, or fine spray moisturizers myself, because my need is to rinse out the mucus sticking to the back -- that needs a powerful stream, not a fine mist! But mosturizing sprays are helpful, too, and more portable! Irrigation will decongest the turbinates and wash out any irritants, allergens, or mucus. I use the Neil Med Squeeze Bottle and make my own mixture of salt and baking soda. Irrigation bottles, Neti Pots, Grossan Irrigators are way better and more cost effective than buying tons of Simply Saline or Ocean. Irrigate at least a half hour before bedtime in order to drain the water from your sinuses before sleep. Tilt your head around on each side to drain excess water so that you don't leak water when you lean over later :) 2. Get -*test*-('")ed for allergies. Prescription allergy meds are better than over the counter, as they can pinpoint and treat your individual allergies with cutting edge medicine. Get the newest medicine from your doctor rather than mindlessly taking Sudafed or Claritin. I am on Xyzal, which is even better than Singulair for my dust mites, dust, mold, and outdoor allergies. 3. Try a Prescription Steroid Spray. I find Flonase to be the most powerful. Nasonex is good, too, and Rhinocort is the least potent but still works. 4. Mucinex is supposed to loosen up and liquify the mucus - I find it works mildly well, and helps in combination with all these things. If you want to save money somewhere, this is probably the least potent thing and the most skippable. 5. DO NOT USE AFRIN regularly, only for short periods like major colds or allergy attacks. 6. DO NOT USE SUDAFED regularly unless you have MAJOR seasonal allergies or a cold and swelling. It will dry you out so much that your nasal tissue will feel dry and raw, you won't be able to wear contacts easily, and all it does is decongest - just like the Saline Irrigation. ENTS that tell you to use Sudafed or Claritin D or anything D do not understand ENS and how dried out we already are. 7. Humidifiers are great if you are in a dry place or during winter. Get a humidity monitor and aim for around 40% - over 45% promotes mold, which is pretty much a universal allergen. I like the humidifiers without replaceable filters - those things get gross and moldy fast. I buy warm air humidifiers from the drugstore and just clean them regularly with vinegar and a bit of bleach. 8. Take showers before bed. 9. Drink lots of water to relieve congestion. 10. If your ENT does not believe in ENS, make sure he/she at least believes and treats your symptoms, which can be like atrophic rhinitis. Find a new ENT if they tell you your symptoms are in your head, like their crazy patient who thinks that they have a lump in their throat which is really their adam's apple...thanks NYU for that one! 11. If family or friends are not understanding, stop going to them for support and come online instead. You will only feel worse turning to people who are unsupportive, even if you think they should be supportive. Give them info but get help from others who understand. 12. If you are emotional, beware! Crying makes it worse...a good cry sometimes is inevitable, but forget falling asleep easily afterwards. Crying must be followed with irrigation!!! 13. Steam helped me somewhat during the dry days of winter. If I felt dry after irrigating but wanted to be able to sleep soon, and not have to drip from irrigation again, I'd put my head over the hot pot :) Or shower. 14. Tea also loosens things up like steam. Or any hot liquid. 15. Ponaris seemed to stick to my mucus and make it even thicker. I would only use this (in my saline mix) if I were very dry, because it just added another layer of thick substance in my nose otherwise. Nozoil is similar but in a spray form, and harder to find in the US (only online). 16. Winter can be rough when the heat is on high and the air is so dry. Even with humidifiers, the air is just dry, so if you can stand it, turn down the heat. Your nose will thank you and so will your body if it helps you sleep. 17. If you travel and want to bring your own salt mixture on a plane, be prepared to explain yourself at the security. I must be high on the list of cocaine smuggler suspects by now, but I don't feel like paying for tons of travel sized saline packets. 18. Be patient. Try to get implants or find insurance that will help you get them. Be good to yourself and surround yourself with kind and understanding friends and family. Acknowledge the anger and disappointment, but realize that the main culprit is not one evil doctor but a system that refuses to acknowledge the truth about this surgery. Put your anger into understanding this for yourself and thinking about how to help change it, even in your own small way :) 19. I have notice very little relief with any diet change. All food related nasal impact was so temporary for me that I did not see a need to eliminate anything. Increasing spice and seltzer water is always helpful for the sinuses!

What seems to be helping
Every day I put a type of tape/bandage on my nose and wear it, horizontally across my nostrils. I poke holes with a thick needle in the part that covers my nostrils to help with breathing. People look at me alot and ask what happened to my nose constantly and I tell them. It actually does help. It isn't the best solution however it helps. I am asked all the time what happened to my nose and then I explain about ENS.

Hey Erika, thats a very thorough and excellent list. Well put. I like how you have coverd some very valid tips on the non physiological aspects as well regarding seasons, humidity, where to go for support. I suggest everyone has a good read. Most of us are well aware of most of these, but its good to have a read. I would avoid the steroid sprays though, they are designed to thin out musosa and I think some of the problems is that too much mucosa has been removed. Thank you.

Erika, I have uploaded your ENS tips onto the "ENS survival tips" page of the main website. Thanks for sharing.