C/D: Sinus Infection

i just want to be able to breathe through my nose again! maybe get my sense of smell back? is that too much to ask?

If you're having awful sinuses but aren't generally really sick, like hit-by-a-truck-with-a-fever sick, try some light cardio exercise. Some of the sinus "congestion" is blood flow inflaming the tissues, not the volume of snot alone.

Exercise seems to...I don't know, encourage that blood to circulate elsewhere? Works for me every time. Even though the effect doesn't last long after the exercise, at least you get a break where you can feel your face, OR maybe you can sneak some nasal spray in there while it's still open.

Yeah, I've often found that even a quick brisk walk somewhere when your nose is clogged up frees up the sinuses nicely -- but then it just returns when you stop moving. Which, if you really feel sick and miserable, makes it doubly frustrating since you're supposed to be resting, not exercising or doing much.

Yes, I especially love a good walk in the freezing cold. I get terribly pains when I leave the room closed (inc windows) and the heating on. Usually we sleep - yes, even now in the freezing cold- with the windows open and the doors as well.

Snoball, I use it practically every day. Some use it twice per day, some every once in a while. I do it every morning (unless I just forget but I usually don't). I have to say these things are bloody fantastic!

on my second one in three weeks, this sucks. neti pots are gold, so is flonase and a z-pack.

I just want to chip in and say that the neti pot rules. I've been using one for a year now, and it's made a lot of difference. I used to have a major sinus-triggered migraine at least once a fortnight, in the past year I've had two. It used to take me over an hour to get to sleep because of breathing problems, now it only takes about ten minutes. I can actually smell stuff now (disadvantages to this as I travel by bus). I have fewer colds now, and they seem to be over quicker, and the symptoms not as severe.

yeah a lot of my friends/family thought i was nuts using a neti pot. "what are you some new age weirdo?" blow me snotty.

i got post nasal drip going on

First sinus infection. Five days of terrible gunk in the morning, then feeling ok later in the day. But now the face pain has kicked in. I feel ok otherwise. Any point in bothering with hitting the pharmacy, or just let it go away on its own?

buy a sinupulse. it works marginally for me but i'm a marginal case, the reviews, and mates who've used it, are mostly very positive.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/SinuPulse-Elite-Advanced-Irrigation-System/dp/B001CWT4JI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356828935&sr=8-1

That thing looks good, but this is the first time I've ever had a sinus infection and unless they become chronic I wouldn't lay out that much money. Just wondering whether I should get decongestants and stuff that people mention above, or whether that'll slow down recovery overall (which is the priority, because whilst mornings are grossss and it would be better if they weren't, it's still pretty mild compared to some of your horror stories above). In which case I'll just hydrate like crazy.

fucking dying here. the nhs now recommends that machine i linked to above, incidentally. that plus have some anti-histamines, say five our fathers, and fire all manner of sprays up your nose.

C

yeah sorry, bit out of context of global events. just not thinking straight.

i had one last year. p sure i was given antibiotics for it but i guess thats not the common treatment

i basically have them all the time since 2005, had the operation and stuff, that's why it's a bit of an ordeal, and the doc ends up telling you stuff you know won't work. apparently in the uk they no longer recommend antibiotics for them.

ya it wouldn't make sense for chronic sufferers

I got sent away from the GPs with antibiotics for sinus infection for years until a locum GP pointed out it was more likely to be cluster headaches (easily confused, apparently).

ive had a world of these over the past couple of years. docs are constantly trying to stab people with steroids these days. WTH

Do cluster headaches come with blood and pus?

Suffering horribly with this atm. I get 2 or 3 really nasty ones every year. I can't tolerate the sprays etc., so steam and paracetamol is about all I do.

Me=tooslow

Do cluster headaches come with blood and pus?

No. Pain on one side of the face and a curious blocked nose on one side.

This is definitely a sinus infection then!

Try that machine I posted upthread. It probably sounds a bit "it really works!" but read the reviews and check the rating.

Thanks LG, but it's a bit outside my price range o.O

i basically have them all the time since 2005, had the operation and stuff, that's why it's a bit of an ordeal, and the doc ends up telling you stuff you know won't work. apparently in the uk they no longer recommend antibiotics for them.

That's awful. I had the operation on them and it was very painful, it would be very frustrating to have that done and then find out it didn't help.

Thanks LG, but it's a bit outside my price range o.O

― you may not like it now but you will (Zora), Saturday, April 20, 2013

this is $9.99

http://www.natlallergy.com/images/400/sinucleanse-squeeze.jpg

yeah by all accounts those work pretty well too. despite my total lack of faith in the doc, the two days of steroid spray, irrigation, and anti-histamines seem to be working. i still feel a bit wrecked but i swear my sinuses are calming down.

http://goldenageofmusicvideo.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/MagnusPyke.jpg
Sinus!

I'm not big on medicating the heck out of things, but after several bad allergy-related sinus infections I just don't mess around any more. Claritin every day to keep the allergies at bay, and if/when I get any congestion from any cause, I hammer it with decongestants (the kind you have to show a photo ID to buy so they can make sure you're not making meth). And if there's any sign of actual infection -- persistent pain, greenish gunk -- straight to the antibiotics. In my experience, they do not go away on their own, and they will make your life miserable.

(And neti pots or other sinus washes are good too, but useless once you have an infection. They'll help clear out, but won't kill anything.)

jesse otm. I've started on exactly the same regime. In the past ometimes I've done saline spray or even got a scrip for Flonase which worked but at some point, no matter how careful I think I am, sooner or latter the bottle seems to get infected and then I reinfect myself.

so its a basin and hot water and a towel is it

suggest you add a tablespoon of vicks to the hot water, stir it til it melts and then breathe it in. Will help clear your head a bit.

ty will try

Classic.

Had a nasty bout last month but some general 'off' sensations there lingered further after I finally stopped sneezing and it turns out...I have this:

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001641.htm

Gross but manageable so right now I'm living on Claritin and Flonase and etc until I see a specialist in a couple of weeks.

AND SMOKING HURTS.

― the table is the table, Sunday, August 5, 2007 10:39 PM (eleven years ago) bookmarkflaglink

The truest complaint ^^

motherfuck, I haven't had one of these in 11 years, and it's kicking my ass for the last week.

just got antibiotics.

i was about to say...

the vision thing definitely happens. i've been batty-blind.

― the table is the table, Sunday, August 5, 2007 10:05 PM bookmarkflaglink

huh, this happened to me yesterday for 2 hours

i usually get like four of these a year but now that i work from home i haven’t been sick since february

I only previously got them when I lived in my old apt, which I was convinced had some kinda weird mold or shit hanging out that I couldn't find.

Dud