Semi-OT: Sinus infections/Allergies/exercise

[ghammer]

I suffer from the *exact* same ailments. Every damn Spring and Fall I get a sinus thing, but this year I sort of cracked the code.

Context: I did not grow up here (am from S. America), so local plants, when they bloom, bloom all at once - as opposed to somewhere where's generally warm so plants keep blooming at diff parts of the year non stop. So Spring is generally lethal for me, Fall is less so. I also suffer from allergies from local stuff that my system hasn't quite figured out how to handle. One trick I learned is to have a nose spray of sorts (rhinacort, etc) when needed, zyrtec early in the am and later in the day to keep respiratory ways dry, and an inhaler handy if you need to. The thing for chronic allergy sufferers is that constant inflammation makes you that much more vulnerable to getting sick, be it sinus, cold, or as is always the case, both. Once I got this rhythm down, my sinus issues have *greatly* improved. This Spring I had a horrific sinus infection, but this fall it came but never materialized into its gorier version. Lucky me. I also had to change some of my diet too. As I age things don't process the same, and I had to put the brakes on a variety of hoppy beers (major bummer) and some types of weed. Wine, if I have a hint of sinus, will almost completely poison me.

To sum up:

* keep your airways dry and as free of inflammation as possible
* avoid overly hoppy beers, wine and some types of THC if you feel a sinus episode is coming
* zyrtec in the am and pm, and nose spray and inhaler handy when/if you need them

Hope it helps.

[HenryA]

Originally Posted by Ozz

Sinus rinse....been doing last couple years and have avoided my previously annual sinus infection.

Rinse the crap out with saline and let you body fight what is left....

YMMV....

+1000!!

The first sentences from the OP sound like my life the last few years. I’m the guy who doesn’t go to the doc until I’m near death's door. This was kicking my ass. Multiple sinus infections, pneumonia, etc. Went to allergy clinic for testing and no allergies showed up. A $600 bill did show up after insurance refused payment, but fortunately they finally relented after I paid it.

The sinus rinse is the most basic thing you can do and so far its been working for me. At least I’ve not had to visit the doctor for it this year. If I get through the winter I’ll be pleased.

As far as hard exercise, I find that it helps me to get hot and blow the crap out of my head unless I waited too long to treat it and got really sick.