my sinus

Since I was a child, I have struggled with my sinuses. Nights were always the hardest. My nose would block so often that I learned to breathe through my mouth, forgetting what it felt like to breathe normally through my nose. Over time, this became a habit, and even now I catch myself breathing through my mouth more than I realize.

Sleeping has always been a challenge. If I lie down the wrong way, I wake up with my nose blocked, my face aching, and my ears feeling full or painful. Sometimes the pressure in my sinuses triggers a migraine, making it impossible to rest. When I caught a flu, the congestion and pain worsened, bringing facial pressure, ear pain, and that familiar block. I would go to the doctor hoping for relief, but it was hard to explain exactly what I felt. The doctor would say, “It’s normal for the ears to block during a flu.” Some even laughed at me. It made me feel stupid, but I knew my situation was more complicated.

Growing up, we didn’t see a doctor often because my family couldn’t afford it unless it was serious. I also struggled with persistent bad breath. I brushed my teeth, rinsed constantly, and tried everything, but nothing worked. Slowly, I realized the culprit wasn’t my teeth. It was the sinus mucus, silently building up, causing post-nasal drip and that unpleasant smell.

It wasn’t until last year, at 37, that I finally got a proper diagnosis. The doctor told me, “This is sinus-related,” and prescribed medicine from the clinic. That was the first time I understood the root of decades of discomfort. The doctor also suggested I figure out any allergies I might have, another piece of the puzzle I had to manage myself.

Now, I am learning how to breathe through my nose again, though I still don’t fully understand what caused it. I usually let it resolve on its own and only take medicine if it gets serious, like an infection. I often sleep only two to three hours a night because I am afraid of waking up struggling to breathe, and migraines make rest even harder to come by. After this experience, I plan to get a steam inhaler and keep medicine on hand so I can manage my sinus issues and migraines more proactively.