peterws

I guess I just got to that age; many suffer from this, and associated chronic rhinitis symptoms, Mine descended on me seriously last March and has been relentless ever since. An unwanted friend! Antihistamines in great quantity aren't wholly beneficial, and it's a path I'd rather not go down for ever.
Blocked nose means swallowing is below par, sleeping, breathing, the lot; it's always worse late afternoon and night.
On my bike or exercising generally, things are good, like I haven't a problem. It's when I put my feet up, usually inside. Central heating may be a factor, but I'm thinking maybe I have a sluggish sytem. . . .and that is the underlying cause. The medics haven't been much use.
Maybe I need to live in a desert . . . .any suggestions?

berner

There is all sorts of stuff (pollutants) in the air. Why stuffiness should appear now; maybe the body reaches a point of saturation. I would get hepa air filter. They are not too expensive.

tombakerim

Try a solution of boiled water and sea salt. To prepare it, one teaspoon of sea salt should be dissolved in a glass of warm boiled water.

BobbyG

If you are a coffee drinker, you may want to try Yerba Mate tea.

I started drinking it two years ago as an alternative to the acidity of coffee. Turns out, in many people it acts as an anti-inflammatory and an anti-histamine. And I am one of those lucky people!

Here is my BF entry on it... https://www.bikeforums.net/pills-ill...erba-mate.html

Carbonfiberboy 

Nasacort. It's a glucocoriticoid, very low dose, not an antihistamine. Been using it for years. Over the counter.

canklecat

Same. Nothing works better for me than Sudafed -- the real pseudoephedrine, not the phenylephrine crap that's only useful in hemorrhoid creams. Gotta show ID and sign for it at the pharmacy to buy Sudafed and they limit quantities per purchase.

The problem is Sudafed is a stimulant, about like coffee, and can interfere with sleep. And it messes with my resting heart rate so the usual sports stuff about training to heart rate doesn't really work for me.

I've tried everything else. I mean everything, from nasal sprays to saline nasal washes (gets trapped in my sinuses and makes the pain worse) to prednisone to diclofenac to bromelain and yerba mate. Nothing works as well as Sudafed.

Some stuff occasionally helps. A massive dose of niacin (at least 500 mg, up to 2,000 mg a day) causes capillary flushing that can loosen up thick mucous. But it doesn't work every time. Seems to work better on an empty stomach. When I can feel the stinging sensation and my skin reddens, that's when it'll also help with congestion.

I take Zyrtec most days but it's only for itching, watery eyes, etc. Does nothing for congestion.

Sometimes I wake up with such severe sinus headaches I'm dizzy and nauseated from the congestion and pain. I've had MRIs and CT scans. Neurologists differ on diagnoses. Some say it's migraines, some say it's cluster headaches, another says it's trigeminal neuralgia from sinus pressure on the nerves. Another theorized my neck injury (hit by a car several years ago) and damaged C1 and C2 put pressure on nerves that causes my occasional BP and HR spikes, sinus congestion, headaches, etc. But good luck getting a primary care doc, otolaryngologist, ortho docs and neurologists to agree on anything. The approach is so haphazard I've given up on doctors for this particular problem.

But it hits me almost every damned morning. First thing I do is grab a cold gel pack from the fridge and put it on my face for several minutes. Then coffee. I have prescription pain meds but try to avoid them since they make me drowsy and sluggish. Mostly I use CBD now, but it's only moderately effective on severe headaches.

If I feel well enough to go for a bike ride on a cool day the exercise and cool temperature -- between the high 40s and 60s -- will help the sinuses drain. When it happens there's a ridiculous amount of mucous. So much that I only ride solo on those days. It's just too gross for group rides, even if I'm at the back the whole ride.

But by nighttime it's back again. And location and environment don't matter. I've tried sleeping in different places. No help. Even spending a couple of nights in a hospital for throat surgery didn't help with the sinus congestion and pain. Elevating my head can help a little but it's hard to sleep soundly that way.

peterws

OOOH Cancklecat . . . .was just wondering if it could get any worse; you answered before I ever asked . . . .truth is, I didn't dare; I can now but empathise. There has to be a solution out there to put a stop to this apart from arsenic. And here's me thinking maybe a couple o' backflips and a few "Hail Mary"s would suffice . .
But the Bike! It demands my undying allegiance, nay, total dedication 24/7. And this is what we're all here for; to pay homage to a metal/rubber/carbon fibre benefactor who gives us health . . .
But only whilst we ride the damn thing!
Pseudoephedrine (60mg) if I'm out of the saddle! Thanks guys. I'm sending for some Yerba tablets too.

BobbyG

Pseudoephedrine is the only thing that works for me after my sinuses become swolen and irritated. Zyrtec (cetirizine) or the generic equivalent work well and don't cause drowsiness 80% of the time. Ibuprofen takes care of the pain of nasal/sinus congetion.

Since drinking Yerba Mate two years ago, my sinus attacks have gone from 6 or 8 a year to two last year, and one this year.

Just as a side note...Some anti-hystamines can trigger depression in some people. Prior to the advent of Zyrtec, I found Chlor-Tymetron (chlorpheniramine) the most effective for me, however after the second dose I felt real, psychological depression...i.e. unexplained sadness. I suppose if one recognizes it and expects it it isn't so bad, but for some it may trigger real mental issues. I don't have that issue with benadryl, but then benadryl absolutely puts me to sleep.

And while Zyrtec usually doesn't make me sleepy, on those 1 out of five times it does, there is also the feeling of depression.

But as I said above, a cup of Yerba Mate 2-4 rimes a day has practically obviated sinus issues for me. So I have only taken anti-hystamines three times in the last two years.

Phoenix800

I spent probably forty years with sinus congestion. I simply could not breathe through my nose. I had septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery twice in attempt to get some air to pass and breathe like a normal. Both surgeries failed. Summer was torture as the sinus pressure caused discomfort, headache pain, and tooth ache pain.

Today I can breathe through my nose just fine. What changed?

I had a number of other issues including migraine headaches, receding gums, high ocular pressure, and dry skin. A few years of searching the internet made me believe that the amalgam fillings in my teeth might be the cause of my health issues.

I asked my dentist about replacing my amalgam fillings with composites. Since the amalgams were getting old, he had no problem doing this. So I set up four appointments, one for each quadrant, lower left, lower right, upper right, and upper left, in that order. Both lower quadrants were completed with no issues and no changes in my symptoms.

On the day that my upper right amalgams were replaced with composite filings my right sinus cavity spontaneously opened up and I could breathe through my right nostril! This happened before the anesthetic wore off. The ability to breath through my nose, even if on just one side, was simply an incredible feeling.

I was excited to go to my next appointment and have my upper left quadrant fillings replaced. I was convinced that, finally, I’d be able to breathe through my left nostril too. But after the dentist was done, my left sinuses were still stuffed up. I was disappointed beyond belief.

A few days later I figured I’d check out the dentist’s work so I got a cheap dental mirror at the drug store. Incredibly, the dentist had left a small amalgam filling in one of my teeth! I called immediately to make an appointment to have it replaced.

At the dentist, he said that he left the amalgam in because it was fairly new and in good shape but that he’d be happy to replace it. A little while later as I drove home, my left sinus cavity opened up and I could finally breath through my nose! Having been stuffed up for as long as I could remember (I was 48 at the time) this was a near miracle.

peterws

Well, I received my Yerba Mate and await the arrival of a coffee squeezer to utilise it.
Meanwhile, I've found a surefire cure of my own! You may or may not like it.
Work!
Hard physical or mental . . . .I just tried it, so I know . . . .and when I stop, like a faithful old dog, it returns!

canklecat

Every time I think I've found *the cure* for chronic sinus problems... I ain't found it. There's always some variable that complicates matters.

Tuesday my head was so congested I was dizzy every time I stood up. So I decided against any outdoor bike riding. Nothing seemed to help -- Sudafed, coffee, niacin, nasal spray decongestant or anti-inflammatory.

It had been awhile since I'd taken diclofenac twice daily as prescribed. It's a prescription NSAID, small pills, much more convenient and effective than ibuprofen. But as I'm trying to improve my fitness I've experimented with theories that claim anti-inflammatories, anti-oxidants and analgesics may hinder our physical adaptation to harder exercise.

But I didn't want to have to return to the urgent care clinic for a shot of Prednisone and the usual 5-day oral pill routine. So I resumed taking the diclofenac, which might help with sinus inflammation as well.

By yesterday evening I was feeling a little better.

But I'm not ready to attribute that to the diclofenac. We also had a significant weather change with a sharp drop in barometric pressure. My sinus congestion was worst during that time. And the relief from sinus pressure coincided with the barometric pressure returning to normal. I've experienced this pattern for years. It's among the very few consistent factors related to my bouts with sinus pain and joint aches.

Now, if I visit an alternative health site and check my symptoms, they'll suggest cutting out gluten, FODMAPs, etc., and switching to a "paleo" diet (which has no real definition, as diets varied tremendously around the world among primitive humans -- basically, we survived by eating whatever was available and either adapted or died). Or using essential oils. Or eliminating "fragrances" from laundry detergents (what do they think essential oils are?) Or somethingsomethingsomething goitrogenic.

Been there, done that, tried it all. Didn't help.

The only consistent factor appears to be the weather and seasonal influxes of allergens. About which I can do absolutely nothing.

peterws

Sorry to have to say . . diclofenac is banned now in the good ole UK. My wife was prescribed that years ago; her quack reiterated the mantra "quality before quantity!" referring to life. She acquired a BP of 210 (I'd joined a gym, and wanted to check myself out with an Omron monitor) which scared her . . .the doc took her off those tablets and put her on statins instead.
FWIW I've been popping many and varied antihists, and if anything, my legs are going round faster than ever. I need to move into the gym; it's my happy place. Permanantly!

u235

Oddly a long hard bike ride greater than an hour or cardio exercise with a decent HR clears up my sinus and any chest congestion almost every time unless it is really cold. Once the snot rockets start and stuff coughs up I know its working. If the original unknown triggers are still around it comes back about 12 hours later.

canklecat

Same with me, u235 -- after about 30 minutes on a bike ride, especially in cool and humid weather (not cold and dry), my sinuses drain like crazy. So much that I avoid group rides on those occasions because the amount of mucus coming out of my head is ridiculous. And sometimes an indoor trainer session will loosen up the sinuses.

But as you described, the problem always returns. And it doesn't seem to be related to my immediate environment, indoors or out. I've had the same problems during hospital stays as at home. And while hospitals aren't necessarily the cleanest places (I've worked in hospitals and some messes can be horrifying to outsiders), they do tend to be reasonably free of dust and accumulations of common allergens, due to the relative lack of fabric surfaces that trap dust and pollen, and daily housekeeping.

pdlamb

Ditto for me. It's a double whammy when bronchitis or sinusitis keeps me off the bike. First I have to get well enough to ride the bike (which takes longer because of all the chest and head congestion), then it takes a few rides (can't push too hard because I've been off the bike) to clear all the gunk out. After the second or third day of riding? Heaven!

bikeme

I'm a chronic sinus sufferer, too. For stuffiness that turns into sinus pain/sinus head ache, it's Sudafed/Pseudoephedrine with two 320mg tylenols. I was using Flonase spray daily for years but I'm not sure if it really did anything. What I really like now is Neil Med's saline rinse kit. I got it at Costco and it's the gentlest, most effective saline rinse I've ever used. I like it because it's drug-free and natural. I use it as needed, up to to 3x a day if things are bad, sometimes 1x each day, some days not at all.

peterws

Well; I got my Yerpa Mate tea. Got the coffee plunger/presser. So I made myself a quick cuppa. Large heaped teaspoonful of the stuff into the receptacle; bit o' cold water to "stabilise" it; sweetener added, then almost-boiling water poured on, and I leaves it to stand for 10 minutes. And then squeeze it a couple of times, before pouring.
If anybody's considering this product, fwiw I find it excellent. A strong fragrant tasting Earl Grey, or something. Well pleased, I'll get more when this runs out. Even if it doesn't work!
My wife hates it . . . .

canklecat

Yerba mate has a flavor similar to chamomile or straw. Not really much flavor on its own, which is probably why so many canned and bottled yerba mate drinks are flavored with other stuff.

I enjoyed the flavor of the plain yerba mate, but I'd add sometimes a few drops of CBD too. The hempy flavor adds a bit of zing.

Can't say yerba mate was any better than coffee for my usual morning sinus headaches. But I suspect any combination of hot beverage with caffeine will help.

Nice thing about yerba mate is the same batch can be reused several times, just adding more hot water. Unlike some teas it doesn't develop a bitter or unpleasant flavor with reuse. Traditionally yerba mate fans considered the first batch to be too strong and "green". I don't really notice a big difference, but I'd like to experience a traditional yerba mate ceremony some day.

slowpacer

I've started drinking 2 glasses of kale juice/day with turnip, ginger and lemon in it and it has cleared up my sinuses significantly. This has been kind of an unintended consequence because the reason i started taking this juice was to lower my blood pressure, since the medications/exercise don't work as well for me, but this does. I just noticed a few days ago that my sinuses have not been as clogged as they have been for years and it is after starting this for a week. Another thing that helps is hot spicy foods.

peterws

Well, I been knocking back this Yerba Mate for some weeks now, and have received more. My congestion left me a few days ago, my smell's returning (have to use deodorant ha ha) and I just like drinking it. Sleeping much better at night and waking up feeling not tired . . . Gratitude, BobbyG!

Cyclist0108

Saline nasal spray.

Room humidifier at night.

Wasabi.

If it is a sinus infection, antibiotics (with a doctor's diagnosis).

BlazingPedals

I use Zyrtec to alleviate itchiness caused by various allergens. But it does absolutely nothing for my congestion. Have you tried the old-time home remedy, Vick's on your chest at night?

peterws

Yes. Didn't work. The nasal thing di but aftereffect was even greater congestion.

I have no congestion now. It's wonderful..Coronavirus has got me away from the Gym and back on my road bike. That, too is wonderful!

caloso

Sinus irrigation has been a big help for me. I use the squirt bottle rather than the neti pot. Do it in the shower each morning. Sinus Rinse Regular Kit

HeyItsSara

I heard this spring and summer that allergies will be worse due to mild winter