noodle

I'm bound and determined to avoid antibiotics as long as I can in a manner that's not going to make me sicker, but I've been fighting sinus congestion for about six weeks now. Most is allergies, some is the changing weather.

I'm curious as to what tricks people use to treat sinus congestion, ear pain, eye and tooth sensitivity stemming from congestion. Chicken soup kinda helped last night. The ear crackled a bit. The hot shower this morning helped the headache. I'm going to try to go pick up some Tylenol Allergy Sinus, but I was trying not to dry stuff up, rather loosen it and get it out. Sleep is just not coming.

So, what do you do when your head is stuffy?

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dlish

salt in luke warm water

i then proceed to snort a tablespoon up each nostril.

i find it clears my sinuses and soothes my headaches.

it may sting like a bitch (depending on the salt content of course) but a few minutes later im usually up and running.

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Baraka_Guru

I've done what dlishsguy suggests, and it works when things are quite bad (despite how unpleasant it can be), but I find it doesn't always last long.

You might also want to try this recipe in combination with that technique. It's a tea for cold and flu and it will certainly do a number on your sinuses. It will certainly heat things up to help loosen up congestion. It works for me every time. Drink it despite how potent it seems. It's for function, not pleasure. Just don't breathe in the steam and you'll be fine.....

Ginger Tea

INGREDIENTS

• 1 inch / 2.5 cm piece ginger root, peeled
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 2 T lemon juice
• Sweetener to taste
• 1-2 cloves garlic, mashed

METHOD
Grate peeled ginger root. Put it in a pot with 2 cups of cold water, bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Add cayenne pepper (more or less to taste) and simmer 1 minute more. Remove from heat.

Add fresh lemon juice, sweetener to taste, and mashed garlic. Let cool slightly, and strain if desired.

(Dr. Weil)

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dogzilla

I try to stay away from dairy products when I have a cold/flu and I think that really makes a difference. Years ago, I would be miserable and could not sleep well for 2-3 nights. Now it's usually 1 night. Herb tea with honey used to help me a bit too.

maleficent

Spicy Spicy Spicy - as spicy a food as I can handle - it's the only way I can eat chicken soup -but Chicken soup with some generous pours of Daves insanity sauce in it... WOOAAAH NELLY - clears ya right up...

and if you can find eucalyptus oil, breathing in some of that is helpful..

or it's disgusting but vicks vapor rub is also good... especially with chest congestion...

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jewels

If you don't mind medication, Mucinex will get all that stuff out.

As far as natural goes, ginger is killer, as Baraka's suggested. Use the actual root. It'll knock just about anything out!

Ginger Beer

1 pound ginger
8 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 1/2 quart water

Puree ginger and water in blender or processor.
Let it sit for a day.
Add sugar & mix (add more or less sugar based on your taste)

Or you can buy it in a bottle at the grocery store, not quite as strong, but it'll still help.

EDIT: Don't strain it!! Those ginger pieces are tough to take but do the work.

analog

drink PLENTY of water. lots. A lot of people say "I drink tons of water" but almost no one actually does. For the record, healthy men should drink about 3 Liters of beverage (water or whatever) in a day, and healthy, non-pregnant women should get 2.2 Liters. Illness increases your body's demand for hydration, and better hydration also helps your body fight off illness (this does not apply to some kidney, liver, adrenal, and heart diseases, which may actually be exacerbated by excess water intake).

Water helps keep the mucus more viscous, and then it drains easier/is easier to clear out. This only helps, but it's a great idea in general anyway.

I pick up some Claritin (does not cause drowsiness) for allergies, Claritin-D if I want the decongestant component... because if it's already there and you don't dry it up, it's just going to sit there.

Redlemon

Rather than do this, get a Neti Pot.



It's really easy to do, it won't burn (because they tell you the proper salt:water ratio), and even if you get it "wrong", the extra water goes into your mouth, not down your throat or windpipe.

Don't snort water; it can get too deep into your sinuses, fester, and cause worse infections. Use the Neti Pot, then forcefully exhale through your nose to air-dry it.

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ShaniFaye

I have found that mucinex is the only thing that helps me no matter if the congestion is in my head or in my chest, zaps the head ache right away

I'd never taken it until I got pneumonia this year, I was amazed since most OTC's dont help me a bit

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noodle

Thanks so much for the suggestions. The neti pot freaks me out. But, depending on how desperate I get... And, I have a 64oz mug that I must finish during the workday of just water and then anything at the gym or home is bonus. Typically another 48 oz or so, so I'm pretty good on the water.

Unfortunately the only ginger I can handle without getting violently nauseated is the powdered kind. I'm going to try some ginger beer and see if that helps, but I've tried cooking with fresh ginger and stuff and I don't know what it is but I get ill within seconds.

So it's off to Fresh Market and Target when my eye clears up enough to drive and the hypothetical screwdriver comes out of my ear for some ginger beer, herbal tea, and Mucinex. Then home to a bowl of my Guinness-cocoa-coffee chili I made this weekend. Thanks guys!

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jewels

Hmmm. Do tell???

noodle

it's a secret recipe. it's floating around somewhere in tilted cooking

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jewels

Thanks, I'll have to search for that. Sounds like a modified version of a chile mole ...

dlish

that neti pot looks like something out of an amatuer porn fetish movie. i couldnt be caught dead having someone put something like that up my nose.. god forbid ppl think it goes into other orifices...

im sure u could find the salt:water ratio online. but its true what u said about snorting it too high.. never had an infection.. just wondering how salt water can cause an infection though?

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Redlemon

I searched a while, didn't find much, except that on the FAQ page of the place I bought my pot says:
Perhaps a biased source. But seriously, it is really easy, it feels good - water goes in one nostril, boogers come out the other.

Anecdotal evidence: my friend's daughter was getting severe and frequent sinus infections. The doctors told her she needed surgery. A nurse suggested trying a neti pot. She does one pot daily, and hasn't had another sinus infection for two years now.

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Bear Cub

NeilMed makes a sinus rinse kit. You actually squirt the water up your nose and it typically runs out along the roof of your mouth. Sounds gross, but it works, and doesn't rely on gravity to try and clear all the nasties out of there. It also comes with premeasured saline packets to dissolve, much finer than salt.

vanblah

I second the neti pot. I've been using it for years. Also ... don't use table salt ; that's what stings ... use sea salt.

I've used a weakened solution of Alkolol (NOT alcohol) when I'm really congested but no one is selling it anymore.

Using a neti pot is easiest while you are taking a shower.

The neti pot may freak you out, but if you really want to stay clear of antibiotics then you may need to face your fear. I have serious, chronic sinusitis and my doctor is alway trying to give me round after round of antibiotics. I tried a 12 week regimine once ... it was great until I got the next sinus infection. Then I went on another 2 week regimine. Finally I started using the neti pot. I'm not saying that I don't get infections from time-to-time ... but the do seem to be fewer and far between. Again, it's anecdotal, but I really do like it. I certianly breathe easier after using it.

I also use SinoFresh sometimes ... especially if I feel an infection coming on ... but it's expensive.

I use Mucinex (along with the neti pot) when I'm actually congested in my chest.

P.S. - if it's a really serious sinus infection you can use this:

wraithhibn

I use the NeilMed kit with the bottle instead of pot. I really like it, helps out a lot. I go from Allergy season to Sinus season and use it all year round. Helps with what we call the Ohio Valley Crud.

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thingstodo

neti pots are awesome. Mucinex is like oil for the sinuses and respiratory tract. Decongenstants are an absolute last resort. If you dry that crap up it just sits there and eventually has to come out. I've known people to get serious problems taking to much decongestant thinking it would help to take more faster.

Above all else, unless youare diagnosed with an infection DO NOT take an antibiotic. They don't help and only hurt when you really need an antibiotic but your system have developed an imunity to them.

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noodle

I'm immune to half of the antibiotics on the planet.
I learned to avoid them the hard way in college.... after three years of an uncomfortable feminine infection (yes, without interruption of cure despite treatment) I find them almost worse than the illness at times.
The mucinex and hot showers are making it possible to work again... not sure if that's a "good thing" since I have to work now, but the pain is receding somewhat. I was in tears yesterday from the pain and damned if I couldn't find a neti pot or the solutions mentioned above anywhere. Apparently I got "pussy" ginger soda... according to my SO, but that's all they had. GuS.... "Grown Up Soda." It had some undesirable GI effects, so that was the end of that. Hopefully. Thanks for everyones' suggestions!

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*Nikki*

I agree with Analog on the Claritin thing. That always helps clear out my sinus and ears.

snowy

Don't be afraid of nasal sprays. I am extremely prone to sinus infections, and so I tend to gravitate towards using a combination of OTC Afrin Extra Moisturizing when the congestion is really solidly in there, and Flonase prescription nasal spray for if it's swollen in addition to congested. The Flonase is particularly helpful if your eustachian tubes are clogged up.

Do they have Yogi Tea where you live? They make an amazing lemon ginger tea that really helps with colds, though I know you said that gives you stomach upset. They have other teas specifically for colds as well. Traditional Medicinals also makes good teas for colds. Just drink lots of HOT liquids, period. It helps the decongestants do their job to thin out the mucus. It will also keep your sinuses from drying out once they are cleared out.

Speaking of which, a nice saline spray works well for keeping your nasal cavities moisturized, without any need to stick a pot or significant amounts of water up your nose.

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thingstodo

Antihistamines are a great preventative but take several days to build up in the blood stream.

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Shauk

Wasabi... lots of it. apply directly to tongue. your nostrils will clear right up. haha.

thingstodo

Heh heh! There's nothing like a good wasabi rush!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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noodle

the indian food worked well last night.

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Daniel_

Sauna is good.

Also, orgasms. I kid you not. Works for both genders.

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Cynthetiq

http://www.neilmed.com/

I just got one of these saline rinses... my god it makes a huge difference for me. I resisted it for weeks when I first got it thinking that it was a huge effort, but it is no harder than tearing open a packet of salt, putting it in the bottle and pouring in some distilled or cooled down boiled water (sterilized.)

HUGE difference for me. I can actually tell when I'm starting to feel the pollens, hairs, and dust get to me that I rinse again and I'm good as new.

No sting at all. It is also quite comfortable since it is zero pressure when being squeezed into one nostril and passing the septum to the other nostril to drain.

Slight post nasal drip if I do it wrong, but that's just a little salty to taste, no gurgling or up the nose feeling at all.

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Ustwo

As someone with sinus issues my entire life I'll have to look into this.

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noodle

I'm allergic to Iodine and this might be why the salt water stuff makes me feel more stuffy later... which I just figured out after reading the NeilMed site. I'm going to try to get some of this stuff from WalMart tomorrow. The teapot-shaped neti pot is a lot less intimidating, too.

And, i concur with the Orgasm Theory of Decongestion. It works well.

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Cynthetiq

agreed the pot itself seems much more intimdating to me. the bottle is a simple squeeze with little pressure. the more I press the more liquid is pushed up. the pot, you have to tilt more and if you tilt your head it doesn't flow as easily, imo, makes it less controllable to me. a squeeze is simple and straight up and down. I don't tilt my head, it flows right out with no discomfort at all.

it also is easier to pack since the box is smaller than the pot, and since I travel alot, well it is just simple and easy.

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Kaimi

Saline rinses sound really gross and uncomfortable but once you try them, it is easy to realize that such a simple drug-free thing can really help.

Redlemon

I use Kosher salt, no iodine.

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Daniel_

Why is iodised salt not kosher?

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╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗
Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air,
And deep beneath the rolling waves,
In labyrinths of Coral Caves,
The Echo of a distant time
Comes willowing across the sand;
And everthing is Green and Submarine
╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝

newtx

The mucinex sinus formula is the best product I've used in a long time. Combined with Flonase it has worked great.

Redlemon

No, it's the other way around. "Kosher salt" is not iodized. I don't know Jewish dietary law well enough to explain. You can also use sea salt.

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MSD

Every morning in the shower, I blow my nose after everything is loosened up by the hot steam. You'd be amazed at how much a good old-fashioned farmer's blow/snot rocket will get out, and as long as you clean it up it's not going to bother anyone. Blowing into tissues is great, but it just can't compare to getting it all out in the shower when it's all softened up by steam and hot water.

Sudafed works wonders, even if you have to deal with asinine federal laws that make your life miserable trying to get it. I thought I had run out, but I found a box in the medicine cabinet this morning and the feeling was along the lines of what it would be like to be Indiana Jones finding the Holy Grail. Combine with some Mucinex or other guaifenesin supplement, and you'll clear right up.

If nothing else, letting hot water run over your face soothes the sinuses and helps the pain, and will make your nose run after a bit.
This is important. As long as you keep it within reason, you'll piss out extra water if your body doesn't need it.
Sure, salt kills most stuff, but being from the other side of the world, you've probably never smelled Long Island Sound. Plenty of nasty shit can survive salt water.
It's best if you get the real stuff and not the paste they pass off to Americans as Wasabi. Burns while it's on your tongue, but once it's gone, the burning stops almost immediately.

analog

I've also been known to use altoids, cough drops, and anything else with a very strong mint or menthol component... loosens and clears up quite a bit, then you can clear out with a tissue. Doesn't work for everyone, but worth a try- using an altoid to clear out your sinuses, if it works for you, is way easier than any medicine.

thingstodo

OK, so the one thing better than a wasabi rush is an orgasm - for anything that ails ya'!

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dlish

although id agree with daniel, id have to say that the after effects of the adrenalin rush is quite short lived and all returns back to the way it was a few minutes later..

if only we were cockroaches who enjoyed.what was it? a month long orgasm?

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