What is it?  This is the WORST sinus infection I have ever had - worse than a migraine.  The whole side of my face is KILLING me, and my head feels like it is going to split wide open.  For over the counter stuff, what works the fastest and will help the pain so I can finally get some damn sleep?

Thanks

whatever you get, use a saline rinse first. Even the stuff used for contacts works fine. Flush as much of the mucous out as you can and then spray your sinuses with the nose spray you get.

Makes a big difference.

Will the saline rinse the actual sinus cavity?  All this pain is coming from directly under my right eye, and blowing my nose resulted in the NASTIEST, greenest, thickest stuff I have even seen.  I feel like I have a softball lodged under my right eye.  This is the worst.

Softball? Green ectoplasm? Have you seen a DOCTOR? If not, I'm calling first dibs on your boots.

Quoted: Softball? Green ectoplasm? Have you seen a DOCTOR? If not, I'm calling first dibs on your boots.

Get checked out.

Dibs on the guns.

I'm sure it's just sinuses.  I'm self employed with no health insurance, so a 4 hour wait in the emergency room is the only way to see a doctor (the VA only makes appointments months out).

If I die I'll have Camy ship my guns to your FFL

Any dibs on ammo, POW bracelet, gun t-shirts, or my super-uber tactical underwear collection?

Oh, and you only get dibs on my guns if you change that damn avatar of yours

Keep in mind that if you don't get medical attention, this can go on for WEEKS.

Guess how I know that.

Quoted: Quoted: Softball? Green ectoplasm? Have you seen a DOCTOR? If not, I'm calling first dibs on your boots. Get checked out. Dibs on the guns.

Damn, had to look twice on your avatar. GOT MILK and a BIRD. Original, I say

As for the killer sinus up there, take excedrin for the pain, and flush out with mild or lukewarm saline solution. I get that crap twice a month on average. Don't go nutz on the anti-biotics, does not help unless it is a serious infection.Good Luck

I’m suddenly reminded of the Army Recruit who had a bad sinus headache.  I forget who it was.  I forget when he posted too.  But he kept on how bad his head hurt and he couldn’t get relief.

And then the time for the Gas Chamber exercise came around.

He told of the way the CS gas made his nose run and run and run….But when all of the snot finished running out of his nose his headache was gone!

I can’t think of anything faster.
Anybody else?

Check out Neti pots (or nasal douche) on-line.  I was skeptical at first but I try to do it every night now and it has made a huge difference.  I used to get sinus infections every year but I can honestly say it's been a few years now.  Even when everyone else over here has been getting them I've only gotten a little stuffy.  

In the interim- try to flush with a saline solution (I make my own with sea salt and warm water- no iodine as it burns slightly).  After you flush, blow well and then try some Afrin.  Not much works faster than Afrin but DO NOT use it for more than three days (unless ordered by a physician) or it can cause you to get more stopped up.  Some Tylenol will help with headaches/fever and psuedoephidrine will dry it out.

hot and sour soup from your nearest chinese retaurant

If it is a real sinus infection then the fastest way to clear it up is with a round of anti-biotics and a decongestant.  Be careful with those sinus infections, the last one I had dropped down to my chest and became bronchitis.

Quoted: I’m suddenly reminded of the Army Recruit who had a bad sinus headache.  I forget who it was.  I forget when he posted too.  But he kept on how bad his head hurt and he couldn’t get relief. And then the time for the Gas Chamber exercise came around. He told of the way the CS gas made his nose run and run and run….But when all of the snot finished running out of his nose his headache was gone! I can’t think of anything faster. Anybody else?

You are EVIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Zithromax, dude....Zithromax...Call the VA tell them what's shakin' and see if they'll call in a script!

This is the best thing for your sinus's!


JJ

Quoted: I'm sure it's just sinuses.  I'm self employed with no health insurance, so a 4 hour wait in the emergency room is the only way to see a doctor (the VA only makes appointments months out).

I used to get sinus infections all the time. The docs would give me an anti-biotic that barely worked, and I would live with the infection for 3 weeks as it slowly died. I eventually built a resistance, as the Z packs did as much good as eating Pez.

Then I found this:



www.alerg.com/page/A/PROD/SST/SST2000

The Grossan Pulsatile Irrigator. It WILL clean out your sinuses. The last sinus infection I had (which was over 2 years ago....I used to get at least 2 or 3 sinus infections a year...) was gone in a matter of a couple of days because I used the irrigator 2 or 3 times a day, cleaning out all that crud that the cilia in your sinuses hold on to.

All you do is mix one packet of this:



www.alerg.com/page/A/PROD/SST/SST2022

Into the water tank of the unit, add some water at a comfortable temperature (you don't want to shoot ice-water or rocket hot water up your nose. Trust me.) and then let the unit do the work. It feels wierder than hell until you get used to it, but you won't find anything that cleans any better. The Neti pot, while better than nothing, can't hold a candle to this thing. It has a knob on the front which allows you to control the pressure of the water coming out of the nozzle so you can get used to it. Personally, I find that the middle position on the knob is perfect. The pulsating action and the pressure are more effective at cleaning the cilia.

The wierd thing is that 10 or 15 minutes after you use it, you will suddenly find that your sinuses suddenly "let go" of some of the cleaning solution that they were holding on to, showing you how your sinuses trap crud up there. The first time it happened to me I thought I was having a nose bleed, but it was just the cleaning solution.

Chronic sinusitis sufferers like myself swear by this thing, as it is the ONLY thing that has ever done me any good. Prescriptions and too many anti-biotics are expensive and can actually cause you to develop super-germs that are resistant to anti-biotics. Not a good thing.

Since you don't have insurance, buying the irrigator and the breathe-ease packets (the breathe-ease packets are not strictly necessary, but I find buying them easier than mixing my own solution...) might be cheaper than a doc visit and some Amoxycilin or a Z-Pak.

Now if the pain gets worse or you start to develop other symptoms (fever, etc...) then get your butt to the doctor ASAP. Sinus infections usually run their course in a couple of weeks without meds or treatment, but you may have a severe one. If you start to develop other classic infection symptoms, get to the doc right away and get it taken care of.

Advil Cold and Sinus.......ive suffered from sinus headaches for years.......really bad ones....this is the only over the counter stuff ive found that works.

If it really is a sinus infection, get ready for the 4 hour wait.  You would be better off going to a Walk in clinic, usually cheaper or finding a primary care doc willing to take cash.  Even better if you see his nurse practitioner and less $$.  Best bang for the buck is generic augmentin.  Z paks are CRAP, any self-respecting microbe is resistant, LOL.  It's half-life  at subtheraputic levels is way too long and helps make resistant bugs.

hope you feel better.

the best thing for stuffed sinuses is Afrin, 12 hour stuff.

If it's a sinus infection, go see a doc.

TXL