posted
I went to my new family doctor for a regular check up. I made the appointment for a general physical but a few days prior, I starter to get a weird sinus type headache. I have had this now for about a week.
It feel like a frontal sinus headache but sometimes I also have it on the back of my head. But it is frontal for the most part. I also feel a bit dizzy at times...Not a true dizziness just a off balance feeling.
The doctor checked me and notice that I have a deviated septum which I have had for many many years. He said my sinuses where very clogged and that is most likely the cause of my headaches.
He gave me nasal spray (I know they are steroids but they are local - please I don't need any info about steroids and lyme I know). I am also taking zyrtec now.
I recall that about 14 years ago I had similar sx and my doctor gave me the same rx. I don't recall how long it took to clear up but this is driving me nuts.
Does anyone else had similar sinus issues? How it take to clear up?
Posts: 324 | From Philly | Registered: Jun 2010
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Judie
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posted
My sinus issues are usually triggered by environmental factors.
Over the years, my sinus problems have been greatly reduced doing the following:
Using a netipot with warm water and sinus rinse (it's finely ground baking soda and salt). Good for when you get out of the shower because your nasal passages are open. It will flush stuff out that's stuck in there.
Daily herbal support such as nettles and thyme (or whatever my ND recommends).
Metagenics Nazanol if it's really bad.
Sinusin nasal spray as needed for maintenance (good for mild congestion).
Face steam with herbs such as thyme or mint (towel over the head with a pot of hot water under it to breath in steam)
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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posted
Thanks for the info Judie...Will hit up the store tomorrow to get some of these...
How long can your headaches last? Just want to make sure it is not LD coming back?
Posts: 324 | From Philly | Registered: Jun 2010
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Judie
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"How long can your headaches last?"
The pressure is usually relieved when the sinuses finally drain, so it depends on how stuffed up you are.
Steaming with dried mint might help the headache a bit. Menthol is a natural analgesic.
My ND one time gave me some kind of mint oil to put under my nose (one small drop at the bottom of each nostril), unfortunately the VOCs in the concentrated mint were too much for me, but I can tolerate the milder form of mint tea.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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posted
I always assumed that clogged sinus = congestion...I am not congested at all but I all notice a lot of dry mucus lately...like all day long having to blow my nose...
Posts: 324 | From Philly | Registered: Jun 2010
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sammy
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posted
I was having similar problems in the fall. My allergist prescribed Astepro nasal spray and Allegra oral tablets.
The Astepro is an antihistamine, not a steroid. It works really well to treat and prevent my severe congestion and sinus/pressure type headaches.
Now I only have to take Sudafed every now and then instead of daily.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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Sammi
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posted
I seem to have almost continuous chronic sinusitis, but I also have an immune deficiency. My doctor prescribed a nasal spray called Astepro, and it is not steroidal. It definitely helps.
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dbpei
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posted
I attended a seminar on chronic illness and ways to improve the immune system yesterday and learned about a supplement (actually a probiotic), L Casei, which can be given in the following way to help cure a persistent sinus infection:
empty 1 capsule in 2 cc's water. Apply nasally at bedtime. I would think you could do this with a dropper, sprayer or add to neti pot solution.
Posts: 2386 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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Judie
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"I always assumed that clogged sinus = congestion...I am not congested at all but I all notice a lot of dry mucus lately...like all day long having to blow my nose..."
I'd go with what your doctor said about your sinuses being clogged. I've had clogged sinuses and no dripping from my nose at all. The sinuses go way up your cheeks and around your face.
If you do a good search for "sinus passages" and look at the photos, I bet your headache is around the sinus area.
I don't mean to gross you out, but you can actually get pockets of mucus trapped up in your sinuses away from your nose. Your body walls off the infection and sometimes a doc needs to drain it because antibiotics can't get to it. It can be very painful.
Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
I take Fenugreek and Thyme herbs daily to help prevent sinus congestion.
And when I do get sinus trouble in spite of the Fenugreek & Thyme, I increase my dose, and also apply Thieves essential oil topically on my face where the sinuses are - above the eyes and across the cheek bones.
Inhaling Eucalyptus essential oil can also help - diffusing it or putting it in gently boiling water and holding a towel over your head and breathe in the steam for a few minutes.
For allergic rhinitis, the FenuThyme and daily Claritin (antihistamine) helps keep it under control. But sometimes I need more than 1 Claritin per day to help (my Allergist approved me taking up to 4/day, but I find I do ok with 1-2 now).
Also, getting rid of mold in the home helped improve my sinuses a whole bunch.
And we also have an air purifier (hepa prefilter, hyper-hepa filter) that runs all the time in our home to help clear allergens, dust, viruses, mold, etc. out of the house. It helps a lot, too.
The Neti pot is another good suggestion, or you can get saline nasal spray bottle at the pharmacy.
And there is Xlear nasal spray that helps prevent bacteria & fungus from sticking and developing an infection.
And colloidal silver nasal spray - I've used that in the past to help with colds.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4167 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
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Ellen101
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posted
I get a lot of sinus headaches and mucinex seems to work great.
Posts: 1748 | From United States | Registered: Dec 2011
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posted
PhillyLyme, my husband doesn't have lyme but has your same symptoms. He has a deviated septum and always seems to be "sinusy". He also has the vertigo issues at times.
I don't know how old you are, but he is in his early 50s and I have noticed this has gotten progressively worse over the years. I think he is at the point where he needs to address the deviated septum.
He has been able to self-treat and eventually the infection/issue subsides. Here is what I notice though... I can tell when he is flaring up because a peppery smell emanates when he exhales through his nose (it's not his breath). This tells me there is either an infection, fungus, or yeast. The frequency of this is getting greater. I can't imagine this does anything for his overall health.
Now I have to worry about myself. I have to breathe this smell in. What kind of bacteria am I now putting into my body? Since he is a man, naturally he chooses not to deal with it.
Posts: 478 | From Third Coast | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
Getting a bit better but I am finding that if I don't take mucinex the filling comes back ... I must be pretty clogged up
Posts: 324 | From Philly | Registered: Jun 2010
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