Need Sinus Infection Advice

[AmyBoz]

Okay, I need some advice.

I get terrible sinus infections. As I get older, I get them more frequently and they are extremely painful. I get migraines with them that can frequently get so bad that I vomit.

I refuse to take off from work because I have students that rely on my being there and I really don't think that a sub does the same job. However, I did take off one day a few weeks ago because I couldn't stop vomiting from the goop dripping down into my stomach and the pain of the migraine. Fun, huh?

I've been on every antibiotic known to man and while they work, for now, eventually, they won't because I've taken them so often. In addition, I take Sudafed, Tylenol Severe Sinus Pain, and use nasal sprays. Nothing is helping. I'm good for about a week or two and then it comes back.

So, does anyone have any home remedies? I stand in the hot shower as long as I can, hoping the steam will open me up, but it never does. I toss and turn all night, hoping the pain will flow from one side to the other and give me a break in the middle, but it doesn't. I dream about taking a metal straw and poking it into my temple to drain the sinuses. I chew gum because when it pulls the teeth down with the suction, it gives me a millisecond of relief.

A few people I know have had the sinus surgery, but they all said that after two years, the infections were back. Also, I'm way gunshy of surgery after the severed spinal accessory nerve debacle last spring.

Anyone? Any thoughts?

[LeeCee]

the neti pot is very good you fill it with a salt solution and tilt your head and pour in each nostril. it is supposed to help alot. I still haven't tried it but I will soon.I also suffer from sinus infections.also the doctor told me if you get that many infections a year it is best to have allergy shots. I used to get them and they really helped.the neti pot is available in places like cvs walgreens etc .good luck hope you feel better

[ladykemma2]

well, i can tell you that when i lived in england, they don't give antibiotics. they let you stew in your own juice. after a couple of immune system cured infections, i don't seem to get them anymore.

i also wash (have the kids wash) their desks everyday with dilute dish soap or fabuloso in water. i do not allow antibacterial products to be used in my room .

maybe this will help???

[stinkbug]

I'm going to second the Neti pot. You can google it and see a demo of how it works. It's not pretty. But it does work. Long story short.....I had serious sinus problems for over 5 years. Thousands of $$$ in Dr. visits, tests, MRIs, etc. Inhalers, antibiotics, you name it. NOTHING helped. As a totally last ditch effort before another CT scan (1200.00) I tried the Neti pot. I figured I had nothing to lose and it was under 20.00.
It HURT! A lot. Then each time I did it, it hurt less and less.....and I got used to it and knew when I *needed* to use it. I now use it about every two weeks. I buy the pre-measured saline packets and they work really well and are idiot proof and easy to use. I would have never believed it as NO doctor ever suggested it and I ran into the info kind of by accident.
I do it in the shower, which is less messy and kinda relaxing.....after you get used to it. Initially, it litteraly feels like you are sucking in swimming pool water!
You might want to give it a try. I did it about every day for a few weeks, then tapered back and do it now when I feel like I need to. I have not had ANY sinus problem since I started doing it in January.

[Nishu]

I was going to suggest the neilmed pot as well. I have 3 of them because they were FAR and I've heard such great things about them so I thought I'd try them. I can't do it though. My nose is an exit only operation.

Aside from that, I've heard that food allergies can contribute to chronic sinus infections. Basically some people with undiagnosed dairy or wheat allergies will get the infections until the offending food is eliminated from the diet. And wheat (which is a type of grass) is especially likely to be a problem for people who are allergic to grass. Don't ask me how you know you're allergic to grass. This is the stuff I hear.

[stinkbug]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8sDIbRAXlg[/media]

[Suzi T.]

I recently visited my brother and sil in New Jersey. She has VERY bad allergies that often become infected as sinus infections. She was miserable on one particular day and stayed home from someplace we were planning to go, so I went with my brother. We expected to find her in bed when we returned but she was up and BETTER! She had used her neti pot and I couldn't believe the difference in her! I am getting one too!

[Buckeye5]

I am so sorry that you feel terrible. Yuck. Anyway, I just heard yesterday on the TV that drinking apple-cider vinegar diluted with water can cure many ailments and keep a person healthier. Also, maybe try to put a diluted warm water with salt solution up your nose a few times a day. This is uppose to help your sinuses also. Hope you feel better soon.

[lovestoread]

I have a friend and my sister in law both said they have had good luck with the neti pots with a saline rinse. My SIL says this has helped alot, and she got hers at CVS..... could be worth a try..... good luck.......

[ladykemma2]

pop some benadryl at 6pm and see if it doesn't clear up. could be allergies. and if you take benadryl, you won't care about much anyway.

[brenda67]

A friend told me to chew on a piece of Radish Root that will clear out those sinuses..HTH..

[annertak]

The only thing I found that works for me is Mucinex. I started using it long before they started selling Mucinex specifically for sinuses. A very stupid doctor (I really don't like him. lol) said one very smart thing to me once, and that was that the trick to sinuses is to keep them moist. It was a turning point for me! Mine tend to swell & close up, trapping everything behind it, causing hellacious sinus headaches. Since I started really focusing on keeping them moist, NOT using any OTC meds that dry sinuses, and using Mucinex, I rarely get them anymore. It's been about three years! I can feel the headache & sinus pressure coming on & can head it off.

I remember holidays when I couldn't lift my head off the couch, and thought I was going to die from the pain. I get migraines, too, and the sinus headaches rivaled them! I hope you can find relief, because they are no fun at all!!

[ladykemma2]

you could be reinfecting yourself with the nasal sprays

the nasal sprays could be causing rebound problems

could be a sterile infection (no bacteria, just a lot of white blood cells) from allergies due to pollen or mold. body tries to deal with invader by making a lot of white blood cells, hence why the antibiotics are having no effect.

benadryl everynight at 6 pm, vicks day-quil during the day to stop the drip and the cough.

[homemaker66]

Try and use "TEI FU" it is an oil that you breath in everyday and this helps your sinus and more. I use it everyday I and never have any problems with my sinus. You can find it at the natural food store and it cost about 12.00 for the very very small bottle BUT it last for a very long long time. I tried the neti pot but I found that it just plugged my sinus up even more and it HURTS.. If you get this oil have them give you a print out of it and this will tell you all of the other things this oil can help with. I hope that you will feel better soon.

[Greebo]

I tried neti pots, but I get so stuffy from my alergies that the low pressure flow didn't go anywhere.

I much prefer sinus rinses. I use this brand:
http://www.epinions.com/reviews/Ayr_...ine_Sinus_Wash

I used to get sinus infections 2x a year - REALLY bad. Since I started rinsing - anytime after I was around dust or anytime I felt my head starting to get stuffy, I haven't had a sinus infection. I've been doing this for about a year now - maybe a bit longer.

It's absolutely disgusting, but it works!