Hi doctor, I am a 40 year old female, non smoker. I had a sinus infection as a result of cold nearly two months ago. I was put on Doxycycline for two weeks and then a steroid nasal spray when the inflammation in my nose had not resided. I can smell things quite clearly up close to my nose but cannot taste whatsoever. I am now on a course of Amoxicillin and Prednisone to try and get rid of the inflammation once and for all. I had a CT scan which did not show any blockages just some mucous and inflammation. If I burp, I can taste my food. Does this mean I will get my taste back when everything clears up? How long should this take? I still feel some tightness in the bridge of my nose and one nostril still feels more blocked than the other. I am just so scared that my taste will not go back to normal and I have a constant nauseous feeling. I wonder if this is because I am so stressed about losing my taste forever. Thanks for your help.
Hi. We will help you alleviate the problem. I understand that you are a 40 year old otherwise healthy lady suffering from sinus infection. You perceive smells close up your nose but have decreased taste sensation. You are worried about when the taste sensation will return and what can be done to accelerate the return. Next, I understand that you have taken a complete course of Doxycycline and now you are on a course of Amoxicillin. Also to relieve the inflammation the doctor initially gave you a locally acting steroid nasal spray. Currently, you are taking steroids (Prednisolone) orally. I would suggest the following measures as well which if you follow will help you in a great way. I reiterate that this loss of taste sensation is temporary and it will be restored as and when your sino-nasal infection resolves. For the same, I have suggested you various measures. Nasal congestion. 1. Diagnostic naso-endoscopy. The endoscopic viewing helps us to see the pathology and ascertain if the inflammation is indeed what we think or has some other pathology. It helps us to take samples for culture sensitivity and histopathology as well. 2. CT para-nasal air sinuses. Please attach the report as I see that you have already done the scan. Ideally, I would require the CT scan film that they would have given as a soft copy as well. 3. Serum IgE. 4. Absolute eosinophil count (investigations AEC and Serum IgE help us understand if you suffer from allergy). 5. Hemoglobin level, to check for anemia and rule out Plummer-Vinson syndrome also called as Patterson-Brown-Kelly Syndrome. 6. Total leukocyte count and differentiated leukocyte count. 7. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate. 1. Chronic rhino-sinusitis. 2. Fungal sinusitis. 3. Occupational rhinitis. 4. Allergic fungal rhino-sinusitis. Chronic rhino-sinusitis. Revert back with the answers for the above questions and CT reports to an ENT otolaryngologist online.--->