Sinus pressure

[Gnusgal]

So what you're saying is that I'm "up a creek..." right? I'm certainly not surprised that you're not able to come up with anything. I figure out of the 28 (almost 29) years I've been on this earth, it's doubtful that anyone's going to come up with something for me now. It's just frustrating that most people can just go into the pharmacy and head down "aisle 5" to find the over the counter drugs when I have to sit and suffer. I can come through open heart surgery without a problem... Heck, I think I may have felt better 4 weeks post-op than I do 4 weeks post-coming down with this thing...

The really stinky thing is that I've been getting a few arrhythmias anyway, even though I haven't been taking any of the arrhythmia inducing drugs... Oh well. I just can't win. Thanks for the help anyway.

 

[Guest]

Niki, I was definitely saying that I could think of anything for you. I was saying that there really is nothing in "aisle 5" that is truly effective for anyone especially when it come to not causing side effects. There is a lot of advertising to make you think that one whiff will open the worst plugged sinus in the world, but in reality they do not work very well. They certainly do not cause a cure to happen.

The thing that works the best for me without causing bad side effects in Vick's Vapo Rub. Place it right under your nose. Again it is far from perfect.

 

[MelissaM]

Sorry you are having such problems. This might be akin to throwing a pail of water on a raging inferno, but I swear by Emergen-C by Alacer:

http://www.alacer.com/cgi-bin/dbsea...DBCOMP=ABS,template=/products/returntitle.htm

I take this stuff at the first sign of a sniffle and it seems to knock the junk right out of my trunk. Not sure how it does in mid-stream, but a little extra immune system boost might help (be sure to follow the link and make sure it doesn't have stuff that will interfere w/your INR, though). Plus, you dissolve it in water, so it is a good way to get a little extra hydration, too.

Haven't had a cold or flu or sinus infection in three years on this stuff.

Also, if you haven't got it going already, a humidifier can do wonders for making sure your sinuses can drain properly. Folks are starting to turn on the heat, which dries out the air so much.

Oh - and one more natural remedy that I love. Pour a cup of boiling water and put 3 to 4 drops of peppermint oil in the hot water. Inhale the steam. Great for the sinuses and the lungs. I had a super-dry hacking cough the other week and this remedy cleared it right up!

Best,
Melissa

 

[Mary]

I have found that Vick's Vapor Rub (Al's cure) works well as does Carmex. I rub it under my nose, and it seems to open the nasal passages.

I've never been able to use any over the counter medications either. They make me feel worse than when I started. I try to keep well hydrated and just suffer through it. Breathe Right strips are a help at night; they hold the nose open so you can breath.

 

[Guest]

Melissa's post made me think of that scene in Crocodile Dundee where the guy is inhaling cocaine and Mick thinks he is trying to open his sinuses and puts the towel over his head.

 

[gijanet]

Sooooooooo....

Sooooooooo....

Melissa's post made me think of that scene in Crocodile Dundee where the guy is inhaling cocaine and Mick thinks he is trying to open his sinuses and puts the towel over his head.

I think, Niki, if we read between the lines here, that Al is recommending that you snort coke............that would certainly open up those sinuses....or so I've heard! But I don't think your cardiologist would approve! Just kidding, of course. Hugs. J.

 

[gijanet]

Niki.............

Niki.............

I sure hope you are feeling better. I was in the middle of responding to you last night when my post froze when I hit send. I finally had to close the site, and then reopen it. 'Course the post was gone. (Insert cuss word of choice here.) Then poopoo hit the fan on this end............well, actually, it was more like vomit hitting the bed.........Yuk! Ahhhh! the joys of parenting.........I'm with you, though, why can't anything ever be easy? A simple childhood illness always ends up putting me in panic mode............

Anyway, by the time I tried to resolve our coumadin issue, I was too tired to try and retype all that, so I'm trying again tonight. Gonna copy it, though, before I hit send.

Okay, to get to the point. I have been searching my brain (doesn't take very long, I guarantee you, these days) for what you could do to relieve the stuffiness, and then it dawned on me. My ENT doc gave me a recipe for sinus irrigation that really helps. It does not sting like you think it would. It doesn't sting at all, really. 'Course I have been just throwing it together so long, I had forgotten all the exact amounts as I just wing it. So I did an internet search and came up with this one, complete with reviews:

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A great home remedy prescribed by my ear, nose & throat specialist for sinus headaches, congestion, colds, and allergies. The salt water clears the "gunk" out. The baking soda soothes irritated membranes, and the glycerine soothes and moisturizes.
8 ounces distilled water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon glycerine

Mix everything up in a jar.
Rinse thru nose 4 times a day using a bulb syringe like they use for babies and ears. While standing at the sink, tip your head back, flush thru nose, then tip your head forward, and let the"wash" run back out the other nostril.
Messy? --yes. But very effective.

Recent Reviews
sheri77 | my other reviews | e-mail me

i just tried this. it is a godsend. i might as well not have a cold at all. i used a perfume oil dropper (cleaned of course) and found it wasn't so messy with that. what came out was though. my boyfriend just sat there laughing at me, but hey, at least i can breathe again. ? Aug 13, 2005

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Snooky80 | my other reviews | e-mail me

I must admit that I was a little nervous about doing this as I absolutely hate getting water up my nose, but I was amazed to find that it didnt hurt at all! I have suffered from mild sinus problems and congestion for most of my life and I usually take otc sinus pills at least once a week, but this is amazing and yes, messy! (I may have to work on my technique) I don't have a syringe, just filled a small bowl with the liquid and sucked it up one nostril at a time. I omitted the glycerine as I don't have any in the house plus I used warm water. It cleared my congestion away immediately so from now on this is going to be my first line of defence against sinus headaches. Thankyou so much for posting this. ? Aug 6, 2005

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Actually, this is very similar to mine, but mine did not have the glycerin. I think mine is something like 16 ozs. distilled water (although I use tap all the time, too), 3/4 tsp uniodized salt (although I use whatever we have on hand), 3/4 tsp baking soda. Warm slightly and squirt away. Well, I hope that you are feeling better, but do try this anyway. It might help. Sometimes, I end up doing it four or five times a day. I'd use it on Katie if I could figure out how to hogtie her down. Sending my love. J.