Sinus infection and constant head pressure

Posted by pack12 @pack12, Jun 12, 2021

Hello, I am a 19 year old college student from Alberta, Canada. I attend a school in The Southeastern United States and it was my first spring that I spent down there where the pollen is more severe than the Alberta Prairies. I suffered from allergies starting at the start of April of this year. I started blowing my nose extra hard to clear the congestion but it kept getting worse. Then I used a Neti Pot squeeze bottle to clear it up a couple weeks later and I used tap water. I felt very sick the next day and had a fever and felt disoriented for a week. A week later I went to see a doctor and he said it was a sinus infection so I was put on antibiotics but it did not get much better and for the past two months my head felt super heavy with constant pressure in my head. Also, sinus pressure comes and goes, I was wondering if there could be something dangerous in the Neti Pot? Or is it allergies or the infection that still has not gone away? Thank y’all!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Support Group.

@njh

@pack12
I would like to add to my comment about Acute Sinusitis. If you have Urgent Care Walk In Centers in Canada I would suggest being seen there to get earlier treatment. I wouldn’t hesitate to go to the Emergency Department of a hospital if you feel an urgent need to be seen before your doctors appointment. I would still keep the doctor’s appointment in case it involves something more serious.

Jump to this post

@njh I set up a doctor’s appointment early next week. I had to quarantine for full 14 days even though I was fully vaccinated so I will see a doctor a couple days after I get out of quarantine. Thank you for sharing!

REPLY
@pack12

@njh I set up a doctor’s appointment early next week. I had to quarantine for full 14 days even though I was fully vaccinated so I will see a doctor a couple days after I get out of quarantine. Thank you for sharing!

Jump to this post

@pack12 will you please keep the group posted on your next few days and heed the advice of @njh if your symptoms worsen and/or you feel you need urgent care?

REPLY
@amandajro

@pack12 will you please keep the group posted on your next few days and heed the advice of @njh if your symptoms worsen and/or you feel you need urgent care?

Jump to this post

Hello @amandajro , I saw a doctor today and we are getting started on an ENT referral. Symptoms are getting better. Thank you.

REPLY

..this probably isnt connected but started a year ago, clear, no odour, "strings" of mucous pulled from right nostril, nothing form left.. Iput this post up before with photos and took down as kind of gross to look at but went on and on about 15 times a day every day then recently stopped and when i blow with paper hanky or nothing its still in long five inch or so strings and sometimes thin as a fishing line and sometimes thicker... no fever, nothing but also have tinnitus and ear pressure... is this just an odd occurrent or something to check out bearing in mind we have two ents who are busy and a year wait. no blood, nothing, just constant blowing out these long thin lines of mucous, even sneezing them out, one side, ..... what tube goes from back of nose to ??? that is about 4 to 5 inches long to produce these "strings" curious.

REPLY
@lacy2

..this probably isnt connected but started a year ago, clear, no odour, "strings" of mucous pulled from right nostril, nothing form left.. Iput this post up before with photos and took down as kind of gross to look at but went on and on about 15 times a day every day then recently stopped and when i blow with paper hanky or nothing its still in long five inch or so strings and sometimes thin as a fishing line and sometimes thicker... no fever, nothing but also have tinnitus and ear pressure... is this just an odd occurrent or something to check out bearing in mind we have two ents who are busy and a year wait. no blood, nothing, just constant blowing out these long thin lines of mucous, even sneezing them out, one side, ..... what tube goes from back of nose to ??? that is about 4 to 5 inches long to produce these "strings" curious.

Jump to this post

@lacy2

At the time your symptoms began did you have a head injury… even just a little bump that you shrugged off??

Please know I have no medical training whatsoever. This is from my own experiences and my research.. which it has been a long time since I have I done research. Today my time is limited because of grandchildren. .. so some more research on your own needed.

Other than allergies or your nasal anatomy is off.. like a deviated septum… the only other reason I can think of for your problem is a brain leak. More info here https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/c/cerebrospinal-fluid-leak.html .

If allergies or environmental irritation from what you breathe in then saline nasal rinses should help along with allergy medication. Instead of the nasal rinse or neti pot that you have to mix I have been using Arm & Hammer Simply Saline nasal mist. You can mist it in or use it like a nasal rinse. I used it this morning .. along with my nasal antihistamine spray. .. and the nasal drip stopped. I will do the same this evening. If I get drippy or stuffy between times I use the saline spray. It washes the irritants out and moistens the nasal passages. a lot of times our nasal passages are dry and the mucus … aka snot.. thickens and gets stringy. Sometimes only one side.. for some odd reason. Many sites will tell you how snot forms… just put in your web browsers search engine “ where does snot come from” .. you will even find videos.

ZeeGee

REPLY
@fourof5zs

@lacy2

At the time your symptoms began did you have a head injury… even just a little bump that you shrugged off??

Please know I have no medical training whatsoever. This is from my own experiences and my research.. which it has been a long time since I have I done research. Today my time is limited because of grandchildren. .. so some more research on your own needed.

Other than allergies or your nasal anatomy is off.. like a deviated septum… the only other reason I can think of for your problem is a brain leak. More info here https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/c/cerebrospinal-fluid-leak.html .

If allergies or environmental irritation from what you breathe in then saline nasal rinses should help along with allergy medication. Instead of the nasal rinse or neti pot that you have to mix I have been using Arm & Hammer Simply Saline nasal mist. You can mist it in or use it like a nasal rinse. I used it this morning .. along with my nasal antihistamine spray. .. and the nasal drip stopped. I will do the same this evening. If I get drippy or stuffy between times I use the saline spray. It washes the irritants out and moistens the nasal passages. a lot of times our nasal passages are dry and the mucus … aka snot.. thickens and gets stringy. Sometimes only one side.. for some odd reason. Many sites will tell you how snot forms… just put in your web browsers search engine “ where does snot come from” .. you will even find videos.

ZeeGee

Jump to this post

Well I banged my top forehead 2018 on corner of being-built deck as stood up from underneath picking up stuff and hit right on sharp corner and heard the bang, noise , but I didnt get a bump, but a dent, still there. Didnt bleed but sort of a scratch.. my dr. laughed at it.
Since had half, right thyroid, out, only ever then got mucous (snot) from right side going down back of throat since 2008!! couldnt blow it out had to draw it down throat, and nothing from left.
2020 started this pulling out ribbons of it and at first I thought oh no, its a worm or something, but wasnt! Ugh However, through the clearness and I even took bad photo of it, there is a sort of spiral pattern in, no kidding. Then every day mostly in evening when reading in bed, about ten, pulled them out like strings and it went on for a year... now still only right side and its half and half.. sometimes like a little spider web so thin.. my husband says why are you looking at it??? ...am sure nothing serious although do have other issues and I wonder if glaucoma and dry eye drops are running down inside, but why only right side, weird. Thanks for info will take a peeek. Stranger than fiction! lol

REPLY

I developed a sinus infection about 2 1/2 months ago. I have gone to my primary care doctor, an ENT, gotten a CAT scan of my sinuses, and receive 2 rounds of antibiotics. No one seems to be able to determine what is causing the infection or how to treat it. I use a Netti pot 2 to 3 times a day, take decongestants to help relieve the pressure in my head, and blow my nose about once every 2 minutes. Every time yellow mucus comes out. Im sure I have expelled gallons of the stuf. I was directed to an allergy clinic, but the appointment is 2 months from now. Who would be the most likely to be able to diagnose this problem?

REPLY
@klickman0226

I developed a sinus infection about 2 1/2 months ago. I have gone to my primary care doctor, an ENT, gotten a CAT scan of my sinuses, and receive 2 rounds of antibiotics. No one seems to be able to determine what is causing the infection or how to treat it. I use a Netti pot 2 to 3 times a day, take decongestants to help relieve the pressure in my head, and blow my nose about once every 2 minutes. Every time yellow mucus comes out. Im sure I have expelled gallons of the stuf. I was directed to an allergy clinic, but the appointment is 2 months from now. Who would be the most likely to be able to diagnose this problem?

Jump to this post

Hi @klickman0226, welcome. I moved your message to this existing, related discussion:
- Sinus infection and constant head pressure https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/sinus-infection-and-constant-head-pressure/

I did this so you can connect with others like @pack12, @njh @lacey2 as well as the helpful responses they received from members like @loribmt @sueinmn and @fourof5zs.

Your situation sounds very frustrating with few answers despite having seen specialists and taking the common courses of action. An allergy clinic is a good next step. I'm sorry there is such a wait.

REPLY
@klickman0226

I developed a sinus infection about 2 1/2 months ago. I have gone to my primary care doctor, an ENT, gotten a CAT scan of my sinuses, and receive 2 rounds of antibiotics. No one seems to be able to determine what is causing the infection or how to treat it. I use a Netti pot 2 to 3 times a day, take decongestants to help relieve the pressure in my head, and blow my nose about once every 2 minutes. Every time yellow mucus comes out. Im sure I have expelled gallons of the stuf. I was directed to an allergy clinic, but the appointment is 2 months from now. Who would be the most likely to be able to diagnose this problem?

Jump to this post

My very persistent sinus infection was caused by a cracked root in a tooth. I did not actually have an infection but a severe inflammation. My ENT at Mayo Clinic wanted to do surgery after I had the tooth pulled but there was no way I could go through surgery at that time. She then prescribed 4mg. of dexamethasone for two weeks. This is a tablet that you add to the netti pot along with a Neil-med packet. It did the trick.

Good luck with your search for a solution.

REPLY

I was told to NEVER use tap water for irrigation. I use distilled water. It is very cheap. There are chemicals in tap water and sinus tissue is delicate.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.