What Is The Best Cold Medicine To Use
The best cold medicine to use will vary depending on the symptoms someone has. For example, someone who has a cold and cough may need to take a cough suppressant, whereas someone with a cold and stuffy nose might need to take a decongestant. Taking a decongestant when you dont have a stuffy nose probably isnt going to help you if youre searching for relief from a sore throat.
Finding the best cold medicine depends on which cold symptoms you want the most relief fromfind a medication that treats those symptoms. Some treatments even provide multi-symptom relief and would say so on the label.
If youre still unsure about which cold medicine to choose, you can always ask your healthcare provider, including your pharmacist, for advice. Its also a good idea to ask your doctor or pharmacist if taking cold medicine will interfere with your prescription medications, as drug-drug interactions can cause unwanted side effects.
Yawning To Ease Ear Pressure And Pain
If you can induce a yawn, this might help you relieve pressure in your ear. Yawning helps air flow out from the middle ear to the throat. Consequently, this lessens the ear from stress. Indeed, one of the best methods on how to relieve ear pressure from sinus infection.
Chewing Gum
Like yawning, chewing gum might help release pressure from the middle ear through the throat. In addition, the movement of the jaw while chewing should help air escape and relieve your ears from pressurereducing ear pressure and pain.
Swallowing with Closed Nose
Another technique on how to relieve ear pressure from sinuses is by swallowing with a closed nose. People can restore normal ear pressure by simply holding their nose closed and then swallowing. The effect is like the Valsalva maneuver but done more gently.
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What Treatment Options Are Available For A Cough Caused By Sinus Drainage
The treatment your doctor gives you will depend on what causes the post-nasal drip, and can include different medical advice as well as various solutions:1,4
- antibiotics, if the cause is a bacterial infection.
- antihistamines, decongestants and other medicines, where appropriate.
- avoiding the source of any allergies that may be causing post-nasal drip.
- elevating the head during sleep and changing eating habits, if you have GERD.
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How To Tell If You Have An Actual Sinus Infection
Even though we often say we have a sinus infection even if its just inflammation or an allergic response, there are symptoms of an actual infection that may be treatable with antibiotics. Nasal congestion and pain under the eyes or around the temples are, of course, main symptoms, but others include the loss of the sense of smell, green nasal discharge, mucus dripping down your throat, cough, fever, fatigue, sore throat, and even bad breath.
Sometimes, a sinus infection will clear up without intervention, but if you develop a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, have your symptoms for 10 or more days, notice that your symptoms are getting worse and are not improved by OTC medications, or you have multiple infections in a years time, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
How Can I Avoid Future Sinus Infections
Once youve had a nasty sinus infection, you wont want to relive the experience. To help prevent them from occurring again, get your annual flu shot and steer clear of people with colds or the flu. Use your humidifier. Live as healthfully as you can get sufficient sleep, reduce stress and eat a wholesome diet with plenty of whole grains, lean proteins and fruits and vegetables. Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke and if you do smoke, take steps to quit. Last, but not least, always wash your hands.
Ultimately, sinusitis is a painful and revolting nuisance. But approaching them with these smart strategies could save you a world of hurt.
This content originally appeared on Sharecare.com.
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Dont Fly If You Can Avoid It
If you do it when youâve got sinusitis, you raise your chances of ear pain and other complications. But if you really need to take a flight, yawn and swallow when the plane is on the way up after takeoff or heads back down before landing. That will help keep the tubes from your throat to your ears clear. You can also try this: pinch your nostrils, close your mouth, and gently blow your nose.
Other Ways To Treat Sinus Infections
While compresses are easy to use and pretty accessible, they only provide temporary relief. If you want to relieve your sinus headache once and for all, you need to go to the root of the problem and treat your sinus infection. Here are some tips to relieve or prevent sinus infections:
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Know When Its Time To Head To The Doctors Office
Although nasal congestion will generally subside on its own, congestion that lasts for more than 7 to 10 days calls for a visit to the doctor, says Stringer. A viral infection usually goes away on its own within a week or so, but an infection that lasts longer is often bacterial and may require an antibiotic, he says. If you experience other symptoms, such as a high fever, one-sided nose bleeds, wheezing or shortness of breath, or persistent facial or tooth pain, see a doctor right away.
Tips To Help You Get Relief From Your Head Cold
Oh, your aching head! If youâre suffering from unbearable nasal congestion and headache, you probably have a head cold. The reason youâre so stuffed up? When you have a head cold, the membranes lining your nasal passages become swollen and produce excess mucus to flush out whatever is causing the irritation, whether itâs a virus or an allergen. You might experience pain in your forehead, under your eyes or in your upper teeth.
The key to getting rid of a head cold is to reduce sinus swelling and help mucus drain from your sinuses. Although it might seem counterintuitive, keeping your nasal passages moist is the best way to clear out congestionâdry sinuses will only result in further irritation.
Try these simple tips to clear up a head cold and help relieve headache and sinus pressure.
Since breathing in dry air will dry out your sinuses, itâs best to add moisture back into your environment by using a cool-mist humidifier or steam vaporizer. You can also try breathing in steam from a hot shower. Doing so can help soothe the irritated membranes lining your nasal passages.
A great way to ease a headache and sinus pressure is to place a warm compress on your forehead and nose. If you donât have a compress, try moistening a washcloth with warm water and applying it to your face several times a day. This will help relieve nasal congestion and relieve your head cold symptoms.
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What Can I Do
While you wait for your infection to run its course, you can take steps at home to feel better.
Look into nasal sprays. Store-bought saline nasal spray loosens up mucus, temporarily clearing it from your nasal passages. A steroid nasal spray like fluticasone may help tame inflammation, especially if you have underlying allergies. Unsure about using a steroid? Follow package directions and go to your HCP with questions.
Be wary of decongestant nasal sprays, like oxymetazoline . Using them for longer than three days could cause rebound symptoms persistent stuffiness eased only by the spray itself. Dryness and addiction are also possibilities.
Embrace sinus rinses like the neti pot. Many sinus infection veterans swear by nasal irrigation systems, such as plastic squeeze bottles or teakettle-shaped neti pots. These devices are filled with a sterile saline solution and used to flush snot from your sinuses.
Neti pots and their ilk are widely available and typically safe, as long as you handle them properly. Dont use water directly from your tap. Instead use distilled water, a sterile saline solution or water that has been boiled and then cooled.
Try over-the-counter medicines. Experts recommend analgesics including acetaminophen , ibuprofen and aspirin to ease pain, as well as decongestants like pseudoephedrine to alleviate the pressure of congestion.
Finally, you may want to avoid flying or scuba diving, since either can aggravate sinus pain.
Can You Use Both Cold And Warm Compress
When it comes to treating sinus headaches and relieving congestion, you dont really need to choose between cold and warm compress. In fact, its better to use both alternately.
Alternating between hot and cold compresses is known as contrast therapy, which has numerous benefits for physical therapy. For sinus pain, this treatment can relieve a lot of the pain youre experiencing and should be done repeatedly in a day.
Heres how to do it:
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Advil Cold & Sinus Interactions:
Hypertensive crisis with MAOIs. -blockers may increase the pressor effects of sympathomimetics. Caution with diuretics. Avoid aspirin, pseudoephedrine-containing products, other pain relievers or nasal decongestants. Increased risk of GI bleed with anticoagulants, corticosteroids, other OTC or Rx NSAIDs, 3 alcoholic drinks/day, or prolonged use.
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Coricidin Decongestant Free Cold And Flu
Patients with heart problems such as atrial fibrillation or hypertension should avoid medications containing decongestants, which often have a label ending in -D,. Dr. Moreno adds that typically, these medicines include pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine which may cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. If you do have any cardiac problems, you should certainly see your physician before using any over-the-counter medicines. However, they are likely to prescribe Coricidin Decongestant-Free Cold and Flu, the flu and cold medicine designed especially for individuals with these kinds of prior problems. It depends on chlorpheniramine and acetaminophen to treat symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, headache, fever, and body pains and aches.
There are many efficient cold and flu medicines available in the market, which makes selecting a top choice though. Mucinex, on the other hand, wins the top spot owing to overwhelming consumer ratings and pharmacist endorsements as to the most effective and non-drowsy flu and cold medicine. Mucinex products are distinguished by their active component guaifenesin, responsible for thinning the mucus and efficiently relieves chest congestion.
Things to Look for in a Good Cold Medicine
There is no such thing as universal cold medicine. Before selecting a medicine, there are several things to consider.
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Avoid Sinus Pain Triggers
“One of the most important things to avoid is over-the-counter nasal decongestant sprays. They may give some fast relief, but after a few days they make sinus pressure and nasal congestion much worse,” warns Das. Some other things you can do to prevent sinus pain include avoiding alcohol, which can aggravate sinus pain and congestion cleaning your humidifier to avoid fungal allergies washing your bedding in hot water to decrease allergy exposure and avoiding swimming, diving, or flying when you have sinusitis, a common cold, or nasal allergy.
If Allergy Medicine Doesnt Work Is It A Cold
If prescribed or recommended medicine isnt working, there may be a few explanations.
- Allergy medicine will not treat a cold . So, if youve started taking allergy medication without a proper diagnosis, you may just have a cold
- If youve had a professional diagnosis, it could be that you need to try another medicine13. If this is the case, speak to your doctor and they may suggest immunotherapy or another treatment
Also, make sure youre using allergy medications correctly such as pointing nasal sprays the right way and following the directions on any packaging. You could have your local pharmacist help with drug administration if you are unsure how to use a product.
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Sinus Headache Medicine In A Pinch
The best sinus headache medicine is of course plenty of fluids and a bit of TLC. There are many treatments that will help ease your pain naturally however, if you need some instant relief, you should consider over-the-counter medication.
That being said, if you are taking these medications regularly for ten days in a row, you should consult your physician to find a more permanent solution.
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How Sinus Massage Helps
Massaging the sinuses is thought to help sinus pain and congestion by relieving pressure and helping the sinus drain out mucus. The gentle pressure and warmth from the hands may also help by increasing blood circulation to the area.
However, not a lot of research has been done on sinus massage. A few smaller studies show promising results, but more research is needed.
In one recent study, facial massage therapy significantly reduced the severity of sinus headaches in 35 women. In another study in male athletes with chronic sinusitis, facial therapeutic massage was shown to significantly reduce facial congestion and facial tenderness compared to the control group who didnt receive a massage.
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What Are The Drug Interactions For Allergy Medications
Antihistamines may interact with:
Other drugs that cause drowsiness, such as sleeping medications, narcoticpain medications, sedatives, muscle relaxants, antidepressants and seizure medications.
Drugs with anticholinergic activity such as amitryptiline and other tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics like chlorpromazine, certain drugs to prevent vomiting (prochlorperazine and promethazine.
Corticosteroids may interact with:
Drugs affecting metabolism of corticosteroids, such as ketoconazole and ritonavir .
Leukotriene inhibitors may interact with:
Drugs that stimulate liver metabolism, such as phenytoinphenobarbital, and carbamazepine as well as the antibioticRifampin.
Oral decongestants may interact with:
Antidepressants, other cold or allergy medications, drugs used to treat migraines and high blood pressure.
Topical immunomodulators may interact with:
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Stuffiness Ear Discomfort And Sinus Pain
Get moisture. Use a nasal saline spray several times a day, or hold a warm, moist washcloth to your face. This can ease the pressure and pain.
Humidifiers will also help keep your sinuses from drying out. Or you can sit in the bathroom with a hot shower running for 15 minutes to curb pain.
Check the medicine cabinet. Try an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen, to ease an earache or pain from sinus pressure.
Try a . Over-the-counter tablets or nasal sprays can ease sinus blockage which in turn can relieve clogged ears. But dont use nasal decongestant sprays for more than 3 days, or you will rebound⦠meaning the more you use it the more you need it because youâre congested.
Avoid extreme temperatures. They can make sinus-related ear problems worse. If your ears bother you, it isnât the time to go jogging on a hot day or build a snow fort with the kids.
Keep your head up. If you bend forward with your head down, it can make the pressure worse. Youâll want to skip yoga class until the sinus problem is over.
Blow your nose gently. Block one nostril while you blow through the other.
Drink plenty of fluids. Down lots of water in the evening. When you stay hydrated, it keeps nasal mucus thin. That helps it drain and means less nighttime stuffiness.
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Xyzal Allergy Pills 24
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- Maximum strength relief: xyzal is full prescription strength available without a prescription.
Causes Of Sinus Trouble
Your sinus trouble can be caused by a number of things, including sinusitis and rhinitis.
Sinusitis is an infection that causes inflammation and swelling of your sinuses. The Infectious Diseases Society of America states that 90-98 percent of sinusitis cases are caused by viruses, which cant be treated with antibiotics. Sinus infections are one of the leading reasons antibiotics are prescribed, but theyre only effective in treating 2 to 10 percent of these infections.
Chronic sinusitis is an inflammatory condition that normally lasts more than three months. Nasal polyps, which are noncancerous growths, often accompany chronic sinusitis.
If you have allergic rhinitis, your immune system triggers the release of histamines that irritate your nasal membranes. This leads to congestion and sneezing. Allergic rhinitis can lead to sinusitis.
Its time to see your doctor if you experience:
- symptoms that last longer than 10 days
- a fever of 102°F or higher
- symptoms that get worse, including a spike in your fever or increased greenish nasal discharge
- changes in vision
You should also see a doctor if you have asthma or emphysema or you take medications that suppress your immune system.
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