Allergic Rhinitis and Migraine for Years: HIFU and Septal Correction Helped Her Breathe Again
Years of Allergic Rhinitis and Migraine
Clara was allergic to cat hair, juniper pollen, and dust mites. Every time the seasons changed, her nose seemed to go into overdrive: continuous sneezing, runny nose, severe nasal obstruction, and at times even difficulty breathing comfortably.
To escape rhinitis, she underwent desensitization treatment at a well-known tertiary hospital. She received subcutaneous injections twice a week and persisted for more than three years.
Her allergen grade improved from level 6 to level 5, but her symptoms barely changed. She still relied on medications such as loratadine and cetirizine during flare-ups.
Even worse, she also had migraine for years. Many attempts at treatment failed to identify the true cause.
Seasonal flare-ups · Long-term medication · Desensitization with limited symptom relief · Deviated septum found later
A New Option — HIFU for Rhinitis
Clara later heard about high-intensity focused ultrasound, or HIFU, for rhinitis treatment.
The principle is to focus low-energy ultrasound waves on diseased tissue inside the nasal cavity. The thermal effect targets submucosal tissue without damaging the surface mucosa, helping reduce nasal mucosal hyperresponsiveness, shrink the turbinates, and improve nasal obstruction, runny nose, and sneezing.
Because HIFU is minimally invasive and usually requires little recovery time, Clara decided to visit Dr. Zhu from ENT for evaluation.
"HIFU may offer a new option for selected rhinitis patients whose symptoms are not well controlled by medication, but it must be evaluated carefully by a specialist."
The Unexpected Finding — A Deviated Septum Behind the Headache
During the consultation, Dr. Zhu performed nasal endoscopy and unexpectedly found a deviated nasal septum.
Further nasal CT confirmed that the septal deviation was not only worsening nasal obstruction, but was also likely responsible for Clara's years of migraine-like headaches. The deviated bone structure was pressing on nerves, creating pain that she had mistaken for neurological headache.
Clara was shocked. She realized that the headache medications she had taken for years may not have targeted the true cause.
- Allergic rhinitis every season
- Sneezing, runny nose, and nasal blockage
- Limited response after years of desensitization
- Long-term migraine with unclear cause
- Daily medication burden
- Nasal endoscopy performed
- Nasal CT confirmed deviated septum
- Septal pressure may explain headache
- HIFU planned for rhinitis
- Septal correction planned at the same time
One Combined Procedure — Breathing Freely Again
Clara underwent combined HIFU focused ultrasound treatment and septal deviation correction. The procedure took about one hour.
When Clara woke up, her first reaction was that her nose was open. She described it as a clear, breathable feeling she had not experienced for many years, with almost no pain.
After routine observation for four hours, she was discharged in good condition. The next day, she returned to work normally.
Severe rhinitis and migraine affected Clara's breathing, sleep, work, and daily life.
ENT examination found both allergic rhinitis issues and a deviated septum compressing nerves.
Breathing improved significantly, migraine disappeared, and daily medication was no longer needed.
"Every seasonal change used to frighten me. Now I can finally breathe normally, sleep normally, and work normally."
— Clara
Clara's case shows that rhinitis and migraine may sometimes be connected through nasal anatomy. For people with long-term nasal obstruction and unexplained headache, an ENT evaluation may reveal treatable structural causes. HIFU and septal correction are not suitable for everyone, but with proper assessment, they may offer a new path for selected patients.