OK I'm a nurse. Here is my husband with a sinus infection, bronchitis, and a bad headache. We have tried ibuprofen, tylenol, hot compresses, the hairdrier, and caffiene. He has been on antibiotics for 4 days. Now the headache is to the point of being disabling. Does anyone have a herbal or othr remedy? We are open to any suggestions.

-- Terri Perry (tperry@stargate.net), August 30, 2000

Answers

Hi Terri, I can sympathize! My mother-in-law always did this for my father-in-law, when he would get one of his sinus headaches. Have him lay down, get Vicks Salve and rub on area between the eyes and around his nose and cheeks. (little in the nose if he can stand it), and lay a hot washcloth across to cover. Have your husband lay still for awhile. My Father-in-law swears by this method. Hope it works!

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), August 30, 2000.

I have really bad sinus infections! Have for over 10 years. The only thing that I can get releif with is the "over the counter"powder medicine called "BC Sinus and Cold." My EN&T Dr. told me about it and I couldn't beleive how fast the pain was releived! I would get so sick that I would throw up for days. I know ~~I know it's not herbal or natural but when you hurt like I did~~You'll try ANYTHING!!!!

-- Debbie T in N.C. (rdtyner@mindspring.com), August 30, 2000.

I also suffer sinus problems, I found a herbal mix containing feverfew, white willow bark, yucca, kola nut, devils claw, shavegrass, licorice root, yellow dock, cool cayenne and zinc 5% worked well on my jheadaches and the herbal echnacia in a two week on 1 week off regime helped minimize recurring infections. The herbal mix I described is marketed under various product names, but all manufacturers I have seen refer it for headache treatment. The brand I use is from Nation of Winners, Atlanta GA 30337, the product is labeled QUIK RLF. Be sure to first consult with a physician on possible interactions with other medications. (Sorry forgot, your a nurse) Good Luck.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), August 30, 2000.

Terri , try the vicks and see if a cold or hot cloth on the face helps .I have taken 2 extra stength tylenol and 2 extra strength ibuphopen[sp] to get rid of headaches . Hope he feels better ~ Patty

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), August 30, 2000.

Garlic Oil - it being a natural anti-biotic - warm a few drops on a spoon (careful not to get it hot) and put in EACH ear (one at a time) for 15 minutes (stuff with cotton ball) have him gently move his head around a little and open his jaw to help allow the garlic to go down further - he'll be able to feel it as it goes down then repeat with the second ear - do this 3 times a day *he has to stay laid on his side for those 15 min. each - keep him off all milk products till the infection is gone so it doesn't build up any more mucous let us know how he does!! hope this helps!

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), August 30, 2000.

My suggest is the local community hospital. Sinus infections can be fatal.

-- Kathy (catfish@bestweb.net), August 30, 2000.

Headache should not be disabling unless something is wrong..call whomever gave him the antibiotics, unless that was you, then get him in to see a doctor asap.

-- Lesley (martchas@gateway.net), August 30, 2000.

Lesli and Kathi,

No, I did not give him the antibiotics!!!! He was seen by our doctor. And, no, his is not a canditate for our ER. It is used much to often by people who should a physician. Maybe the nurse part says, quit blubbering, but I do take this seriously. Thank you all for your advice. We have used Vicks in the past with relief, but it does not seem to work this time.

-- Terri Perry (tperry@stargate.net), August 30, 2000.

Pat, He is lying in bed with the garlic oil in the ear as you suggested. Seems quiet and calm, relaxed. Maybe it is working. 5 hours of complaining has turned to sleep. Do not think it is the analgesics. Should have worked before now. Thanks so much for the help. Terri (And a sleeping Stu.)

-- Terri Perry (tperry@stargate.net), August 30, 2000.

The sinus headache part sounds like what my husband used to do on a regular basis. Echinacea/Goldenseal tea was what I gave him for the infection, with honey if he wants, and to get the sinuses cleaned out, I used steam. A crockpot on high works wonders, just pour the water in hot so you don't have to wait. Throw in a big handful of bergamot leaves, (fresh is best, but dried will work), have him lean over the bowl, tent a blanket over the whole mess, and tell him to breath deep. The pain comes from all of that junk building up in there with no place to go, this will cause it to drain out, and relieve the pressure. The most important part, though, is NO medication designed to 'dry things up.' That will cause a dry crusty layer to form, and when the meds wear off and stuff starts trying to flow again, it gets trapped under the crust, and serves as a medium for bacteria to flourish. As for my husband, 6 years ago, his doctor was threatening to drill holes through the roof of his mouth to make his sinuses drain, due to constant infections. Now we see maybe one mild incident a year, usually triggered by a trip to town when the smog is bad.

-- Connie (Connie@lunehaven.com), August 30, 2000.

When this infection is over, have him try taking bee pollen, 2 capsules per day. This seems to lower the incidence of infections.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), August 30, 2000.

Take a bulb of garlic, the whole bulb not a clove, 3or 4 hot peppers, a thumb piece size of horseradish root, a piece of ginger, a white onion. Put in a blender and add organic apple cider vinegar to cover Blend together and put in a jar for two weeks shaking daily. Strain and this tincture will keep forever bottled and kept in a dark place. Use the pulp for cooking with. You can use the tincture before the two week especially if it is needed. This is Dr. Schulz's Super Tonic and we have made it and used it for all types of ailments. Start out with a tespoon and increase dosage as needed. When we feel like we may be coming down with something we dose our selves and all last year we never got any flue, colds, and sinus infections.

-- lynda (lyndadan@cyberhighway.net), August 30, 2000.

It is now 12:05 and the beast has not yet stired.Thank you, Pat. It is working.

-- Terri Perry (tperry@stargate.net), August 31, 2000.

Terri, I am glad it is working. If you have a health food store (or a grocery store with a health food section, you might try a box of Traditional Medicinal's Breathe Easy Tea. It helps break up the gunk and ease the headache. I don't tolerate the echenea in it well, so I make my own version, three parts peppermint, one part ginger root, and 1/2 part fennel seed. Let steep in hot water. I think it tastes good, and if Hubby has a headcold, some mornings he won't move out of bed without a cup of this tea. Sweeten with honey or a bit of sugar, if you like.

I have had a LOT less sinus problems since we started making our own colloidal silver. Look it up on the web; there is something to it.

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), August 31, 2000.

Terri,

Have you tried looking into food allergies? Dairy usually makes mucus. I got sinus headaches that I was suporting the pharm company sucking down the over-the-counter pills. Once I cut down on my wheat intake and stopped dairy I was finally better. I also was treated for candidis.

If you want more information, e-mail me direct. This forum is moving too fast lately

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), August 31, 2000.

Leann is right, Breathe Easy Tea is great. Also try a steam of sage leaves (with the tent over the head). Consider if he quit drinking caffeine when he got a cold. It could be a simple cold, with caffeine withdrawal. And echinacea/goldenseal for 7-10 days at maximum dose is a good natural remedy.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), August 31, 2000.

Just a cautionary note: My father suffered for some time recently with severe headaches, chalked up to sinus problems/infection, and then found that his blood pressure was very high. It had always been low for years! But after removing all salt from his diet, he no longer has the headaches and his BP is back to normal. (I'm sure your husband has had his checked, but for others who suffer these headaches without checking with the dr. this might be important.) Hope that he soon feels better... my husband also gets this once in a while, and it is totally NO FUN, so I can certainly sympathize.

-- Peggy Taylor (bptaylor@ccrtc.com), September 03, 2000.

Alright,I guess I'll play Devil's Advocate and say "If he isn't better soon,perhaps you ought to call your Dr. and try another antibiotic-Clarithromycin[Biaxin] being the most effective one I've ever had to take."

Hopefully,all these good ideas will render that unnecessary!

Other recommendations:saline nose drops,hot showers,peppermint tea,and very spicy chili!!

Hope he feels better soon;sinus infections are MISERABLE!

God bless,~~~Tracy~~~

-- Tracy Jo Neff (tntneff@ifriendly.com), September 03, 2000.

I've heard from a number of customers at the store where I work that using a neti pot brings relief and cuts way down on any future infections. Weak salt water is inserted at an angle into one nostril and allowed to flow out the other nostril. Fenugreek is the #1 selling herb for helping mucus flow. Be careful using bee pollin, always start with a teeny amount, then add more if you have no adverse reaction. Vitamin C and B5 (pantathenic acid) taken 2 to 1 (1000mg-500mg), three times a day, strenthens adrenals. I've seen many people with severe allergies try this and report that they feel better than they have in years. As I always say, eat as little refined food as possible. Food allergies most certainly could be the cause. It's easy to keep a food diary for a month or so, not to mention free. I've suffered skull-splitting headaches my entire life, until I kept a diary and was able to see, undeniably, what was causing them. If a box of "food" has more than a couple ingredients, I steer clear. Hope hubby feels better!

-- Cathy Horn (hrnofplnty@webtv.net), September 04, 2000.

He also needs to drink LOTS of water -- a gallon or more a day. Being even slightly dehydrated will make things worse.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), September 04, 2000.

I to used to get sinus infections and headachs daily and kept myself on one daily sudefed in order not to get the headache. Then I went on the prisim diet (no white flour or sugar I also quit drinking milk) and haven't had a headache in six months, and I feel wonderful. I also was told that garlic is a natural antibiotic the government was investigating garlics abilities, these studies were abandoned after pennicilan was discovered. I often use garlic when I feel an earache comming on, it is also good for reducing high blood pressure.

-- ronda (thejohnsons_doty@hotmail.com), September 05, 2000.

Leann Banta, you posted about makeing your own colloidal silver---my grown children have just started takeing this----and have given me web pages full of nothing but great praises about it------I have chemical poisioning----I'm allergic to all chemicals----do you know if it is good for this or not????? How long have us used it??? What can you tell me from personal experience??? Thank you! Sonda in Ks.

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), September 08, 2000.

Vicks vaporub may work temporarily, but do not get it in your nostril because camphor is toxic, and the mucous membranes are an avenue directly to the blood stream. I myself am still looking for solution to long-term sinus infection which just got horribly exacerbated by the flu. Salsa, chicken soup, hot mint tea, and tipping head back submerged to the nostril in hot tub all help, but haven't made it go away. When it's at its worst, the steriod sprays are the best. Spray a shot or two, then roll onto the top of your head (on a bed) so that the stuff can flow into the upper sinuses. Really works, for a while, but still not the final solution. And those sprays are very expensive.

-- Win Wright (win_wright@yahoo.com), January 03, 2001.

What color is his mucous? Is the external sinus area red and tender to the touch? Goldenseal is usually indicated for subacute upper respiratory infections, but if this is is becoming chronic I wouldn't use it. Goldenseal does not act as a systemic "antibiotic, "contrary to popular belief. Goldenseal can also be overly drying to the mucous membranes and further irritate them due to its astringent actions. You can try the tincture but it may not help if this is beyond the subacute stage. He may find some relief from steam inhalations with essential oils of Eucalyptus globulus and Citrus limon (Lemon). You can put a couple of drops of each in steaming water and have him inhale. Lemon will think mucous secretions. Definitely have him take Echinacea tincture, 1/4 tsp. every hour for the first day and then 1 tsp. 3-4 x day thereafter. Try cool or hot compresses to the sinus area (whatever feels best for him). Drink lots of fluids--water and herbal teas. Elderflower, Yarrow, and Mullein leaf tea may also be of benefit, about 3 cups daily. After this resolves, I would attempt to have him checked out by a craniosacral therapist to determine if there is a structural misalignment in the cranium that is causing infection to settle in his sinuses. This therapy is gentle and works. It cured my chronic sinus infections. You can find a massage therapist, physical therapist, or occupational therapist that is trained in this technique.

-- Amy (acook@in4web.com), January 04, 2001.

Ouch! Just realized this thread dates back to the summer! Oh well! Hope he is better by now :-)

-- amy (acook@in4web.com), January 04, 2001.

Regarding Sonda's concern about chemical reactions, specifically colloidal silver. I applied a creme containing colloidal silver onto my face and in minutes I had broken out in. Interestingly enough, I'm also allergic to silver earring posts. Something to think about.

-- Bettina (bettina@prn.com), January 04, 2001.

If you suffer from sinus infections you may want to have your Doctor check your sinuses for a fungal infection.

I remember reading an article not too long ago (maybe in Newsweek or U.S. News) that said Doctors are now finding that most sinus infections are caused by a fungal infection and that treating them with an anti-fungal medicine works quite well.

If I can find the article I'll post it here.

-- Jim Morris (prism@bevcomm.net), January 04, 2001.

I think it might be beneficial for some of you that take (or are thinking of taking) colloidal silver to read this: http://homepages.together.net/~rjstan/

I think it is important to investigate both sides of an alternative therapy before using it. There are many web sites that promote the use of CS, but you really have to be careful in analyzing their claims, since they are biased (i.e. trying to sell a product). Just looking out for some of you out there.

-- Teresa Byrne (teresam1@hotmail.com), April 17, 2001.

I am currently taking Augmentin(antibiotic) for my sinus infection and Ibuprofen for the headaches. My friend who is a excellent body therapist recommends Grape seed Extract Nasal Spray and eating plenty ripe mangoes. I will try and see what happens.

-- filemon aldana (faldan@itchawaii.com), June 21, 2001.