# sinusitis...how long does it last?



## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (19 Sep 2011)

i've been left with sinusitis after a cold, it's painful and doesn't seem to be improving. has anyone had it? how long do you reckon it'll be before i can get on the bike again? 

goodness me i've been ill a lot this year, probably related to my change of career and dealing with poorly people (student mental health nurse), uni did warn us we might pick more minor illnesses', it's really affected my yearly mileage (and waistline).

shaun

edit: just tried the salt water snorting procedure for 1/2 hour, it's painful but the amount of crap that comes out is impressive. hopefully i'll be able to sleep.


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## ThePainInSpain (19 Sep 2011)

A subject I became an expert on some time ago, although, touch wood, since moving to a warmer climate it's not affected me for a while.

There are a lot of proprietary medicines on the market, Sinutab I found was good.

One bout had been with me for a couple of weeks and was really affecting my sleeping, then a friend suggested Piriton. This dried it up overnight. The next morning great flakes of dried mucus kept falling from my nose, but at least it had cleared it.

I sympathise with you, I know it can be VERY painful.


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## buggi (19 Sep 2011)

yea i've had it too. i remember basically taking an overdose of sinutab or sudafed (can't remember which one) i was so frustrated. when the mucus decided to move... OUCH! But i felt much better after 

you can get much stronger sinutab or sudafed over the counter, rather than just buying it off the shelf. the stuff on the shelf is naff. and make sure you get decongestion tablets only. some are mixed with paracetomol which means there is much less decongestant in it. Just ask for the strongest stuff they have over the counter.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (19 Sep 2011)

i tried the salt water snorting last night, the good news is, it works, the mucus is on the move and the pressure is lessening. it's free as well....bonus.


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## Fiona N (19 Sep 2011)

There is some evidence to suggest that cycling (an upright rather than a recumbent, i should think) helps free the sinuses. And it's a general rule not to cycle with infection 'below the neck' i.e. chest infections, so you're OK with sinusitis


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## Dayvo (19 Sep 2011)

I've had trouble with my sinuses all my life and have learned how to live with it.

Sometimes, however, they becomes very congested and extremely painful, leading to nasty headaches.

I bought this in Sweden a few years ago and found it to be a great help:


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88RUnc8AQFc


Warm water with a dose of salt is excellent, and for greater relief, when really suffering, I use a drop or two of Olbas oil.


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## tyred (19 Sep 2011)

Fiona N said:


> There is some evidence to suggest that cycling (an upright rather than a recumbent, i should think) helps free the sinuses. And it's a general rule not to cycle with infection 'below the neck' i.e. chest infections, so you're OK with sinusitis



Strange because riding an upright in cold weather is the only time I do be bothered with my sinuses.


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## andyh (20 Sep 2011)

hi, i had mine for around 3 month's

it got so bad in the end i was having migranes and being sick every day and the doc put me on strong pain killers after about aweek the migranes

went and the doc gave me some more antibiotics and it clear'd it up.

andy


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## Fiona N (21 Sep 2011)

tyred said:


> Strange because riding an upright in cold weather is the only time I do be bothered with my sinuses.



I did say some evidence 
But it depends what the problem is - it's thought that if it's inflamed / blocked sinuses due to an infection, stimulation of the mucous membranes to produce runny mucous may mean that the infection can be 'washed off' more quickly by the runny nose syndrome known to cyclists. If you've not got a cold but the cold air is having the effect of contracting restricted passageways, then you'll get the opposite effect.

When you ride a recumbent, it seems that the right-way-up position results in a much less runny nose  but if you've got blocked sinuses this isn't necessarily a good thing - a chest infection is similarly 'worse' on a recumbent in my experience


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## Arsen Gere (21 Sep 2011)

If it's sinusitis and it's producing yellow snot it's probably a bacterial infection that may need antibiotics from the docs.

The runny nose when riding a bike is very common, exercise induced rhinitis , if I remember correctly and nothing to worry about but it clears out your nose.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (21 Sep 2011)

Arsen Gere said:


> If it's sinusitis and it's producing yellow snot it's probably a bacterial infection that may need antibiotics from the docs.
> 
> The runny nose when riding a bike is very common, exercise induced rhinitis , if I remember correctly and nothing to worry about but it clears out your nose.



cleaned out my sinus' using the snorting method. and took some sudafed, seems to be working as all the hardened mucus is coming out like torn up bits of cardboard......gross.


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## Tomba (21 Sep 2011)

bromptonfb said:


> cleaned out my sinus' using the snorting method. and took some sudafed, seems to be working as all the hardened mucus is coming out like torn up bits of cardboard......gross.



Dont know if you should be snorting the solution or is that just a way of describing it?

I've get problems with my sinuses and use a nasal irrigation solution. Its salt and bicarbonate of soda (pharmaceutical grade). Basically one teaspoon of salt and half of bicarb in 500ml of water. Some people need a larger/smaller mix in the solution as it can feel sore.
It then gets put in a bottle and squirted up one nostril and out the other.

I use one of these bottles http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php


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## Andrew_P (22 Sep 2011)

I have had dry sore sinus since April and cannot find any relief, it is so frustrating. Anyy releif I do get is on the bike with the excercise gnerating a runny nose. To say it is driving me mad is an understatement!


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## vickster (22 Sep 2011)

Have you seen a doctor? ENT referral may be in order. I used to have constant nasal issues, including infections...I had my septum fixed surgically in 1997, way better since. 

I did have a sinus infection about 18 months ago, saw doc and got antibiotics to clear it quickly as I was scheduled for a knee op a week later and the anaesthetists like you to be able to breathe!


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## pig on a bike (29 Sep 2011)

Go to your GP for some antibiotics it will be gone in a week that is whot i did last feb ps a pal of mine got siner tab once with stimulates your heart he was ok but did have to go to hospital felt like he was flouting and had some chest pain


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (29 Sep 2011)

the snorting worked great, got the mucus moving. sinutab helped as well. the green dry mucus is gross and still coming out, tastes weird as well.


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## vickster (30 Sep 2011)

If it tastes nasty and is green, you probably have an infection - is it only dry or wet, thick and sticky too ...go to the doctor as it has been going on a while...don't want the acute condition to become chronic 

Good luck


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (30 Sep 2011)

i'm alright now, but thanks. i like to stay away from anti-biotics unless i'm pretty much dying.


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## Andrew_P (30 Sep 2011)

Well my Doc gave me allergy pills and a steriod spray on the basis that my nose is not gunky and that when it does run when on the bike it is clear = no infection.

4 days in and it has made it a lot worse and even more pain, and cannot get an appointment until wait for it next Friday!


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