Sinus Hell - What is the best over-the-counter med?

You really should go see a ENT to see what's causing your sinus problems if it happens pretty often.

 

If you can handle it I suggest going the natural route and eat some hot chilis. A couple of serranos or cayennes should do the trick and you will get a nice chili buzz afterwards.

 

Don't underestimate your indoor enviornment either. If you're around chemicals on a daily basis, this can be the cause of it as well. Anytime my wife burns a yankee candle or cleans with bleach or chlorine based products it sets off my sinuses. You can read more about that stuff here:

VOC's: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html

Sick building syndrom: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/sbs.html

Your problem may be right under your nose, literally. Hell, certain perfumes that my wife has worn has triggered my sinuses...

 

I agree with this solution.

 

I tried to let my body clear up a sinus infection on its own. It took THREE WEEKS before I felt healthy again

Next time I'm going with one of these remedies you guys have listed.

 

hydrogen peroxide

 

sudafed is a waste only works for 15mins.

some people respond better to zyrtec than to claritin, others the other way around.

 

I hear that using a saline rinse works wonders. Go and get a nettie pot.

 

Excedrin with a Red Bull chaser. Caffeine ftw!

 

Some respond to neither. I always joke that Claritin is Latin for "does not work." Zyrtec must be the Greek equivalent.

 

The best is Actifed -- they no longer sell the real stuff except at Walgreens under their brand Wal-Act. It is a full dose of sudifed combined with a super strong antihistamine in a tiny white pill. Because of dipshiet meth heads you have to buy it at the pharmacy counter.

 

First, you must control your allergies. See a doctor for prescription. Nasal sprays like Flonase and Astelin are effective for me, but even OTCs like Zyrtec and Claritin will work - again... as a way to control allergies BEFORE you are actually sick. People take these things and say they don't work only because they are asking their allergy medications to do something they are not designed to do.

Second, for short-term sinus pain/pressure, Sudafed PE works for a few hours. I often have sinus pain related to a change in barometric pressure. I take a Sudey, and if the pain lingers for more than a half hour, then I'll take a mild painkiller like tylenol.

Third, if your throat hurts, it might be because your sinus are draining. Taking Mucinex will dry up the mucous. VERY underrated stuff, this Mucinex.

Lastly, if you are truly sick, then see a doctor. People usually wait until long after they have a sinus infection, and sometimes at that point it just takes antibiotics. Avoid this by taking action sooner.

I'm not a doctor, just someone who has suffered from allergies and sinus problems for far too long.

And yeah... eat some salsa, the hotter you can take, the better. The benefits are short-term, but it helps to loosen my sinuses, plus the eatin's pretty good, too.

 

I just did a sinus rinse this morning after being around smokers all night.

Man, that feels good.

 

Having a medical background, I'll chip in with my advice both from that experience and as a life long sinus/allergy sufferer.
This is just going to be general advice and not meant to be any "professional" recommendation per se.

First of all, if it is really bad, you really should go see a physician. If you have never been to an ENT, a good ENT check-up can be quite valuable. He or she might be able to detect a structural problem (i.e., deviated septum, polyps) which is causing your problems. They will also be able to see whether your symptoms are from an allergic reaction (allergic rhinitis) or if it is due to an infectious cause (sinusitis). If it is an infection, which is usually bacterial, antibiotics may help, but if it is due to allergic reactions, it will obviously not help.

As far as medical management, here are the usual options:

Claritin/Zyrtec/other anti-histamine - these are good for symptoms caused by histamine release due to an allergen; usually symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes, scratchy throats etc. They are not so good for congestive symptoms. These drugs are quite benign in terms of side effects or as benign as any medication can be. Some people respond better to one or the other. Just variations on people I suppose, or it could all be placebo.

Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) - works wonders for many people for symptomatic relief for congestive symptoms. They work by a different mechanism than the anti-histamines, and some pills have it combined with other medications such as anti-histamines or acetaminophen (Claritin-D, and some cold medicines). However, it is really for symptomatic relief and should not be taken for too long (i.e., > 7 days). They do have some possible problems such as raising your blood pressure, causing palpitations or your heart to beat faster.

Afrin - these are over the counter nasal sprays that work great for congestive symptoms. However, you will become "dependent" on them if you use them for too long. Many people suffer from rebound congestion. i.e., if you stop taking them after using them for a few days, your congestion will come back and be worse than before. It is good for that I really need it for today, but probably not a good choice for constant use.

Nasal Saline Irrigation Systems - many people swear by it. Very safe. Basically just clearing out any allergens and muck that might be in your nasal passageways. Good to use in addition to any other meds you might want.

Fluticasone (Nasonex) - prescription nasal steroid. This is actually very good at controlling many people's symptoms with very few side effects. However, it is by prescription only, but if you go visit an ENT or any other physician they will often prescribe it especially for those who can not get relief from the over the counter stuff.

There are of course other medications out there, but these are the ones that I have used in the past for various reasons.

I really feel for you and everyone else who is suffering right now. This year has been really tough for me, so I understand. Best wishes.