Sinus infection and upper tooth pain - any tips or advice please?

[Alabasterangel6]

I’m in the worse pain of my life - no exaggeration - I’d give birth 10 times over rather than have this.

I started with upper jaw pain middle of the week. Was convinced it was dental so went to see dentist yesterday PM who did a full upper X-ray and there is nothing there at all, all is well, but the pain has continued and ramped up overnight to the point where I can only describe it as having the worst toothache ever in every tooth in my upper jaw. It comes in waves (like labour but longer!) and each wave lasts about 30 minutes. I break out into a sweat and have tears running down my face. I didn’t sleep at all last night after 1am despite being dosed up to the max on ibuprofen and paracetamol in staggered doses. I also have nasty stuff running down the back of my throat which doesn’t taste nice and generally feel totally unwell (but no temp).

In desperation I went to the walk in at 8am and the nurse says it’s a sinus infection. She won’t give me antibiotics but has given me a flixonase spray and told me to take codeine but to potentially only try that at bedtime as I’ve never had it before and it may well make me nauseous?

Since coming home I have taken ibuprofen at the stated intervals, been inhaling steam and had my first dose of flixonase. My waves of pain are still just as bad and the ibuprofen just isn’t touching it at all. When I’m having a wave all I can do is grip the table or my head - I’ve never ever felt pain like it.

Anything else I can try or do?

I’ve just started a new job and I’ve got two absolutely critical meetings on Tuesday and I’m already worrying I won’t be better. To be fair if I still am in this much pain in waves by then I’ll probably want to remove my own head.

Anyone got any ideas? I’m willing to try anything but don’t feel safe to drive so may have to send DH out with any suggestions.

You should've have been given antibiotics 🤨. I get antibiotic abuse but a sinus infection unfortunately does need antibiotics when it is as bad as what the OP has described.

@FairyDust92 I've attached a screen shot of the NICE guidelines for sinusitis

I assume mine improved every time I had antibiotics because it was actually caused by a below-gum tooth infection.

@GrandmaSharksDentures did the OP say she had acute sinusitis then? Haven't read the whole post but anything that is acute will usually go away by itself or with help. But like that said MOST will get better without antibiotics but not all.

I’m here!! Yes I was diagnosed with acute dental sinusitis (the sinuses in question are the ones sitting right above the teeth hence the pain, not the ones behind the nose/forehead which I have also had in the past). I was cleared of dental issues by way of a full X-ray at the dentist - nothing to see on that.

I’m better by degrees. I am continuing every treatment I can which isn’t detrimental in some other way and today I have managed my meetings and zero painkillers. I’m still getting waves of pain but instead of a constant dull pain with the horrible acute/intense ‘labour waves’ in my upper right teeth, the dull ache has reduced to 2/10 and the waves were twice today not 20+ times like Saturday and Sunday. I can clench my teeth now (I couldn’t before) although all my right uppers feel like they’ve got a pain hangover (don’t know how else to describe it - bruised?).

Still no congested nose but occasionally I can feel (TMI here) a glob of something vile slide down my throat which then makes me cough. If I do get a pain wave I always seem to get movement of this crap immediately afterwards. I also get odd dull headache feelings, all def in the sinus area. Like something is shifting or moving. Just wish it would get on with it!!!!

Continuing with flixonase, nasal wash beforehand, pineapple juice and guasenifen expectorant. And the best cure is still cold. If I have a wave I hold a cold bottle water or glass and it seems to halt it.

Will continue with flixonase for another week or so if progress continues as it is, then ask for an ENT referral under my bupa care.

I think back to the weekend pain and I have honestly never ever felt pain like it. It was unreal!