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Sinus infection and constant head pressure
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!
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Hi @pack12 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! In this community based forum, we’re not medical professionals so we can’t diagnose health problems or prescribe treatments. We’re members just like you who share personal experiences and insights to help find answers.
Oh dear, I’m sorry you’re having to deal with a persistent sinus infection! They can be so painful and tenacious. Most do disappear on their own but with an established infection like yours it might need to be treated with more than one round of antibiotics or a steroid nasal spray. Was it suggested to use a nasal spray to open the sinus passages, such as Flonase?
Since it is allergy season you could be experiencing both…allergies and a residual sinus infection. Have you tried an over the counter antihistamine such as Benadryl or Claritin to see if that helps at all? I’m not prescribing anything but that is a usual course of treatment for allergies.
There are some other natural nasal sprays on the market that can promote good sinus health such as Xclear. You can also try warm washcloth compresses on your face.
While Netty pots do have value for flushing the sinuses, it isn’t recommended to use tap water. It’s not sterile and can introduce bacteria to the sinus cavities. A nice dark, damp environment like that is a great host to bacterial infections.
If this were me, I’d have the sinuses re-evaluated and maybe have a culture of the fluid in your nose to check for bacteria type in order to treat with the proper antibiotics. But since this is still ongoing, whether it’s allergies or bacteria it should be checked out so you can start to feel better again. I hope you feel some improvement soon! Lori
Mayo Clinic has some information regarding sinusitis. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/acute-sinusitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351677
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3 ReactionsHello @loribmt , thank you for your response, I was put on Flonase but it was not much help unfortunately. I will get it checked out further. Thank you!
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1 ReactionSounds like the best idea. You don’t want this dragging on any longer. Good luck 😊 Lori
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2 ReactionsHello, I have been struggling with a deep pressure headache for the past 2 weeks in the back of my head. Sometimes it is throbbing pain and tingling occurs as well. It is way worse while laying down. My legs and hands have mild shaking in them too and my it is hard to focus on objects with my eyes and caused disorientation sometimes.
Can y’all please help me give some clues? It’ll be a while before I get the chance to see a doctor for this.
Thank you.
Hello, I read that you also recently had a sinus infection, which seems never to have gone away.
We are not medical professionals, and cannot give you medical advice, only share our own experiences.
However, a headache lasting 2 weeks, accompanied by other symptoms. is quite concerning. When you say it will be "a while" before you can see a doctor, are you talking about days or weeks? Also, is the headache relieved by Tylenol or other over-the-counter pain relievers?
Sue
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2 ReactionsHi Sue, thank you for your response. I will be able to see a doctor next week and Tylenol helps a little bit but not completely.
@pack12 I am wondering if you have experienced a fever as well or if you have been monitoring that? Is there anytime your headache completely goes away or you get relief?
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1 Reaction@amandajro I feel like my body is always hot and my cheeks are kind of swollen and hot all the time. I’ve been monitoring a fever once in a while but I am consistently 97.5-98.0 degrees. When the sinusitis first started I had a fever and chills but after a week, that subsided. I get some headache relief in the morning and if I get some exercise in but it is not ideal.
Hi @pack12
I have had Sinus problems such as Acute Sinusitis and Chronic Sinusitis for most of my adult life mainly due to allergies, and colds. When I have Acute Sinusitis with symptoms you describe, in addition to antibiotics I use Rx:
Flunisolide Nasal Spray Solution USP 0.025% (Brand Name is Nasilide), Simply Saline Nasal Spray (Wash) sold in drugstores in the U.S. and Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) 30mg tablets every 4 hours. They sell extended release 12 hour Sudafed but it is too strong for me, and makes me feel light headed. The symptoms you describe are miserable and I can remember one that was so bad when I called my doctor’s office and they asked for my phone number and I told them my head hurt so bad I couldn’t remember it.
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2 Reactions@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.
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