Sinusitis- what the fuck?!

[LottieLou90]

Hi all,

Apologies, posting here for traffic.

I’m sure I have sinusitis. I am currently getting over what has been an awful cold / flu thing and I feel like my head is going to explode now.

My nose is blocked to fuck, my eyes, ears, head, cheeks, jaw basically my whole face and head is so bloody painful I want to cry but I can’t because I might pass out from the pain. Also, my nose is making this ‘clicking’ sound like it’s attempting morse code and whenever I blow my nose, it’s like I’m blowing Slimer from Ghostbusters out (sorry tmi)

I’ve managed about 2 hours sleep so far. The things I have tried, and failed, to ease the pain - warm flannel over face, propping myself up in bed, paracetamol and ibuprofen, vicks rub under my nostrils and temples, massaging (practically rubbing) my head and face.

Nothings working. I’m fucking fucked off, DD6 will be up in about an hour as she is excited about mother’s day and it’s my birthday in a couple of days 😫

I just want to sleep. I’ve gone from feeling very sorry for myself to just pure anger from the agony.

Please, does anyone have any tips or advice? Does this sound like sinusitis? Need to hopefully minimise the pain for today at least.

Thanks.

I had it earlier this year, horrible thing. Tried sudafed, ibuprofen, sterimar, neti pot etc etcbut the main things that helped me were -
steam inhalation with Vicks several times a day with face massage after, sleeping upright (on the sofa) and a steroid spray (available over the counter) which really really helped:

www.boots.com/boots-allergy-relief-50-microgram-nasal-spray-10235461

Sounds like an infection if your snot is bright green.

Poor you, it's horrendous. I had such an awful infection a few years ago where my whole face was infected. I was such a mess, toothache, perforated ear drums, conjunctivitis. I was gorgeous. 😄

You might need antibiotics so see your GP and don't take Sudafed for too long as my GP told me after a few days it can actually worsen symptoms.

I bought a cup with a mask thing attached to steam as I get claustrophobic with a bowl and towel and it really helps.

Unfortunately it can often reoccur but hopefully this is a one-off for you.

I had sinusitis two weeks ago, you really have my sympathy, it was bloody awful! I too thought my head was going to explode and the stuff coming out of my nose 🤢 jeez it was terrible. I got antibiotics from gp. Get well soon.

Otrivine nasal spray - try and get the 'Adult Measured Dose' one in the taller box - there's a version specifically made for Sinusitis but the normal blue one will do if that's the only one available. Total game changer. Chemists and Boots have it and you'll sometimes find it in bigger supermarkets.

Friars balsam for acute relief, and then regular nasal lavage - make sure you use the correct saline to prevent drying out.

I have chronic rhinitis that accompanies my chronic sinusitis. The only thing that helps is sinus washout followed by nasal spray, pseudoehedrine and alternating cocodamol and ibuprofen 4hrly. I also lie on my bed face up and hang my head over the edge before a steamy shower/bath followed by the above rigmarole. On a bad day I would happily smash my head in a car door, so I feel your pain.

YouTheCat Thought you said baconnaise, wondered how that was going to help!

The idea is to make it possible to get the sinuses draining, as they're full, inflamed and because there is nowhere for it to all go thanks to their nature - spaces within your facial bones - that's what causes the pressure/pain/agony.

Psuedoephedrine constricts the blood vessels, which reduces the swelling enough to get snot out. Saline rinsing helps thin the snot and moisten the way so you can get it out and draws moisture out of the bacteria so they die, thus also helping to attack the infection if it's bacterial in origin. Various painkillers do what they do, Ibuprofen acts as an anti inflammatory, which can also help reduce the swelling that's causing pain and stopping the snot getting out.

You can also try cold, rather than hot, compresses - when pain can be caused by expanded blood vessels, you want to reduce their size, rather than increase them.

After all, the decongestants, anti inflammatories are doing that already - to me, it seems quite contradictory to then do something that has the opposite effect. I normally use an eye mask (because I've got one - ex SIL must be spitting feathers that the shitty regifted piece of crap she threw in a box with a bottle of cheap bubble bath one Christmas to show just how much she hated me has actually been The Best Present in the World EVER, as it's seen me through Sinusitis, Migraines, bumps, sprains and toothache for over fifteen years now) - and use it to chase the pain around. A bag of frozen peas wrapped in a soft cloth will have the same effect.

If you get a sense of the swelling going down slightly, rather than the pain of pressing on your face with fingers at first, a spoon that has been rinsed under the cold tap can help provide a little bit of encouragement to get the gunk moving if gently pressed rounded side to your skin and moved from under your cheekbone towards your nose. NEVER massage away from your nose, as you want this crap out.

You have my sympathies. Hit the fucking thing as hard as you can in one and it eases more quickly, in my experience. Which, as it feels like you've been beaten across the face with a baseball bat, seem quite apt.

I describe it as like being hit in the face by a brick.

Let the hot shower run over your face and blow while you are in the shower. Gross I know, but sometimes needs must.

Oh, and blow one side at a time while pulling slightly away from the nose at the chhekbone.

Think i have this too, 17 wks pregnant, feel like one side of my face is going to explode. Roll on 8am tomorrow when my gp opens

I ended up having surgery to make the exits bigger after years of it - I used to describe it as wearing a mask of pain. One thing that did help drain them was facing down after I was told that the configuration of skull sinuses and their drainage hadn't changed since humans' ancestors were on all fours.

You poor thing, it’s so fucking painful. I get it quite regularly, usually after a cold. It’s a fucking joy. The only thing that helps me is Sudafed Sinus Pressure and Pain tablets. Sudafed to a range of tablets but that’s the only one that makes a dent in the pain. Tried them all 😁 A cold compress over your face too, always found cold worked better than warm. Hope it passes soon, it’s really grim.

Agree re. Otrivin nasal spray. Instant sinus clearance. Really satisfying. The menthol one is particular is so nice. Also because it’s topical you avoid the oseudoephidrine side effects ( insomnia, getting banned from international cricket etc)

Try a ceramic salt inhaler from amazon it's brilliant for clearing that up. Breathe it in then out through your nose.

If you're going to rinse your sinuses, you absolutely should use sterile/boiled water/saline. While water straight from the tap is more than safe to drink, your olfactory bulb (the part of your body responsible for smell) is essentially a motorway straight to your brain for bacteria and other pathogens, which is why your body responds to infection in this area by clogging your sinuses up (the constant outpouring keeps them from reaching the bulb).

Ever since I had the sinusitis every cold since I've been so heavily congested. Spent last week with yellow green snots tainted with some blood.

I hope you get relief soon OP.

Sudafed Pressure and Pain is just Pseudoephedrine and Ibuprofen. Much cheaper to take the individual ingredients as Sudafed Tablets and a 29p pack of Ibuprofen (don't bother with the non-chemist versions of Sudafed, Phenylephrine is pretty much useless).

Have a cup of coffee and two Paracetamol instead of the Ibuprofen if you want an identical - but much cheaper - action as Sudafed Max Strength.

Tiger balm, purely for the relief you get putting it on the painful bits of your face. The cold sting distracts from the pain when you can't take any more painkillers. Also the smell is a mild decongestant. Speaking from years of sinus trouble and finding nothing helped budge the pain, so the next best thing was to cover it up for a while for a bit of relief. Save it mainly for right before you try to sleep so you get the full impact.

Is tiger balm safe in pregnancy?

Make sure you don't get any Tiger Balm near your eyes. Underneath the cheekbones or on the forehead is the closest you can get.

Haven't rtft but drink plenty of water. I notice the difference when i do. I sinus rinse with Sterimar and use anti inflammatories. Decongestants are only for short term use.

Listen to MitziK! She knows her stuff. You have to be quite stern with the pharmacist about getting the “right” Sudafed but it’s much more effective than Phenylephrine.

I've not read the whole thread, so apologies if already mentioned.

Max strength sinus capsules are great, wilko own brand are £1 a box and do work & menthol crystals in hot water, breathe in the steam. I feel your pain, its fucking awful. I've had it a fortnight now and whilst it's easing with the capsules, its still lingering and I'd happily pull my teeth out right now.