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Original poster

I want to rip my face off

38 replies

FreeButtonBee · 14/09/2021 15:20

had a mild cold (not covid!) and I now have the inevitable sinusitis after. I have steamed. I have flushed out with water. I have taken ibuprofen and solphadine. It hurts. No snot, no cough, just this awful pressure in my head. Arghhhhh.

Do I just submit and get antibiotics? Any other old wives tales to try? Luckily have private GP service so might actually be able to get them relatively quickly...

OP posts:
MistySkiesAfterRain · 14/09/2021 15:25

You can take solpadeine every 4 hours. Is it not helping at all? The active ingredient pseudoephedrine hydrochloride sorts my sinusitis out if I take it 4 hourly.

PinkFootstool · 14/09/2021 15:25

Sudafed spray?

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General health
CorrBlimeyGG · 14/09/2021 15:28

Sinusitis is usually a virus. Antibiotics won't help. Speak to a pharmacist, they can recommend a nasal spray or other treatments that might help.

Original poster
FreeButtonBee · 14/09/2021 15:28

Solpadine takes the edge off but it's not helping the underlying problem. I've already had 4 days of sudafed/sinutab without that helping. the sprays do nothing for me. Sob.

OP posts:
nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut · 14/09/2021 15:29

Hold your breath until your lungs start to hurt. You brain thinks you can't breathe and starts decongesting your sinuses as fast as possible to allow you to breathe.

I tried it and it worked.

LadyCatStark · 14/09/2021 15:30

Have you tried Olbas oil?

Original poster
FreeButtonBee · 14/09/2021 15:33

Hmm. @nothingcanhurtmewithmyeyesshut stopping breathing seems extreme but I am going to try it

Olbas - helps briefly for no more than 30 mins then raging pain again

OP posts:
Olivegreenstrawberries · 14/09/2021 15:47

I feel your pain. I couldn't get rid of it for ages last year. Basically I realised that I was over using all the inhalers. I know it sounds unbearable but have a few days where you don't use all the decongestants so that your body has a chance to decongest itself. Only use a salone to flush out your nose. I did this after having it on and off for almost a year and it worked after about a week of not using the decongestants.

Good luck

ChrissyPlummer · 14/09/2021 15:50

Those menthol crystals; you can get them in pharmacies, only thing that work for me.

MistySkiesAfterRain · 14/09/2021 15:52

The other thing that helps is tonnes of sleep and also trying fasting. Seems to help body recover rather than having to use energy digesting. Or if that is too much try soup and fruit which are quick digesting.

Gliblet · 14/09/2021 15:53

As disgusting as it sounds, using a saline nasal flush works brilliantly. It's not something that's ever going to make it into your list of nighttime activities that send you off to bed feeling sophisticated and sexy, but bloody hell is it effective.

TaraR2020 · 14/09/2021 15:55

@CorrBlimeyGG

Sinusitis is usually a virus. Antibiotics won't help. Speak to a pharmacist, they can recommend a nasal spray or other treatments that might help.
You can get bacterial sinusitis, it's awful.

Really feel for you @freebuttonbee

Hot steamy showers and steam inhalations with menthol crystals help me. Olbas oil on an old t-shirt or a tissue by nose help at night, as does sleeping upright.

You can saline nasal sprays from chemists that direct the saline into sinuses, these have also helped me in the past. Spicy food can give temporary relief and I can sometimes manage to shift some of the gunk while it's loosened up.

If it persists though I'd see your gp.

Good luck!

GivenUpEntirely · 14/09/2021 15:57

As warm a flannel as you can bear across your face. It can sometimes help.

ShaneTheThird · 14/09/2021 15:59

Following as I have had a blocked nose from covid for a week now and can't breathe it's making me want to rip my nose off and steam isn't helping.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 14/09/2021 16:02

My ENT (old school) once gave me this tip:
Take nose drops (not spray) lying down - wait 10 miuntes, than repeat the dose and again wait ten minutes. The get back upright and wait, move around etc. I followed his advice and the blocked cavities started to empty themselves of stuff that looked like chemical waste. The relief was immense.

CheerfulBunny · 14/09/2021 16:05

Eat a load of pineapple! Pineapple contains bromelain which is an enzyme that can help with sinus problems. Alternatively you can buy capsules. I find it really effective.

BlankTimes · 14/09/2021 16:08

After years of chronic sinus pain and sinus migraines, a combination of inhaling essential oils in a face steamer then a sinus drain massage done by a qualified aromatherapist worked for me, BUT it's imperative to keep up the inhalations and massage periodically to stop it long term.

As ever, different things work for different people. Olbas makes my head pound.
Have you tried a hot wheatbag laid on your cheekbones whilst you lie down ?

I've had a good Google, intending to find a diagram and instructions for the above massage, but got sidetracked with this guy. Obviously, it depends where the congestion is as to which of his techniques will work best.

Have a look through his videos and see what works for you.

Mariell · 14/09/2021 16:08

This guy saves me every time -

youtube.com/results?sp=mAEA&search_query=motivationaldoc+sinus+relief

Mariell · 14/09/2021 16:09

@BlankTimes

After years of chronic sinus pain and sinus migraines, a combination of inhaling essential oils in a face steamer then a sinus drain massage done by a qualified aromatherapist worked for me, BUT it's imperative to keep up the inhalations and massage periodically to stop it long term.

As ever, different things work for different people. Olbas makes my head pound.
Have you tried a hot wheatbag laid on your cheekbones whilst you lie down ?

I've had a good Google, intending to find a diagram and instructions for the above massage, but got sidetracked with this guy. Obviously, it depends where the congestion is as to which of his techniques will work best.

Have a look through his videos and see what works for you.

Snap! He is fantastic!
Original poster
FreeButtonBee · 14/09/2021 16:13

Done the saline nose rinse thing. It doesn't seem to go up far enough to get at the blockage but I will do again.

Haven't tried menthol crystals - will try a trip to the pharmacy for those.

Pineapple - happy to try that as I love the stuff

Just had a boiling hot shower and tried the holding my breathe thing. I think that has helped a tiny bit but I have just taken ibuprofen so might be that.

I would love a sinus massage but no idea where to find someone who does that! off to google! I do lots of cack handed self massage - I find sticking my thumbs right up and almost under my cheek bones near my nose and then under my eyes gives a little relief. Hurts like hell though.

OP posts:
Chocolateteabag · 14/09/2021 16:24

a 4Head Levomenthol stick might slightly distract you from the pain for a bit?

It has helped me when I've had cracking sinus headaches and had taken everything else already

Jossbow · 14/09/2021 16:27

Otravine nasal spray- brilliant stuff

Cupidity · 14/09/2021 16:34

Neil med sinus rinse. (You can make your own sinus rinse by googling the recipe bicarb and salt + boiled water and then the squeeze bootle) but neilmed have the squeeze bottle and premixed sachets.

It's truly disgusting but it's very very magical.

picklemewalnuts · 14/09/2021 16:35

It's not congestion, it's inflammation. My sinuses are very narrow. Any cold and I get that terrible pressure. I can't blow my nose, there's very little to wash out. It's not full of gunk it's full of me!

I take anti inflammatories- ibuprofen- to reduce the swelling.

Thanks
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