Quote:
|
Originally Posted by JustJess
And it's most likely your sinuses since you've had a lot of trouble with them before. Add some decongestant to that acetominophen. Your sinuses aren't one continuous space - they're compartmentalized. This means that you could quite easily have one side inflamed and irritated, but not the other. If the pain doesn't recede with over-the-counter meds by about 2-3 days, you're talking a migraine or sinusitis more than likely. Then you'll need a doctor, insurance or not. |
You can clear up mild cases of sinusitis without seeing a doctor, but it's hard and takes a lot of work! But more importantly, you can prevent sinusitis, and you should always try to when your sinuses get stuffed up.
I have a lot of sinus issues, and so I follow this regimen when they start getting stuffy: Benadryl-D (decongestant, has no pain medication in it, so I can address my own pain needs), Afrin Extra Moisturizing (to clear all the gunk out in the first place), Mucinex (to thin the mucus), and finally, a regular saline spray to keep the sinuses moisturized once they're cleared out. I only use the decongestant and Mucinex if it's REALLY bad. If you live in a state where you can still get Sudafed, get Sudafed. Furthermore, using an NSAID like ibuprofen or naproxen is a little more effective as it can help bring down the swelling inside of your sinuses. By the way, this was all done on the advice of my former doctor, who told me that the best way to keep sinusitis at bay was to just keep them as clear as possible.
I haven't had to go to the doctor for my sinuses in about two years now, which is fortunate because until recently I didn't have insurance either!
