Sinus headache that doesn't go away

[Quiver0f10]

I get sinus headaches that last days, sometimes weeks. I take Benadryl, Sudafed, Nasonex and alternate Motrin and Tylenol when it's really bad and just Tylenol on the days it's not so bad. I am on day 6 right now and just took more Tylenol, which got me thinking about how safe it is to take Tylenol this often. I heard it can be hard on the liver. What else can I take?

[Ottakee]

Are you sure you don't have a sinus infection? Those can cause severe headaches.

[Aelwydd]

If it's a recurring sinus headache, then it's likely you have a persistent infection in your sinus cavities. I'm dealing with one myself, and it stinks.

 

Since you've been taking all these meds, and still having pain, your next step should probably be to see your doctor. If it's infection, then in addition to antibiotics, you may require a round of steroids, to reduce the inflammation that is likely contributing to blockages.

 

Also, I would discontinue Benedryl, and any allergy medication with diphenhydramine in it, as this causes your passage ways to dry out, and any mucous inside them to also dry out, and harden. That makes it much more difficult to drain properly, and therefore actually makes the problem worse, not better.

 

Drink lots of fluids in the meantime, and try using warm, wet washcloths against your face to help reduce pain.

 

Good luck!

[Quiver0f10]

Are you sure you don't have a sinus infection? Those can cause severe headaches.

 

I probably do by now but I'd like to avoid antibiotics if I can because I go through this often throughout the year and I don't want to build an immunity to the antibiotics. Usually it eventually resolves itself.

[Quiver0f10]

If it's a recurring sinus headache, then it's likely you have a persistent infection in your sinus cavities. I'm dealing with one myself, and it stinks.

 

Since you've been taking all these meds, and still having pain, your next step should probably be to see your doctor. If it's infection, then in addition to antibiotics, you may require a round of steroids, to reduce the inflammation that is likely contributing to blockages.

 

Also, I would discontinue Benedryl, and any allergy medication with diphenhydramine in it, as this causes your passage ways to dry out, and any mucous inside them to also dry out, and harden. That makes it much more difficult to drain properly, and therefore actually makes the problem worse, not better.

 

Drink lots of fluids in the meantime, and try using warm, wet washcloths against your face to help reduce pain.

 

Good luck!

 

I will go it I am not better by Tuesday. I didn't know that @ the Benedryl, thanks.

[lmrich]

Many people swear by the power of the nettie pot. It does sound like an infection. I don't like antibiotics either, but they are there for a reason and a terrible sinus infection is a reason. You are wearing your body out tyring to fight it. AND yes tylenol is hard on the liver and advil is hard on the tummy. I hope you get some relief soon.

[Pippen]

That used to be me until I had sinus surgery. The sinus tissue really needed a fresh, healthy start. It dramatically decreased the occurance and severity of sinus and ear infections. I wished I'd had it done years earlier.

[Carol in Cal.]

I was going to mention the Neti pot as well, although IME once I have a sinus infection the Neti does not help. It's good as a preventative, though.

 

Sudafed and allegra are my standbys for early sinus headaches. It's important to nip them in the bud before they settle in and get infected, also IME.

[Quiver0f10]

I do have a sinus rinse kit. It just didn't seem to help so I stopped using it. Maybe I will give it a try again.

 

My husband wants me to have surgery. I am a wimp.

[Alyeska]

My dh uses a sinus rinse quite often. He even got rid of a very bad sinus infection by doing sinus rinses.

 

It may take a couple days of using it consistently to really see a difference.

[DianeW88]

Make sure you do the neti pot in the morning. It takes a few hours to drain all the gunk and if you do it in the evening, it tends to stay (pool) in your sinuses....making it all the more icky.

 

If you have sinus problems for more than a week, it's probably an infection. Go and get the antibiotics. The complications from a sinus infection can be serious. If you notice any swelling around your eye area...get to the doctor immediately.

[Philippians 4:8]

I had this problem for years and finally I tried giving up dairy. I am much better when not on diary. I refused for a long time to try this b/c I couldn't imagine life without cereal and milk, ice cream, cheese... But my congestion and sinus headaches clear up when I'm not ingesting it...it's crazy! I have inflamed sinus tissues...mild sinus disease which is caused by a really bad sinus infection sometime in the past. Anyway, hope this helps!

[Woodhaven]

If you have a sinus infection, you might try taking a LOT of garlic. It is has worked wonders for Dh when he has had sinus infections. He takes a teaspoon (heaping) in the morning and in the evening for about a week.

 

Garlic is good for you :) and it can kill infections. But you may end up smelling like garlic. I also have used garlic and the results are great!

[cylau]

I had a sinus infection earlier this year. Neti Pot, garlic and homeopathy didn't work. I ended up with a month worth of antibiotics. However, I had to travel out of the country by plane (24 hour travel time) during that time and I had a bad headache with my ears plugging up all the time. I went to see an acupuncturist and he solved my problem, but not without pain. Acupuncture was very effective.

[Quiver0f10]

Thank you all. I will plan to see the doctor Tuesday morning and will try the sinus rinse again. I don't eat much dairy but it can't hurt to try giving that up too.

[KatieJ]

OUr family Dr's really won't hand out antibiotics unless they feel you can't get rid of aninfection any other way. My DH was diagnoses with sinus infection last winter and the Dr. told him to use a netti pot first and see if he could clear it up that way. They did give him a RX to fill if he needed it.

THe netti pot worked great.

[SweetMissMagnolia]

I suffer from year round allergy/sinus crud.....oh and the headaches are just awful-can last days and days....Mine even get so bad my eyes hurt and my teeth will "throb".....if I get a really bad one I break down and go to the dr....It's one of my common ills.....runs in the family.....hope u feel better

[Unicorn.]

Don't use the sinus rinse if you already have an infection. You can use it as a preventative but once you have an infection, it spreads the infection. Try taking Mucinex (or Robitussin). It thins out the mucous and helps it drain. Also, take plenty of vitamin C and Zinc to help your immune system fight the infection. Drink lots of fluids and avoid dairy for a while.

[mom4him]

I get sinus headaches that last days, sometimes weeks. I take Benadryl, Sudafed, Nasonex and alternate Motrin and Tylenol when it's really bad and just Tylenol on the days it's not so bad. I am on day 6 right now and just took more Tylenol, which got me thinking about how safe it is to take Tylenol this often. I heard it can be hard on the liver. What else can I take?

I would look for cause. A big contributer for me is dairy. Another is having a cat in the house(haven't now for about 20 yrs.)

:grouphug: Hope you get rid of it soon.:grouphug:

[StephanieZ]

My mom and brother both used to get recurrent seasonal sinus infections (and the killer headaches that accompany them). For each of them, they had to go on routine antihistimines to PREVENT the spiral from beginning. I think Claritin (OTC now), Allegra, or Zyrtec are all decent once-a-day antihistimines that usually don't cause drowsiness.

 

If I were you, I'd go to the DR to get ABX & whatever else is needed to get your current infection cleared up, then I'd go on Claritin daily for at least a month, possibly all year, otherwise in the seasons (starting at least a week or two before you expect issues) that you have problems.

 

If you really want to avoid ABX, you probably should start twice daily use of a Neti Pot. They're gross, but they work really well, and after doing it 5 times or so, it gets a LOT easier and more comfortable.

 

The Neti Pot might very well be as effective as daily antihistimines and/or ABX now, so if you are really averse to pills, I think you've got to get serious about a Neti Pot. It's totally medication-free. . . Personally, I use the Neti Pot when I have blockages/serious congestion and am trying to avoid an infection. . . but for routine preventative use, I go with Claratin, because I am lazy and also because I also have mild asthma, and the daily Claratin makes it so I don't have to use the inhaler at all, so I figure it's a better alternative.

 

(Forgive me if I missed you saying you already Neti Pot. I didn't read all the replies.)

 

HTH

[SonshineLearner]

My friend uses the Olive Nose Spray and said that pretty much it's immediate relief. You can purchase it with the "Prime option" if you have that and get it in two days, or it seems like it's available at most health food stores. Everyone else might like Neti-pots, but I used it once and tried to do it correctly, and ended up getting the liquid in my ears, which was the most painful thing! :(

[cin]

I am thinking you might need the antibiotics, and then look at preventative things. Neti pot might help rinse out allergens. Allergy medicine might help your sinus tissue from reacting to the allergens. I heard this description one time, and it makes a TON of sense. If your sinus tissues gets inflamed, it's harder for air to get through, and it is more likely for 'stuff' to stick to it. (Think plaque and arteries). If you can keep the tissue from getting inflamed and keep the area cleaned out, then you are less likely to get an infection.

 

I, myself, take allergy medicine EVERY day of the year. I use to be able to take a couple of months off from November to March, but now, there's just crap in the air ALL. THE. TIME. IF I don't take the medicine, my nose runs like a faucet (I'm NOT kidding. I use to tell my DH that, and he'd laugh. He believes me now!) My sinuses were always moist and inflamed, and I was constantly blowing. A perfect mix for infection. The first year I taught (PS) I had 5-6 infections. That's when I started the allergy medicine ALL the time. I get a sinus infection once, maybe twice a year now. And it's usually in the PRIME allergy season.

 

hope you get some relief. Oh, also, allergy meds with decongestion might help right now.

[jec3113]

Go easy on the Tylenol, it will destroy your liver. You can take advil.

[Veritaserum]

My dad had sinus surgery and vehemently discourages people from doing it. It was excruciatingly painful and didn't help all that much. He does a nasal rinse daily.

 

I had what I thought were sinus headaches that would last for days. They were actually migraines. Dietary changes (no MSG, caffeine, etc.) help a lot. I also have a rescue medication for when I get one.

[Spy Car]

What ever you do be very careful taking Tylenol. It can cause both liver damage and kidney damage.

 

I understand a reluctance to take antibiotics or to have surgery, but Tylenol is very dangerous to use regularly.

 

Bill

[Quiver0f10]

Thank you all. My doctor mentioned a script for allegra ( I think ) last time we talked @ my sinuses. Maybe it's time. I am going to look into the Olive Leaf spray too.

[Harriet Vane]

My dear mil had this problem for many years--decades even. Her sinus headaches would sometimes last a full month, poor thing. For her, starting a nasal rinse reduced the duration of the headaches significantly. I have also used this preparation and found it really, really helped my allergy/asthma issues. I am prone to sinus infections and use it successfully at that time as well.

 

The preparation she/I use comes from Healthwise. She usually orders a case of it and I buy some from her. It is a combination of iodine, potassium iodide, and purified water. You put two droppers in a large bowl of warm water with 2T of salt. Immerse the face, blow out through nose briefly. Rest face in water for 15 seconds--you will feel the water gently in the nostrils. It's not painful at all. Lift face and blow nose. Repeat once.

 

When my mil first brought this to my attention I showed it to my dr. He had heard of such things and said this type of treatment was a lot more common 50-60 years ago. He thought that the effectiveness was related to the combined sanitation of the infection site + reduction of swelling topically right on the inflamed area. He had no objections to my using it.

 

It's similar in principle to using a Neilmed nasal spray or neti pot, though I find the big bowl of water to be gentler and easier.

 

Another thing to do NOW, while you do not have any of the Healthwise preparation, is to do the immersion I described, but just with salt. It will still sanitize the infected area and you will definitely find it quite soothing. Do this 2-4 times per day for the first several days, then ease down to twice a day until you're really sure you've cleared your infection.

 

http://www.letsgethealthwise.com/

[Quiver0f10]

My dear mil had this problem for many years--decades even. Her sinus headaches would sometimes last a full month, poor thing. For her, starting a nasal rinse reduced the duration of the headaches significantly. I have also used this preparation and found it really, really helped my allergy/asthma issues. I am prone to sinus infections and use it successfully at that time as well.

 

The preparation she/I use comes from Healthwise. She usually orders a case of it and I buy some from her. It is a combination of iodine, potassium iodide, and purified water. You put two droppers in a large bowl of warm water with 2T of salt. Immerse the face, blow out through nose briefly. Rest face in water for 15 seconds--you will feel the water gently in the nostrils. It's not painful at all. Lift face and blow nose. Repeat once.

 

When my mil first brought this to my attention I showed it to my dr. He had heard of such things and said this type of treatment was a lot more common 50-60 years ago. He thought that the effectiveness was related to the combined sanitation of the infection site + reduction of swelling topically right on the inflamed area. He had no objections to my using it.

 

It's similar in principle to using a Neilmed nasal spray or neti pot, though I find the big bowl of water to be gentler and easier.

 

Another thing to do NOW, while you do not have any of the Healthwise preparation, is to do the immersion I described, but just with salt. It will still sanitize the infected area and you will definitely find it quite soothing. Do this 2-4 times per day for the first several days, then ease down to twice a day until you're really sure you've cleared your infection.

 

http://www.letsgethealthwise.com/

 

Thank you. I will check out the site.