I work in Aerospace Engineering and after being diagnosed with having Empty Nose Syndrome or “E.N.S.” I read many studies regarding the computer modeling of altered airflow patterns through the nose. Eventually, I realized that I had the scientific capabilities to do my own CFD (Computational Fluid dynamics) aerodynamics study using my own CT scans. I am a unique patient in that since I work in engineering and I collect and analyze data for a living, I have a meticulously detailed and well documented case of E.N.S.
I will be presenting “CFD” flow models, sleep data and CT scans which document my condition before and after 2 destructive nasal surgeries and then show the improvement that I saw after getting nasal “Implants”. I also take this study a giant step forward by first characterizing different parts of the nose and then by providing various “fixes” to restore more normal flow patterns. I have decided to share my research and my personal story which documents my rather debilitating condition in the hopes that it advances the understanding both among doctors and patients regarding the inherent dangers and risks associated with “aggressive” nasal surgeries. I hope to once and for all dispel some of the controversy and misconceptions regarding ENS to this very day by providing solid fact based measurable evidence, even regarding how and why ENS destroys one’s ability to sleep. Far too often ENS symptoms are referred to as “subjective” by doctors who cannot seem to measure the damage which (besides dry sclerotic or missing tissue), is largely internal but is in fact very real and gravely serious.
By 2008 I had already had two destructive nasal surgeries and I felt worse after each one not better. The first one changed my problem from one that most can recognize, that of basic nasal obstruction like you have a cold, into something much worse yet hard to define at that time. After the second surgery those hard to describe feelings got even worse not better. By 2008 I was seeing a lot of ENT doctors trying to get answers to a worsening set of horrible symptoms that all seemed to come from my nose.
Finally, one young doctor actually came out into the lobby as my wife and I were almost out the door and in a very hushed tone, while looking over his shoulder to see who else could hear, he said: “There is this thing called Empty Nose Syndrome and it’s REALLY Bad” . “I don’t know what your issue is but you’ve already had enough removed, don’t do any more” . This was my first hint at what was actually wrong with me yet when I read about Empty Nose or (“ENS”) I didn’t think that could possibly be my problem because both doctors assured me that they merely “trimmed a little tissue” and after all, these people were EMPTY. Six years later with things getting progressively worse year after year, I was finally officially diagnosed with having Empty Nose Syndrome. I was told that I had an aggressive turbinectomy, that I was “over opened”, that the inferior turbinate heads had been “amputated”, and that my tissue was white and sclerotic.
Despite a recent wider acceptance, there are still some doctors who are skeptical about ENS . All seem to deny that “THEY” could have ever caused ENS themselves including the two who performed my destructive surgeries. The ENS patient is but an annoying statistical anomaly to many doctors who are SURE that what they do works. Some even seem to suggest that patients themselves are somehow partially responsible by being “poor healers” or by being “pre-disposed” to mental issues of depression or anxiety. This is largely the reason for this website which is full of very objective measurable data not subjective feelings.
I had seen many doctors of various disciplines over my 8 years of searching for answers. I finally found help but I had personally encountered everything from lack of knowledge about ENS, to indifference, denial and even some hostility. These experiences (both positive and negative) only hardened my resolve as a man of science myself to meticulously document my case in hopes of solving my issue and that of others. I also hope to change some of the negative opinions and stereotypes that some ENT doctors have towards ENS patients and quite possibly even change some things about this entire branch of medicine by drawing parallels to my world of engineering.
I personally had never had “anxiety” in my whole life over ANYTHING. I was a “hard reality” and fact based person and even to my own understanding, people who had “anxiety” were mentally weak or deficient. E.N.S. turned my own nervous system against me and brought me to my knees every day for years. This site will perhaps present a fresh take on ENS by meshing a medical topic with my unique engineering perspective. In this way I will present my first hand observations and measurements as someone who has personally experienced not only horrendous ENS symptoms but also a partial recovery from them.