Is there anything I can do to combat a persistent sinus infection?

[regularbutpanickingabit]

I have been on a couple of different antibiotics, another 3 days to go on this last set.
I now have a steroid nasal spray.
I just feel like crap. All. The. Time. My ears are blocked, I feel like I am under water. There is a bit of pressure in my face and behind my eyes but it's not horrendous. I also had the awful sneezing/dripping nose/temp cold over Christmas that has gone but this sinus problem has been here for a good 6/8 weeks in total.

Does anyone have any magic solution? Please? I am so sluggish and feeling rubbish and I just don't have time to be ill any more.

I used to suffer terribly with my sinuses for 25 years since my teens.. probably worse than yours as the pressure under my eyes felt like my cheek bones could pop out Then a friend of a friend recommended a Chinese herbal remedy via a local Chinese herbal practise, and never suffered since.

Sorry cannot remember what exactly it was, this was about 16-18 years ago.

I used to suffer terribly but did a nasal rinse thing and dislodged a truly disgusting black snotty thing and haven't had a case since. I'm now touching wood everywhere! However I don't think you can do it with blocked ears so maybe something to think about when your ears are clear? Or has the doctor checked your ears - the last time I had sinusitis I had an ear infection too. Hope you feel better soon

Thank you both. It’s just so wearing, isn’t it? I don’t feel like my ears are sore, I just can’t hear properly. My husband has one of those nasal pot thingies. Maybe I should try it. Otherwise I’m willing to try alternative solutions. Will see if anyone knows of a good Chinese medicine practioner near here.

I have (belatedly) discovered Sterimar saline nasal rinse this winter. Using it regularly has made a huge improvement to my chronic sinus symptoms caused by a deviated septum.

second a nasal irrigation (the emcur one is easy to use)
rinsing regularly and taking a decongestant nose spray when it's bad really helps.

or you could do a nasal douche with a mug of warm water, half a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of bicarb. Sniff it up through each nostril from the palm of your hand.

My DH claims it changed his life

It was the advice given to my dd for her recurring sinus infections.

I had sinus problems every winter for nearly forty years - then I got my underactive thyroid medicated and I haven't had a problem since.

I used to suffer from a lot of sinus infections. I used to have a lot of pain in my face and fullness behind my ears and dull hearing, nearly dead. I was to and fro a doctor many times a years.

I was in a taxi a few years ago and I had a sinus infection and the taxi driver saw I was sick. He said to me, his mother lived into her 90s and he never saw her sick. She used to eat a clove of garlic a day.

I recognized I always came down with sinus problems with a headcold. So for me headcolds just lingered on and on and on for months.

Now whenever I feel a cold come on, I take garlic. I used to chop up a clove of garlic into little pieces and swallow as much as I could take with water, like a tablet. Unfortunately my mother can't stand the smell of garlic and I live at home. I now take garlic tablets. Something definitely worked for me here. A long time went by where I didn't suffer with sinus.

(Last summer was the first time in a long time I had sinus problems - it was hayfever).

@HumphreyCobblers thanks for that. I feel like a new woman today 🙌🏽

Another vote for Sterimar.

I can't take steroid sprays because they're contraindicated with other meds I take.

You have my sympathy- I have had sinus issues my whole life 🤧

My DM suffered really badly when she was younger one treatment of acupuncture and she hasn't had it since. Hope you get it sorted OP.

I will look for sterimar and the rinses. I've never been keen on doing anything like that and I think it is because I used to get horrendous pain if I jumped in the swimming pool and water shot up my nose! Does it feel like that?

I can't quite work out how to do the palm-of-the-hand sniffing thing. Sounds horrible but needs must! Do I need to do an entire mug's worth? Willing to try anything.

Garlic is an easy one, great idea.

I hadn't thought about acupuncture, either. It has worked for me for muscle pain so I am not averse to trying that again.

Thank you.

I would recommend seeing an osteopath. Discuss with them before making an appointment to see if it is something they specialise in (someone who does cranial osteopathy probably the best bet). It did wonders for me in terms of helping with drainage etc.

I have the same problem and can't use decongestant because of other medication. My DIL suggested I use a netti pot with a salt rinse, it worked, it took me a while to get the hang of it but it was really good. It does feel weird though, you have to keep your head at the correct angle.

When I get concrete sinuses I do a tea spoon of vick’s vapour rub in a bowl of boiling water and get my head over it with a towel on my head

It feels VERY weird and very intense to start but then all the clogged stuff drips out my nose and I feel amazing after

I had agonising sinusitis for days once. I put my head in a facial steamer for over an hour and it finally cleared. The relief was bliss. Hope it works for you.

Another vote for the sterimar spray. I have been in agony with my sinuses for 3 weeks. I did a trolley dash around Boots at the weekend and put everything that looked remotely related to sinus stuff in the basket. The sterimar spray has made the most difference. It was a bit gross to start with, but I persevered. I am finally getting water draining through. Not totally over it yet, but the intense pain has gone.

Thanks everyone. I will head to Boots tomorrow and get the sterimar and then see if I can book in with someone for acupuncture or osteopathy, both of which have worked for different muscle issues o at least I know who to ask.

My husband said he has the neti somewhere. Who knew?! Anyway, if I can find that then I will try.

Just need to get rid of this somehow. I can’t exercise, can’t concentrate properly and just generally feel crap.

Thanks for all of the suggestions.

Neti pot - make sure you boil and cool the water first though!

I have used the sinus rinse and it really helped. I also figured out that dairy, especially milk completely blocks my sinuses - gives me really bad sinus headaches then stuffiness for ages. Stopping milk has made a massive difference for me, I can still eat a small amount of hard cheese and make sure I have other calcium rich foods.

DON'T use normal water - needs to be boiled and cooled and a sachet to make it saline - normal water (without the right dose of salt/bicarbonate) burns the inside of your nose/ sinuses, and you don't want to be spraying germs up there!!