First sinus infection and I am NOT ok!

[Medicaladvice]

Usually prone to tonsillitis this time of year but this is the first year I’ve managed to get sinusitis and it is absolutely bloody horrid.

I’m full of thick mucus (sorry), blowing out blood but the worst of it is the nausea and throbbing pain in the jaws and teeth - it’s completely knocked me. Currently in bed shivering and praying the antibiotics do something but apparently it’s likely to be viral…

Any suggestions to help ease the throbbing jaw pain? Paracetamol isn’t even touching it!

Alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol

most pharmacies sell cocodamol which is paracetamol with a small amt of codeine.

nasal sinus wash with salt water - you can buy prepacked or make your own

hot bath with eucalyptus

start religiously taking cough medicine to thin mucus and ibuprofen to reduce swelling.

You have my sympathies. It’s the worst. I am prescribed a tapering dose of steroids, normally better within an hour of the first dose. Did the doc allow you a double dose of antibiotics for the first one?

Oh, I really feel for you

Honestly, the best thing is when the anti antibiotics kick in. I hope they work for you very soon. 💐

Unfortunately I can’t take ibuprofen at the moment due to pregnancy but I so wish I could… it generally works better for me than paracetamol so I’m a bit gutted about that.

I thought tonsillitis was bad but this is next level. My teeth are throbbing like crazy. I’ve only taken x2 doses of antibiotics so far, did consider double dosing out of pure despair but being pregnant I figured that would be far from wise… help :(

This remedy was recommended to me when I had post covid sinus pain, honestly does work. 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric in a cup of hot milk, heat it together in a pan. Add a bit of honey if you want but you dont have to and it tastes quite nice. It is anti inflammatory and you do feel relief a few hours later.

I also never suffered with this until pregnancy. I second the sinus rinse. I was incredibly sceptical of it but it is the only thing that gave me any relief.
get well soon.

They're bleak, aren't they? As you're pregnant, I'd say the nasal douching, and also a WARM hot water bottle held to your face.

Also Google sinus drainage massage, that helps too.

Sterimar nasal spray is a lifesaver when you have any sinus issues. I use it everyday after advice from an ENT consultant earlier this year and I haven’t had a cold or sinus infection since.

Buy a neti pot. Its a game changer! I have one like the pic. You fill with slightly cooled, boiled water and mine came with specific salt sachets. NEVER use just tap water! It does take practice, but remember to tip your head forward and keep breathing through your mouth slowly. If you tip your head back, you will start tasting the salty water so just tip it forward again. Mine has a button so I can control and stop/start the water flow.

The 1st time I used it, OMG- the gunk was horrendous but blowing my nose afterwards was absolute bliss. It was the first time I felt almost normal again and no more pressure. Sympathies OP x

No tips but full sympathy, I remember having a sinus infection about 10 years ago and sending DH out to get painkillers, I was sitting at home crying because it felt like I'd been waiting for so long 😭In reality he was only gone about half hour 😳

Sympathy! It is so painful, and you feel so exhausted all the time.

• Neto pot
• steam inhalation with Olbas
• After steaming, gently massage your face with downward sweeping gestures
• Loads of warm drinks (lemon, fresh ginger and honey is good
• cut down on dairy produce
• fisherman’s friends lozenges and chewy sweets - you want to keep mobilising the area I think!
• Sleep on a raised pillow

I find Solpadeine is good

Unless you have had it for over three weeks in my experience antibiotics do nothing. It’s horrible but you’ll probably find now you’ve had one sinus infection you’ll get loads - that’s how it is for me

Saline nasal spray, keep rinsing the gunk out. It relieves the pressure.

Double check if you can take this as you are pregnant, but guafenesin is a mucus thinner that is very effective. You can take 1200 every 24 hrs ..again check for pregnancy

Antihistamines can help

Neti pot is effective BUT you have to be scrupulous about cleaning itto the point of sterilizing it or you can end up flushing bacteria into your sinuses .. which is as horrific as it sounds

Steam inhalations

Sleep propped up

Agood massage therapist can loosen up the sinus cavities

Ice compresses on the face

Heat on the face

I get it every time I get a cold, about a week later and bang, face feels an inch thicker than it is, head feels like it's about to explode if I move.

Lots of lemsips and nasal spray op. It'll pass.

I never used to get them until I was pregnant and now they're my weak spot and I get them every time I get a cold. Caffeine helps, as does olbas oil and nasal rinsing as pp describe. In good news the feeling when it starts to loosen and pop and crackle in your head is the best feeling ever!

Nasal wash outs helped me through the worst of this. There’s a thing called Neil Med Sinus Rinse you can get in a pharmacy, or online. It was recommended to me by my ENT consultant to manage symptoms while I was waiting for surgery, and while not a magic cure, it did help a lot.

I get them quite often, I’m usually a paracetamol and nurofen junkie when it happens. Although I’ve not used them the last few times because I think I’ve just become accustomed now. The first time is horrid though.

It’s utterly hideous but I find within about 12 hours of anti biotic it does lessen and it’s much better within 24 hours

Thanks all - wish I’d come here sooner. I’ve done the steam inhalation with some olbas oil, gave my nose another good blow and now in bed with head propped up. Whole face (particularly the jaws and teeth) feels so battered. If there’s no improvement tomorrow i’ll look to get a nasal spray too.

Sinusitis is awful OP, you have my sympathies! DD came down with it on a long flight to Australia.. ended up having to find an emergency dentist as soon as we got to Sydney as the tooth pain was so bad (we weren’t aware it was her sinuses at the time). She was in a huge amount of pain.

Decongestant tablets (eg: Sinutab, Sudafed etc), nasal decongestant sprays and sinus rinses are your friend.

As someone who got chronic sinusitis for eight years before surgery, get in a bath as hot as you can stand it (the hotter the better), get a cold plastic jug and put Vicks vaporub in it. Pour boiling water over it and let it fill the steamy air with the oils. Does wonders for you.

If you’re really struggling, get a bowl of hot water and put a couple of menthol crystals in it. That’ll put hairs on your chest!

Sinus rinses can also be useful.

Sprays are to be used for a day or two only though, or you risk rebound congestion when coming off.

I have only had sinusitis once and it was absolutely awful, I had it for about 3 weeks and things like sudafed didn't even help. As it is mainly viral, a lot of Doctors wont prescribe antibiotics either unless you have had it for over 2 weeks, so you just have to ride it out.

Things that helped me were trying to drain the sinus points by applying pressure, there are youtube videos you can watch for sinus drainage. Might be worth a try.

This was all from an ENT consultant (who subspecialises in sinuses!) so don’t shoot the messenger. Sprays are useful for short term relief in order to get you over the infection. I wasn’t suggesting that OP uses them for weeks on end, nor will she need to in all likelihood.