Cold vs Sinus Infection?

Has anyone else developed clogged sinuses since moving here? I never had a problem with constant blocked noses in California, where it's dry, but over here, me and the kids have a constant sniffle. I am hoping it improves a wee bit in our new house, that maybe there was something in the air in this house that didn't help, but I am afraid it's just the weather and its affect on the human body.

Has anyone else developed clogged sinuses since moving here? I never had a problem with constant blocked noses in California, where it's dry, but over here, me and the kids have a constant sniffle. I am hoping it improves a wee bit in our new house, that maybe there was something in the air in this house that didn't help, but I am afraid it's just the weather and its affect on the human body.

I have constant sniffles anyway, but yeah, it's worse here. The damp makes my nose really runny. I'm sure the nasty old carpet and sofas in our house don't help either, as my primary allergy is to dust mites. I was a lot better in our last place, which had mostly hard floors and brand-new carpet in the bedrooms.

the decongentants haven't done much... i've been taking sudafed every 4 hours.  drinking tea hourly & water in between.

Maybe try a different decongestant? Pseudoephedrine works well for me, but it was getting tough to find in the US when I left a year ago due to the meth crackdown, and you really have to jump through hoops to get any. But some other decongestants don't agree with me very well.

If you're getting a sore throat from the sinus drainage, honey in the tea helps a lot. Hot lemon juice and honey will help break up the gunk while soothing your throat.

My usual test for an infection is to tap the cheekbone, under the eye, very lightly. If that causes actual pain, especially if I also have green goo, I head for the doctor. I had a six-week sinus infection in university, and I don't recommend it. Sheer misery.

I need to find me a netti pot! 

You should be able to find one at a health food store or Whole Foods.  At the store I worked at in the US we sold them and so many customers who normally would not try alternative or complementary medicine said how great they were.  Even regular doctors started sending their patients down to our shop to get one as a last resort before prescribing surgery!  Needless to say many people ended up not needing the surgery thank goodness.

In the neti pot you put a pinch of salt.  Also at the health food store you can get some really good nasal sprays with colloidal silver in them.  Colloidal silver is a natural anit-bacterial.  Take that on the plane with you and spray away!!  You can also get a spray with goldenseal, but more likely take the goldenseal internally (in capsule or liquid tincture form) as it is also a natural anti-bacterial.  You can take 2 or 3 caps a few times a day.  In between meals rather than with food is the best time to take it.

I recently cured myself of what could have been a full-blown sinus infection.  I had the fever, the yellow snot, and the pain behind the eyes a bit and everything smelled weird to me.

Luckily the fever only lasted a day or two and then I was fully on the road to recovery.

Me, I have clogged ears whenever I get a cold now and I don't really have any allerigies. 

I'll have to have a look for the netti pot as well. I have been getting chronic sinus infections and bouts of sinusitus for the last 5 years or so. Couple of years ago I ended up with ruptured ear drums from the pressure and the infection. Not fun.

I've found that steam helps me when the pressure gets to be too much. Either take an extra long super hot shower and keep breathing the steam in or boil some water and stand over that for a bit. A hot damp cloth over your forehead/under your eyes area can help sometimes too.

I used to get annual sinus infections when I lived in CA. 

Green snot, low grade fever, soreness in the eyes when you look up or down and sore teeth are all signs. Also, if you have been blocked up for over a week without any relief.    I like to use decongestant (gets rid of what is in there) and antihistamines (inhibits the production of the snot) when fighting a sinus infection.  I can't take normal decongestants so i use nasal spray.  But nasal spray can only be used for 4 days.  I have also had such a severe  sinus infection that the dr. gave me steroids to help break up the mucous.  Tylenol &/or ibuprofen will help the swelling. 

Drink lots of water, blow out as much as you can.  You can also put a bit of menthol crystals in a bowl of steaming water (vicks works too) and sit over it with a towel over your head. that gets you breathing at least for a little while. 

Unfortunately, sinuses are extremely dense tissue and very hard for antibiotics to penetrate.  Sometimes, it takes more than one course (if not prescribed correctly in the first place) in order for the antibiotics to penetrate enough to kill the bacteria.   

Neti pots are available on Amazon.com.

still in cold/sinus agony.  pounding headache when i stand.  dr seems likely tomorrow.

still in cold/sinus agony.  pounding headache when i stand.  dr seems likely tomorrow.

Yeah, I am afraid that you need some super duper antibiotics, unfortunately! 

My sinuses were much, much worse in the US, particularly in Houston, which is humid, hot and has the added bonus of being one of the most polluted places in the US.

I thought they'd improve in Denver, and they did, but not by much.

See what your dr says, meggles.  Some won't turn to anti-biotics straightaway, which can be a good thing because usually there's low-grade fever present with true infection, but a doc should be able to tell.

Hope you get better FAST.

Trot on over to Whole Foods and get a netti pot!

Goldenseal also helps.

update... i left work yesterday and slept from 3-8 and then 10 - 7am.  feel 50% better.  still have a headache and painful sinuses, but def not as woosey.  also found another type of sudafed (blue gel pills insteada of little red ones) that really really help. 

still going to the drs as i already have the appointment.  thanks everyone! 

Good luck at the doctor's and hope you feel better soon!

sinus infection.  the dr said it could prob clear up on its own but since i'm flying in 3 days he gave me azithromycin - a 3 day antibiotic. he also perscribed pseudoephedrine and guaifenesin (decongesntants).  the dr said they were non-drowsy but not jumpy.  the pharmacist said i'd have a hard time sleeping on them.  doing to try one tomorrow AM, not now.

phew!

Guaifenesin that is the stuff I got at Boot Camp.  Drink fluids, lots and lots of water. 

sinus infection.  the dr said it could prob clear up on its own but since i'm flying in 3 days he gave me azithromycin - a 3 day antibiotic. he also perscribed pseudoephedrine and guaifenesin (decongesntants).  the dr said they were non-drowsy but not jumpy.  the pharmacist said i'd have a hard time sleeping on them.  doing to try one tomorrow AM, not now.

phew!

Yeah, probably a good thing to do the antibiotic before flying.  The flying would make everything really painful if you didn't speed it up a bit.  That is a good antibiotic and the one I am on now and I am breathing quite well through my nose (YAY!)!  Good luck, feel better, and have a very safe flight!

i know everyone reacts differently- but did it make you jumpy?  I have a meeting tomorrow and really would not like to be zonked out.