Tricks to get over a cold/illness quicker?

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Do you know how I know it's fall? I have my semi-annual sinus infection!

Nasty yellow stuff! Can't sleep at night.


Are there any ways to speed up the recovery? I try not to see the doc for mild cases like this, and it usually clears out in 10 days.
 
I can handle a sinus infection until my head starts pounding and it sounds like someone is pounding inside my ears. Then it's off to the MD for a shot.
 
Home made from scratch chicken noodle soup. Boil a whole chicken and use that broth as a base, break down the chicken, make some noodles by hand, add some other ingredients and wha-la! Always helps me feel better.

I get sinus infections 2 times a year too, it stinks. Worst part for me is it moves to my ears so I usually have to resort to some augmentin or a z-pack and sudafed. The real sudafed works wonders and is worth the price.
 
All I've found that ever works for me is a good deal of rest. That seems to keep the symptoms livable, too. If I work myself ragged, I suffer and feel like I'm at death's door. If I get a whack of rest, a lot of sleep, then when I do have to do something, I feel decent enough to accomplish something.
 
Originally Posted By: volk06
Home made from scratch chicken noodle soup. Boil a whole chicken and use that broth as a base, break down the chicken, make some noodles by hand, add some other ingredients and wha-la! Always helps me feel better.

I get sinus infections 2 times a year too, it stinks. Worst part for me is it moves to my ears so I usually have to resort to some augmentin or a z-pack and sudafed. The real sudafed works wonders and is worth the price.


I've gotten to the point where I can tell an infection is coming on a few days in advance, so I did grab some sudafed this time. It works OK, but at the current stage of infection it's like the front of the nose is clear, but the back sinuses are congested and goopy.

Funny you mention the z-pack.. I remember when those were the standard prescribed antibiotic but the doctors in this area switched to generic amoxicillin for almost everything.
 
Heat up some water until boiling. Place water in cup and drop 3 drops of oregano , peppermint, lemon and melaleuca oil in there and breathe in the vapors. Gotta use the good essential oils. not walmart or grocery store stuff.
 
My great old German Doctor told me years ago to mix just a little salt in some warm water and cup it in your hand and snort it up your nose one side at a time as soon as you feel a cold coming on. It works some people don't like to do this but I've been doing it for 30 years now and for me its the cure.
 
A sinus infection requires antibiotics. I've been getting them all my life. They always give me amoxicillin. I'll start feeling better within 10 minutes of taking the first pill.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I find exercise to help honestly. A good sweat.


Me too - jump on my pushbike (bicycle) or go for a good walk. Clears the head and stops the nose dripping.
 
What works for me (if you can handle it), I eat something very spicy. Not everyone can handle spicy food and I realize that. If you can handle spicy food, it will have your sinuses draining in just a minute or two. Getting your sinuses to drain will give you relief very quickly. I usually try to eat something spicy that also has raw onions (vitamin C) and lemon or lime juice in it. Always works for me, and I get them bad from time to time. Usually triggered by allergies.
 
Is it viral? Supportive care; rest and whatever OTC meds help you feel better. Pseudoephedrine if you’re congested and something to help you sleep if you can’t otherwise. Make sure you’re eating and drinking.

Bacterial infections can be aided with antibiotics.

A visit to your physician may be in order if the ailment is interfering with your ability to eat or sleep, or you’re out of work for more than two days.
 
Neti Pot! I started using this last year and it will help clear all that gunk out. Drink LOTS of clear fluids as well. If it doesn't clear up you may need some Augmentin.
 
Sinuses ?

hmmmmm, what I'm about to suggest works for me...but be careful with it...my RHS causes (maybe caused, it's been good a few years now). If I get dumped by a wave, within a couple of hours of getting out of the water, it will drain what feels like a cup of seawater...probably only teaspoons.

One spring we were at a campground, and my sinus was pounding, up into the cavities in my forehead, and I would do anything. Hot compresses did nothing. Moribundman told me at one stage that there was a capsicain based sinus spray in the states.

So I took a pinch of cayenne, and snorted it up each nostril...felt like the back of my head had been blown off, but within seconds, raining mucous, and within 10 minutes absolute relief.

Be careful.

Other technique is similar to a Netti pot, but I use a squeeze sauce bottle instead.

quart of boiled water (don't want brain eating bugs in there)
2 teaspoons himalayan salt
2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda, not washing soda)
3-4 drops of baby shampoo (surfactant, a doctor told me to add it to netti pot to help remove stuff)
10 drops tea tree oil
10 drops betadeine.
1 teaspoon xylitol

Fill the sauce bottle, stand in the shower, tilt your head like using a Netti and spray away. Block one nostril while there's still a lot of this stuff in there, and blow hard through the clear nostril...do the other side.

Remember, you are getting this from an engineer...I'm not qualified for medical advice.
 
Besides the obvious good health habits, a very beneficial practice to shorten a sinus infection is saline irrigation. You can google it and see the process. It will shorten the course and possibly help avoid a clinic visit. This is what oldhp meant above about neti pot. You can improvise a simple irrigator, though.

Tenting over steam (towel over head) can achieve the same. Medicinal drops like Olbas in the water can boost it.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Fireball whiskey.

I find exercise to help honestly. A good sweat.
Yagermeister or Rock & Rye Slow & Low, or Horehound drops. +1 on the spicy food too. I hate the taste of Yager but it will make you sweat it out and feel much better.
 
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every single pharmarcy and even superstores like target and costco will have a standard neilmed kit in the cold/flu area, which is basically saline solution packets but with a plastic squeeze bottle. Neilmed has all the #1 recommended by physicians tag on it and is cheap.
If you're really suffering, you don't have time to mess around to re-invent the wheel just go and buy what you need.

Why is everyone saying netipot instead of neilmed, when that's more kludgey in technique. I think the only reason why netipot gets more buzz is because the videos of people using it look goofier so they go viral.
But realistically, since the invention of squeezable plastic, there's no need to turn your head sideways in order to get water into your nostril.

(P.S. Neilmed also makes a pot version, for those that do prefer being goofier, or I suppose don't like squirting liquid).
 
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