I, unfortunately, am one of these people who is perpetually sick. If its the summer, I have allergies to contend with. As soon as the fall and winter rolls around, I start catching colds.
I almost never have problems with coughing, upset stomach, headaches, etc. However, I have awful sinus congestion. Often a complete inability to breath through my nose. Anyone who has this problem will know how miserable it makes trying to sleep. Blowing my nose is all but futile.
I’ve taken Dristan in the past and I seem to recall it working quite well, but its been a while since I’ve used it. Tell me, what have you found to be the most effective decongestant medication?
Violet’s suggestion is a good one. Prescription nasal sprays can be pretty darn helpful. Flonase, Rhinocort, etc. Be careful of taking non-prescription nose sprays, as they don’t contain the same topical steriods. You can end up with rebound sinus infections, making your problem worse than before.
If you’re looking for something just to help you on the bad days, I’d recommend Claritin’s Allergy/Sinus medication.
I’m not sure if you’re male or female, Trigonal Planar, but I’ll tell you not to take Claritin A/S if you’re planning on getting pregnant any time soon. As I understand it, this medication is being linked to baby boys sometimes being born with extremely small penises. I don’t have a site for this, except for my mum, who’s a nurse, and knows lots about lots.
You can also try nasal lavages. I’ve never tried this, but understand that it works quite well, if you’re into pouring water up your nose. Give that a Google.
Your local health food store (or a good chinese grocery) will probably have
Gan Mao Ling
Amazing chinese medicine for cold or sinus.
Next stop: your local drug store for
ZiCam nasal spray
Start with the stuff the minute you feel anything coming on.
And, in the meantime, go to your doc, and get a referal to an ENT specialist. I’d wager (in small amounts) you have at least one blocked sinus area that has turned itself into an interesting lab, growing an infection that could probably put you in danger of attention from the Bush administration for bio-warfare cultures … some such sinus infections actually grow and mutate for years if they are not professionally ‘cleaned out and opened’
You know, you might want to visit an ENT because you sound just like how I used to be. For the last 20 years I’ve been stuffed up pretty much 24 hours a day.
I already knew I had a deviated septum which made the airflow in the left side mostly blocked, but I didn’t expect what more I found out.
The doc confermed the deviated septum. He also noted I had extra large turbinates which blocked airflow -even more so if I was slightly congested. They also found a mass in my right sinus that filled almost 3/4 of the front sinus area. The sides of my nose were weak and causing problems as well (when I breathe in though my nose, the nostrils pull in. a real good snif wouldl close them)
SO, I went in one day and they broke my nose and straighted the septum. They also cliped the turbinates back and did a valve repair on my nostrils. They are waiting on the mass in the right side at the moment, so they left that alone.
I can now breathe through my nose and I’m no longer stuffed up. I didn’t realize how much airflow through my nose was blocked until after it was done.
The doctor told me the large turbinates are a common problem, perhaps this is what you’re running into. This was one of the main reasons I was having all the congestion problems. There was just far too much meat inside my air pasages. Once those were trimmed back, the air just flows right on in. It’s great.
There were a few side effects though. I can smell 1000 times better and food is more flavourful.
Another side effect are these strange, very mild, panic attacks. I’m used to feeling air pass though my nose but now that everything is opened, when I breathe in I feel nothing. A few times when I’ve been falling asleep I snap out of it thinking I can’t breathe, or I’m breathing but there isn’t any air coming in. As soon as I realize what’s going on, I’m fine. But the first few times it happened it was very weird. Once I’m used to NOT feeling the air I’m sure this will stop.
But,. I say visit an ENT and have them take a look. You might luck out and have a fix for your ongoing congestion problem.
The perscription sprays that are available now are fantastic!
I just keep using my Four Way because I’ve been addicted to nasal sprays as long as I can remember and I wouldn’t know how to act without this one flaw in my character.
Have you tried alternative methods to relieve your sinus problem? I too suffer from terrible sinus congestion and hay fever but acupuncture works really well for me. I usually don’t sneeze of have a blocked nose for months after an acu session.
Not a medication - go to the health food store and ask for a Neti pot. They’re less than $20 and they are amazing.
Its a little ceramic pot that looks like a teapot. You fill it with warm water and non-iodized salt (I use sea salt that I also get at the health food store).
Place the spout into your nostril, tilt your head to the side. The water flows through your sinus cavity and cleans it out, draining out the other side.
Sounds gross, but it can be a lifesaver - especially when you have a cold. I broke mine in the shower last year and had to rush out and buy a new one. They’re awesome.
