Sinus Infections

webbgirl

webbgirl

Cathlete
I am sure someone out there has had a sinus infection before. I think I may have one, but I have never had one before, so I am not sure.

What are the general symptoms? The sides of my nose where it meets my cheeks hurt and above my eyebrows hurts too. The wind blew on my face earlier and honestly, it hurt so bad it felt as if someone had hit me in the face! My nose is very stuffed and I have evil looking nasal mucous. My teeth hurt too (now that is weird!)!

Does it go away with time, or do I need to go to the doc? I am going to the dr. but what's really driving me there is the pain...it is absolutely awful! My appt is this coming Thursday, but that is such a long time from now considering the amount of pain I am in.

What do I do to get relief in the mean time?

I am going stir crazy too...I haven't worked out at all since last Wednesday. I work out immediatly coming home from work, so from 4-10, I have been watching the boob tube. The weather has been ok, so I have been walking, but I'd like to breathe! I am telling myself "just listen to your body!" to overcome the guilty feelings of not working out.

Thanks for any advice or suggestions!
Webbgirl
 
Hey Webbgirl,

Sorry you have been sick,hopefully it will go away soon. You said that your teeth hurt, well that isn't weird at all. My dh and I have had sinus infections and it feels every tooth in your mouth is killing you. It does seem you should go ahead to the dr. and get it taken care of.

I hope you get to feeling better soon!
 
Sorry to hear you are feeling bad. Warm compresses &/or steam therapy often helps open up the sinuses and relieves (at least temporarily) the pain and pressure. Hope you're better soon.

Catherine
 
Thanks Gals!

I will try the compresses idea and I am glad to know that my teeth hurting from a sinus infection is not a weird thing!

I am seeing my dentist on Monday for a routine cleaning & check-up, so I won't have to embarass myself by telling him all my upper teeth hurt and I have no idea why.

Webbgirl

A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time...pills or stairs. - Joan Welsh
 
Sinus infections are funny things Well, not all that funny:) Sometimes you have to have antibiotics but sometimes tylenol will do it. If it's been a while, go to the doc! They sure do hurt though, sometimes my headaches get so bad I'm almost nauseas, and I don't think it's a migraine. good luck!
 
I've only had one problem with my sinuses and my teeth hurt also - my whole upper jaw was sore and tender. My cheekbones felt like they were bruised and I had a horrible headache. Mine did go away without meds, but it can't hurt to go to a doctor.

Are you taking any over the counter sinus medications? I just took Sudafed and got relief from that. I also read that breathing in steam to loosen things up helps also and even drinking tea.

Hope you feel better soon.

Erica
 
Well, Your sinus is attached to your jaw and ear.
You need an antibiotic.
Your jaw will hurt when you bite down on 1 side and your ear can hurt.
I get these,they are a bummer.
Call them to get something now>>>>
Tell them you are really hurting.It takes a couple days for it to kick in.
Ocean nasal spray will help keep the sinus moist. Dry and pussy=pain.
You really sound like you need an antibiotic.
Anne
http://www.picturetrail.com/acatalina
 
Hello, I just recovered from a Mastoid SInus Infection (over the ear) that snuck up on me. It started like this: I had a mild cold with runny nose and sniffling. Then it stopped running and I felt congested especially at night. I ended up with a horrendously painful sinus infection headache. After 30 hours of onset I was in horrible pain. I ended up in the walk-in clinic in Canada. The doctor who didnt know me from Adam, wanted to hospitalize me because the infection might need to be drained. Yuck! I convinced her to let me try antibiotics and pain killers first. The antibiotics helped after about 24 hours or so. Before this episode, I had never had a sinus infection. So, dont wait until its so bad you are crying in agony go to the doctor right away. I hope you feel better soon.
Suzanne
 
I've only had a sinus infection once, and the symptoms were just like yours. Sinus problems are difficult to deal with because there's very little blood flow to that area. A great tip my doctor gave me was to apply hot, wet compresses over the area, especially after taking the antibiotic - he said that, otherwise, the antibiotic may not do much good, since there's such a small amount of blood flow to the sinuses, and that's the way the antibiotic is delivered. The compresses felt great - they helped the pain as well as the circulation. Hope you feel better soon!
 
Definately go to the Doc. When I have a sinus infection that crazy it will only go away with meds. I take hot steamy showers for a littel relief. Vicks makes a vapor tablet you put in your shower, it also helps. If you get a Vicks tablet - let your shower get nice and steamy then add the tablet, wait a coupe of minutes then get in. You are right - Don't Work Out!

Hope you feel better soon!

jooge
 
I think your teeth hurt because the tops of their nerves are right underneath your sinuses.

Some meds from a Dr. will fix you right up.

In addition, I used those big tablet thingies you put in the bottom of your shower and it melts in the water, releasing the menthol. But be careful - close your eyes!

Susan L.G.
 
I've had 9 sinus infections in the past 1 1/2 years! From what you're describing, it sounds like sinusitis to me.

I strongly suggest you go to the doctor as soon as possible. You may need antibiotics. At the very least you should get some prescription decongestants and a nasal inhaler (do not use over the counter nasal sprays as they often make things worse if used for more than a day or two).

Other things you can do.

1) Round the clock pain reliever like Advil or Tylenol.
2) Steamy showers and warm compresses.
3) Rinsing your sinuses out twice a day with either a neti pot or a rinse kit. These are available at most drugstores.
4) Avoiding very chewy food since your teeth are tender. Softer foods are best.
5) If you can avoid caffeine and alcohol.
6) Over the counter antihistamines (like Benadryl) if you think allergies are exacerbating your symptoms. Unless told by a doctor, do not take antihistamines for more than 7 consecutive days.
7) LOTS OF REST!!!! Working out will only make it worse. Trust me on this one.
8) LOTS OF FLUIDS!!!!! This will help the secretions to become watery and to drain better from the sinuses.

Hang in there! Having sinusitis is the pits!
 
GO to the Dr!
I had one that I let go, thinking it would go away on it's own. Well, it didn't. The last straw was I was blowing out bloody mucus. This was after it hurt so badly I literally could not get to sleep. Over the counter stuff did NOTHING for me. Not saying they won't for you, or anyone else, because we're all different. And granted (duh) I waited way too long to go to the dr. I was down for 4 weeks. I did spend lots of time draped over a steaming pot of water. That feels good while you're doing it, but 10 seconds after you stop, you're stopped up again. Vicks in my nose helped, but I soon became immuned to that.

Best of luck!
 
Ugh, I used to get these all the time - they are awful! (Found out food allergies were causing them.) Definitely get going on the antibiotics - they worked for me within 24 hours. My doctor gave me a netti pot, looks like a genie lamp but plastic. For a while, I would flush my sinuses out in the shower - yucky feeling, but keeps infection down.

Also, you should probably stay away from dairy products during the infection, or at least until you start feeling better - they produce more mucus.

Hope you feel better soon!!!!!!
 
Thanks to all of you for sharing your unfortunate expertise with me on the sinus infections. Last night was awful! I woke up at 2 a.m. with awful sinus pressure and teeth pain! I was in tears it hurt so bad. Blowing my nose even became painful. I nearly went to the emergency room because it was that bad. I was finally able to get back to some sleep after sitting straight up and slighly back to drain the sinuses. I was able to breathe this A.M., however, I thought, all that junk probably went into my lungs.

I went to work today as I did feel a little better and I didn't have a fever, but I left mid morning because I got the chills and my face started to hurt bad again.

I called the Dr. and emphatically stated that I needed an appt. today, and I got one. By the time they got me in, I had a fever of 100.3. I have taken my first Amoxicillin along with a prescription decongestant which I forget the name of. I am tired, but hopefully I can get some good rest tonight.

Thanks again for all your input and good thoughts! It means a lot to me that you have helped me out and you don't even know me.

Webbgirl

A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time...pills or stairs. - Joan Welsh
 
Ask the doctor to order x-rays. I had 3 sinus surguries. If the treatment with your regular does not work, you need to see a specialist called an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor.

Tia
 
webbgirl: how are your feeling now about your sinus infection??? I hope better. I read your post and thread w/ much interest as I think I might be coming down w/ a sinus infection as well. Defintely doing what has been suggested to you!

Keep us posted!

take care:)
Gloria
 
I am feeling much, much, much better. I have had 5 days of Augmentin at 875 mg tabs in me 2x per day. It is really knocking the infecting out. Thank you so much for asking.

If you think you are getting one, please go to the Dr. The home remedies help ease the symptoms, but don't take away the infection. The pain, once the infection festers for a while is excruciating from the pressure and congestion in the sinuses. Someone at work said they would rather have the flu (where you run a fever and your whole body aches) than a sinus infection. I get the flu every year, and I honestly would rather have it than a sinus infection.

I haven't worked out now for about 2 wks. and am now considering some Basic step and light walking on the treadmill. I can breathe much better, but still do have some congestion, so no IMAX 2 for me for a while yet!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery if you have a sinus infection.

Thanks for asking about my recovery,
Webbgirl
 
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