My sinuses are killing me

[RockaFowler]

I can't sleep.
I can't breathe.
The pollen count is way up here in SoFla. Little to no rain making it much worse.

I saw on the Today Show that this is an epidemic around the country. Anyone else having a problem??

Oh and I've resorted to using Breathe-Right Strips each and every night. I used the regular ones and they were just not enough. Now I'm using the advanced and they seem to be OK. I tried the neti-pot and it works for a little while. Now I'm here at work sneezing and sniffling. Yuck. Just yuck!!

[LisaL]

1. Make sure to not use tap water in your neti pot.

[RockaFowler]

2. Oh yeah - I heard

I have bottled water - warm

[bigwillq]

3. Mine too.

It got warm pretty quickly here in CT. Flowers are blooming, leaves are coming back to the trees. Pollen count is high here as well.

[siligut]

4. I am having some allergy troubles now, I live in the NW

We are getting quite a bit of rain though, so it isn't so bad. Good about the neti-pot, try adding a little essential oil to your soda and salt solution, I have used cajeput oil, but you have to figure out what will work for you. I use Loratadine if it gets really bad. Allergies are the worst, I feel for you.

[TheMadMonk]

5. Try to avoid blowing your nose into a hankie.

And only partially block the "other" nostril. You'll push less muck up into those sinuses.

Oh and know this: Science has determined that the ideal nose cleaning tool is in fact a finger. (IIRC someone earned an Ignoble for that discovery.)

[siligut]

8. And blow your nose in the shower

When the heat and moisture loosens it up. I read a long time ago that garlic cloves shoved up the nostrils would knock out a sinus infection, but it hurt like hell. I think it might actually work as garlic has antimicrobial properties, but I have never met anyone who would try it .

[Wait Wut]

6. Not horrible, but bad enough.

My eyes are killing me and my head hurts.

High desert, central Arizona.

[RockaFowler]

7. My eyes hurt too

Everyone thinks I'm so sad. I'm pretty happy right now

[ChazII]

10. Also in AZ

Here in the Phoenix area many folks are being bothered by allergies. We are having the same conditions as described in other posts - high pollen count, no rain and windy days.

[Wait Wut]

13. So bizarre.

When I moved here I figured this would be the last place I'd develop allergies. Never had them in Chicago. Now, I keep Pollen.com bookmarked and check it weekly.

[kcass1954]

9. It's been raining all day where I am (Davie).

The rain makes it worse for me, what with the pressure and all. If I could get rid of the ache across the middle of my face, I'd be a much happier camper.

Hope you feel better soon.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. Spicy food is your friend

also, if you can get it in another country or have a doctor prescribe it, acetamenophin (Tylenol) with pseudoephedrine. (I curse the meth idiots whose experiments in chemistry have caused a useful substance to be banned for us law-abiding sinus sufferers.)

If your sinus troubles are caused by allergies, as opposed to changes in air pressure, then allergy pills are called for, too.

But seriously, get some REALLY (a bit spicier than you like) spicy food (Sichuan, Thai, Tex-Mex, Indian, preferably take-out, because if it works, you will have the runny nose to end all runny noses and will not want to be seen in public). But your headache and stuffiness will disappear.

Also, for nighttime, a strange-sounding hint from a relative that actually works: before going to bed, swab the insides of your nostrils with cooking oil. This is best when the problem is dry air, as it often is during Minnesota winters.

[Luciferous]

12. I'm having the same problem. Luckily we are supposed to get rain

Saturday and the pollen counts should go down, but for now I'm just suffering through it.

[TorchTheWitch]

14. I'm seriously considering chopping off my own head

This is REALLY early in the season for me to be dealing with this nonsense. And this season it's BAD. REALLY bad. All my neighbors are suffering the same crap, too. I don't get the nose stuffing up like a cold symptom... I get the sinus stuffing up so though I can breathe just fine through my nose I feel like I was punched in the eye (I always get the stuffing up unevenly so one side is basically ok while the other side is in torment... it's a very off balance feeling). I also get that disgusting nasal drip. I can get used to the dripping, but it's the hovering right on the gag reflex that I can't stand... makes me feel almost constantly on the verge of barfing. All day today I've been praying for just one giant sneeze to blow out the pressure... so far nothin'.

I can't even figure out why it's this bad already since there really isn't anything in the way of vegetation yet. Some daffodils have bloomed out but other than that the trees, bushes and various weeds/grasses don't seem to be doing much of anything yet.

I love those Breathe Right strips in the winter when my nose gets stuffed up because of dry air. Little things are amazing. Generally, though, during the winter the best thing that works for me to unclog my nose is to go outside in the cold air for a few minutes and almost immediately I'm blowing practically gallons of goo out of my nose. I love the strips for sleep time though. Sometimes with the humidifier on full blast it still isn't enough to keep the nose unclogged.

[rurallib]

15. I am dying here in Iowa . Make my own breathe rights

from Pringle lids and a piece of tape. Cut to fit and find a good sticky tape. Much cheaper.

[Taverner]

16. I feel your pain. I have severe allergies. And I live in San Ramon.

And my sinuses ache on a regular basis.

What do I do? Not sure if you want to try but:

Hit it at all levels - take:

- 400mg Ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin)
- Two shots of Afrin in each nostril ( the basic version )
- Claritin/Allegra - just ask the Pharmacist - they will know what to use.

IF REALLY BAD:

- two Sudafeds ( again, ask your pharmacist the generic versions of this ). These will fuck up your sleep schedule, so use with care.

IF ACHES ARE BAD:

- Acetaminophen/Tylenol very half-life (that is determined by the number of hours a medicine is active, cut in half - usually 2 hrs.) Switch between this and the ibuprofen. every half-life.

[Moondog]

17. Not much different in Central FL. Everything is pollinating at once.

Everyone I know with allergies is having a particularly bad time this year.