Fifth Sense supporting Global CRSwNP Awareness Day
Fifth Sense is pleased to be supporting the Global CRSwNP Awareness Day, taking place on 20th April. Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRSwNP) is a major cause of smell loss.
Fifth Sense CEO and Founder, Duncan Boak, will be joining a panel discussion and talking about the needs and perspectives of the many people who experience loss of smell as the result of CRSwNPs, as well as highlighting findings from new research undertaken by the University of East Anglia and Fifth Sense.
Taking place on 20th April, the aims of this campaign are:
- to raise awareness of CRSwNP and comorbidities (asthma, atopic dermatitis, and its impact on quality of life among physicians, and policymakers),
- to encourage healthcare professionals at all levels to learn more about how they can improve outcomes for patients living with CRSwNP through improved diagnosis, treatment, and referrals to specialist care,
- to educate patients on the symptoms of CRSwNP so that they can seek appropriate care in the management of their disease or to support loved ones suffering from CRSwNP and associated comorbidities including Asthma, Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema, and Allergy – respiratory or food allergy).
For more information about the event, and how you can join in please click here. #LetsTalkCRS
If anyone would like to speak with us to get support or more information then please drop us an email at info@fifthsense.org.uk
The impact of CRSwNP is hugely significant, as detailed in Alison Tansey’s story, who lost her sense of smell very gradually around 2009. Alison says “The worst thing was not being able to taste the flavours of food, or smell lovely things like freshly baked bread, or roses in the garden.”
Despite using a form of nasal spray which didn’t have any effect, and having nasal polyps removed by surgery, Alison still couldn’t smell, and was told she may have to get used to never being able to smell again.
Alison describes her discovery of Fifth Sense “One day my lovely friend Linda gave me a magazine article about Fifth Sense. I was amazed to find out there was a charity for people with my condition and that I was not alone! I had reached a point where I was desperate to learn if anything could be done for me. I decided to take the plunge and register for the Fifth Sense Conference in 2015, hoping I would hear about some new ground-breaking treatment.
One of the conference speakers was ENT Consultant Lisha McClelland, who also took part in a workshop for people with my type of condition, caused by rhinosinusitis / allergy / polyps, etc. I was very impressed by her and a short time after the conference I asked my GP to refer me to her Smell & Taste Clinic at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. I told her my story and was diagnosed as having stage 2 polyps. I was prescribed a course oforal steroids, a daily antihistamine tablet, twice daily nasal rinses and twice-daily steroid nasal drops, Flixonase. I was also encouraged to get started on daily smell training, as soon as the course of oral steroids was completed.
After about 4 weeks of this intensive treatment I could smell again. I was absolutely ecstatic. I am so grateful to Fifth Sense as I would never have got to where I am without their help. I hope my story will inspire people with my condition not to give up, to ask for help from the right people and to be prepared to put the effort in to maintain their sense of smell and taste when they get it back. It is well worth it!”
We are very grateful for Alison sharing her experience and to read her full story please go to: https://www.fifthsense.org.uk/stories/alisons-story-able-to-smell-again-after-successful-treatment-for-rhinosinusitis/
