tips for fighting sinus infection

[catboogie]

hey, i had a cold last week and it seems to have settled into my sinuses...of course my lungs are feeling extra congested too, but i believe that is secondary to the sinus thing. i was wondering if any of you have suggestions for getting rid of a sinus infection? for lung infections you can do more therapy; there doesn't seem to be an equivalent thing to help sinuses along.

i actually got out the silly face mask thing to attach to my nebs (that i have never ever used!) so that i can inhale my saline/albuterol/oregano up my nose. it seems to clear it out...for a little while anyway. do you think this is doing any good? i was wondering if anyone uses any other kind of contraption to inhale anything that might help (like we were talking about before with inhaling the herbal stuff)?

finally, is it bad to take something like Tylenol allergy sinus? i haven't been b/c i figure the stuff needs to get out and not just dry up in there. is that the correct logic?

thanks,

laura, 27

 

[HairGirl]

I would do a nasel rinse before the inhaled meds, that way it's somewhat cleared out and the meds can work better.

 

[Ratatosk]

Simply saline makes a hypertonic (3%) solution of saline in an aerosol. We use that on Max to cut the crud when he gets stuffy. I use it myself. Regular stuff I get at walmart, the hypertonic -- in a blue container I've gotten from Osco drug and online from drugstore.com

 

[anonymous]

1. Take some Sudafed. (pseudoephedrine). This will open up nasal passages to allow mucus to drain

2. Go get a sinus wash... make sure the water you use is PURIFIED/DISTILLED. The kind that they give you at the hospital to rinse off your nebs is the best. Otherwise it could have Staph or PA. This will allow for movement for mucus in the sinuses

3. Get an intranasal corticosteroid like Nasacort AQ. This will ensure that the nasal passages will stay open... use it every day for 2 weeks or until sinus infection is gone. Throw it away after sinus infection is gone (no need to re-infect yourself with the same bacteria)

4. Get an antibiotic if it doesn't go away in 7 days. There is no sense in soiling your lungs with sinus bacteria

 

[Scarlett81]

OK this is kinda gross-but it WORKS for me especially if I catch the sinus thing early-At health food stores you can get this contraption called a "Neti Pot"-its a little aladdin shaped ceramic pot. And you fill it with warm water and sea salt-and you irrigate it into your nose. You tilt your head sideways over the sink-stick it in your nostril, and pour the liquid in, and the gook comes out your other nostril.

This doesn't hurt-but it takes some getting used to. Let me tell you-it helps so much!!

 

[JennifersHope]

I almost always have a sinus infection but when my sinuses are especially bothering me I use a solution called EntSoultion. It is basically hypertonic saline in a can that has pressure in it. I squirt it up my nose till it runs down the back of my throat. It works really well.

I also have a nose attachment for one of my nebs and I inhale pulmozyme through my nose. It works amazing as well but I have to do it several times a day, which as you know, is through the roof expensive.

I also bump up or start taking an antibiotic because it almost always ends up in my lungs....Sometimes I inhale my Tobi through my nose as well but it doesn't work if I am real clogged up.

My friend (and yours) John gets Tobi rinses in his sinuses by his ENT, or at least he used to, I don't know if he still does. I will have to ask him if he found it helpful.

Feel better,

Jennifer

 

[HairGirl]

Christian, I've heard of the Neti-pot but never used it yet.

Jennifer, where do you get the EntSolution?