Suffering Week-long Sinus Headache and Looking for Help

[Larry_OHF]

I really need help, guys. I cannot afford the doctor because our income does not cover the bills well enough to pay for insurance too, so I am stuck with finding home remedies to this sinus problem I have been suffering for weeks now. Its gotten to the point that I have had a constant headache for the entire week, day and night. I have taken myself off of ibupropherine because that can cause ulcers with constant use. I have gone through boxes of tissues, and have begun trying home remedies and other stuff like that papaya pills contain enzymes that supposedly reduces swelling, the cause of the headache in the sinus areas...

I am losing the battle and the headache is beginning to affect my daily life and mood so much that my family cannot take it anymore.
I need the pain to stop.

Can anybody suggest something that I have not already thought of?

edit: I also got hold of some medicine called nasacort AQ, which contains triamcinolone acetonide. Its some kind of nasal spray that supposedly helps deconjest a person. It was a free sample from a doctor.

[ 03-24-2007, 05:26 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[PurpleXVI]

This may sound like a broken record, but the following has never failed me for beating anything phlegm/sinus/throat-related:

Camomile tea(Lots), spicy food(The spicier the better, it should make your eyes water, your nose run and your throat BURN. Make your own if need be.) and home-made orange juice(Alternately, just eat lots of oranges, you'd need to eat like a third of your body weight in vitamin C for it to be dangerous, so go nuts.).

[Larry_OHF]

Originally posted by PurpleXVI: This may sound like a broken record, but the following has never failed me for beating anything phlegm/sinus/throat-related: Camomile tea(Lots), spicy food(The spicier the better, it should make your eyes water, your nose run and your throat BURN. Make your own if need be.) and home-made orange juice(Alternately, just eat lots of oranges, you'd need to eat like a third of your body weight in vitamin C for it to be dangerous, so go nuts.).

Thanks for the reminder about the chamomille. I had forgotten that from the last thread. I'll go out tonight and track down some tea bags of it. As for the spicy...I did that last night with some quesadillas, and burned the hell out of my tongue. I cannot even touch my tongue to anything now without feeling pain. The OJ is being subsitituted right now with 1000mg tablets of C. I take one a day.

Oh...I also forgot to mention that I am drinking 64oz. of natural water each day. I hear that the water is supposed to thin out the mucas, and to a degree it has by clearing my throat. However, the sinuses persist in being inflamed.

I'll go get some chamomille tonight though. Thanks!

[PurpleXVI]

You may want to consider substituting the Vitamin C pills with multi-vitamin tablets once or twice a week.

If you're ill there's a chance you're not eating or drinking right, or enough, and if it's wintery in your area it may be difficult to get a good selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, too, which could exacerbate it. And if you are ill, you want to keep all parts of your body operating as best as it can.

Once or twice a week only will prevent you getting a harmful excess of any vitamins or minerals, seeing as how you're probably eating pretty close to right. I find that it's a useful precaution, at any rate.

[Larry_OHF]

I'll admit that I do not sleep well enough (but this week I have) and need to get to bed earlier and not be here on IW so much [img]smile.gif[/img] . I also am not exersising these days at all, because I have been too busy looking for a job. I bet its a combo of things that I am not doing right.

Let me try changing some habits and see if my headache starts going away. Thanks again for the mentions. Its funny how these simple things can get overlooked.

[PurpleXVI]

If you're not considering full multi-vitamins, don't forget your vitamin D. If you haven't been exercising much, I am guessing that you have not gotten out as much because of your illness, lack of sunlight generally means a lack of vitamin D and that stuff is more important than most people would expect.

It could, for example, account for at least part of your bad mood.

[Larry_OHF]

Originally posted by PurpleXVI: If you're not considering full multi-vitamins, don't forget your vitamin D. If you haven't been exercising much, I am guessing that you have not gotten out as much because of your illness, lack of sunlight generally means a lack of vitamin D and that stuff is more important than most people would expect. It could, for example, account for at least part of your bad mood.

Yeah...my bad mood has been an issue, I think you'll agree. [img]smile.gif[/img] The weather is warming up so I'll try to get outside for at least 30 minutes each day. I've been cooped up in the house too long. I am glad Spring is finally here. (No, I do not have allergies).

[SpiritWarrior]

Originally posted by Larry_OHF: I really need help, guys. I cannot afford the doctor because our income does not cover the bills well enough to pay for insurance too, so I am stuck with finding home remedies to this sinus problem I have been suffering for weeks now. Its gotten to the point that I have had a constant headache for the entire week, day and night. I have taken myself off of ibupropherine because that can cause ulcers with constant use. I have gone through boxes of tissues, and have begun trying home remedies and other stuff like that papaya pills contain enzymes that supposedly reduces swelling, the cause of the headache in the sinus areas... I am losing the battle and the headache is beginning to affect my daily life and mood so much that my family cannot take it anymore. I need the pain to stop. Can anybody suggest something that I have not already thought of? ( edit: I also got hold of some medicine called nasacort AQ, which contains triamcinolone acetonide. Its some kind of nasal spray that supposedly helps deconjest a person. It was a free sample from a doctor.

I have suffered with horrible sinus problems in the past. And believe me, I know the misery you are going through. I got to the point where my sinuses were so blocked that I began to lose my sense of smell and my head started to feel "heavy". I went to the doctor countless times and while I did get some temporary relief, all I achieved in the long run was to diminish my own money.

My "cure" was actually very cheap. Two things i'd recommend, as I tried all kinds of alternative remedies and nothing was as effective as the following.

First and foremost, you need to get your hands on some pseudoephedrine. It was (until last year or so) included in "Sudafed" and "Benadryl Allergy & Sinus" but now you can't get it on shelves. You can however easily get it behind the shelves and it does not require s prescrioption. Something about junkies using it for illegal stuff or O.D.ing on it, I dunno. All you have to do now is go to your pharmacy in Walmart or wherever and specifically ask for Sudafed with pseudoephedrine in it. They may ask you to show your drivers license. The current stuff on the shelves now is called "Sudafed PE" which doesn't contain pseudoephedrine and is not near as effective so make sure you go up and ask for what you want.

Pseudoephedrine will clear the sinus passages all around the head and (usually for me) provides immediate relief. Do not discount this, it is the most important of all. If asked what kind you want ask for "Sudafed" and just make sure it isn't the "Non-drying sinus" one. 30-60mg of pseudoephedrine is usually enough per pill. It should cost you around $5.

Secondly, get some allergy medication. Claritin is really good as far as over-the-counter go. You may not have allergies, but if your sinuses are blocked this in itself is a "reaction" so trust me, just get it. Try for a non-drowsy type. This should cost you around $5 or $6. Take them both as directed for about 1-2 weeks even if your symptoms have vanished.

The are other things that can help sinus issues, fresh air is good but sometimes not so good if the pollen count is up. Regardless of your allergies, this will irritate the sinuses. The herb "Nettle" works well for staving off attacks like this in the long run but is more of a prevention than a cure.

I am not discounting the many home remedies people have, but I found within a year of experimenting that for me, these things worked best and they are easily obtained from your local supermarket or pharmacy. Let me know if it helps.

Edit: Nasal sprays will NOT help what you are suffering from.

[ 03-24-2007, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: SpiritWarrior ]

[PurpleXVI]

I may be remembering wrongly, but I seem to recall that pseudoephedrine has uses in meth manufacture, due to a very similar chemical structure which makes a decent base for fiddling into drugs.

If you decide to get Sudafed, it seems there's a version without pseudoephedrine, so make sure you get the right one. Sudafed PE seems to be the one without, if I am reading what I am finding right.

[Larry_OHF]

Thanks, Spiritwarrior! Its a bit late tonight to go out, so I'll head to the stores Monday and grab those two products.

Hell, I'll do everything and anything all at once if I have to. This is the worst week of my life...having that CONSTANT, PERSISITING headache. I will definately let you know.

BTW, my wife last week actually did get me some Sudafed PE, choosing to get the lesser kind and it had "drying" effects because I got all dry-mouthed by taking it.

I have some Benedryl children's in here right now...I think I'll go take a double dose of that before bed!