Sinus infections are literally killing me. HELP!?
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I would suggest you get some skin testing done to see what you are allergic to . An allergist can do this. There may be some foods that you are consuming that are actually to blame. Soy is a big culprit where allergies are concerned...as are wheat, corn, peanuts and citric acid. Food allergies can cause more problems than airborne allergens in some cases.
Another alternative is seeking NAET therapy. If you do an Internet search on NAET you can find more info that what I'm posting. This is more in the line of naturopathic medicine. I started doing this myself a few weeks ago since all other allergy treatment has failed for over 30 years.
Good luck.
Sorry. I really feel for you. It sounds like you have tried all of things I would recommend. I used to get them seasonally, but nose sprays and staying away from dust cured me. An allergist should be able to tell you if this is allergy related, but maybe it is just the way your sinuses are constructed.
You may want to be careful if you are irrigating your sinus with saline solution. It is easy to get water in there that doesn't come out. I remember one time I went to the gym and started stretching, and all this water started pouring out of my nose.
Antibiotics will cure you temporarily for that particular infection, but something is causing it to happen over and over. I imagine that your doctor had some theory for the surgery and if that hasn't panned out, then he must have some other plan for you. Hang in there. Medical science is a great thing. It may take time, but they should be able to help you. I don't think you are going to find any answers here.
I had suffered from chronic and acute sinus problems for a good part of my life, starting in my late teens - so I do know of the misery you are going through. Finally, when I was in my mid-thirties, I found a Doctor, who, fortunately for me, had also suffered major sinus problems. I had to have surgery, my nasal passages were severely swollen and my sinus cavities were a mess; I had a lot of cysts. I learned from my Doctor that my dependency on nasal spray for the sinus congestion had caused the majority of my problems, including the frequent sinus infections. After the surgery, I never used nasal spray again. It's been 10 years and my sinuses have never been better.
Are you dependent on Nasal Spray? - because if you are, that is a large part of the problem and your Doctor should have told you to STOP using Nasal Spray. Long term use or misuse of nasal sprays causes rebound congestion, and has literally created or worsened the very symptoms they were supposed to alleviate. The consequences can include the development of a sinus condition that causes too much constant swelling within the nose, the sinus orifices may not be able to drain properly and thus become infected. You can also develop vasomotor rhinitis brought on by overuse of decongestant nasal spray. Ask your Doctor for help - perhaps he could prescribe Flonase to help wean you off the nasal spray - it will be tough going, but worth it. Steroid shots can also break the dependence on nasal sprays. Your Doctor will know best.
And here is something you can try to help your sinuses become healthy again, or to treat sinusitis. Have you ever heard of a Netty Pot? Netty pots are used to do a nasal wash. They can be either ceramic or plastic and are a device of Indian origin that delivers nasal irrigation to wash out a person's nose. Some people find netty pot irrigations to be very soothing. I love my Netty Pot and highly recommend it. I do not need to use it often, although some people use it on a regular basis. Do what works for you.
Here is an article that you may find interesting:
USING A NETTY POT FOR SINUS HEALTH
It seems that these days, we have respiratory related issues all year long. My son and I seem to be congested most of the year from allergies, mold, colds, and pollutants in the air. There has been one drug free remedy that we use almost daily that seems to help with the whole range of sinus-related symptoms.
Every morning after we wash our face, we use our Netty pot. This little ceramic pot resembles a small watering can. You can purchase one at any health food store or herbalists. There are many styles but buy one that does not have too long of a spout. The longer spouts are harder to manage because it is that much farther from your nose and eyes.
You fill the Netty pot halfway with warm water and put half a teaspoon of sea salt to dissolve. Then once the salt has dissolved, fill the rest of the pot with tepid water. Make sure it is not hot or even too warm. You want to think about it entering the nasal canal and how sensitive that area is. I tend to leave it pretty close to room temperature for my son. He started using one at the age of eight.
It helps to blow your nose before you start then tilt your head to one side without straining. Then insert the spout in the nostril that your head is tilting toward. Breathe through your mouth in a slow and even rhythm. Use about half the water and the switch sides. You may want to blow your nose in between switching sides. If one side of your nose seems infected, then you might want to wash it out between side changes.
If you find that your sinuses are stinging from the Netty pot usage, then you might have a sinus infection and may want to consult your local doctor, naturopath, or herbalist.
Our naturopath has said that using the Netty pot daily is most effective and least invasive way to support respiratory health. Make it a part of your morning routine and you will find that you are sneezing less and hardly stuffed up.
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Good Luck!!
There is no real cure for terminal sinus problems and surgery only enlarges the sinus cavities so you can breathe a bit better. The real problem is overactive mucus glands and surgery cannot overcome this problem.
Nasal sprays and antibiotics are no good either as they give you a bit of short term relief but don't overcome the overactive mucus glands problem. Nasal sprays can actually damage your sinuses.
What you can do is to abolish the mucus generating foods that comprise dairy products and red meat. Soy milk instead of dairy products is fine and white meat instead of red meat is OK but fish is better than chicken.
Also your immunity system needs a boost so that you will get fewer sinus infections and they will be less severe so you need a multivitamin every day plus extra Vitamin C.
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