head colds

[paulz]

I'm suffereing with a head cold that seems to have spread into my sinuses. The worst bit is my ears, they feel blocked all the time the left one's been like this for a week now, feels like I've got cotton wool in my head. I've tried pinching my nostrils & blowing, yawning, steam inhalation all the proprietary chemist products nothing will unbung it, any ideas?

[froggequene]

Not very helpful but at this stage I would visit my doctor if I were you, especially if the cold has lasted more then a couple of days or alternatively speak to your pharmacist, they may be able to suggest something but I assume if you've tried everything then you've already spoken him/her

[shybearuk]

There seems to be a spate of this going around paulz. I'm exactly the same, but my left ear has now been like this for four weeks, and my right phases in and out. I'm to return to my doctor on Thurday week for an appointment at the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital, where, if I'm any judge, they'll be performing a myringotomy (cutting a hole in my eardrum to drain out the fluid), which is what I've been telling my doctor that they should have already done! Consider yourself lucky though. Mine had complications, and I had a week and a half of Bell's Palsy to contend with! Had no feeling and virtually no motor functions on the left side of my face. Apparently it COULD be something called Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, but I'm not convinced, although that's l;argely due to the fact that there's a 20% chance of it being permanent if it is. Oh, and one of my Ma's friends has just had his ears done for the same symptoms. The only thing that's I've found to make any difference is laying on my bed, with my head upside down over the edge. It's only a temporary thing, but it feels good to hear again, albeit for only seconds. Let us know what your doctor says when you go

[treaclefight]

not still stick in the office paulz? i think thats the problem, you need a few days off, our of the air conditioning and in the sunshine. i realise this isn't alot of help, but the sympathy is genuine :-)

[paulz]

Thanks for that mate, it's much appreciated. Spookily enough after today I've got 4 off so will be definately lizarding. Also a neighbour of mine has just finished putting a monster paddling pool together [it's about 4 foot deep and took 9� hours to fill - so a big old boy] and he's laying on a barbie [food, not the doll] to christen it. Only a few snags on horizon, daughter has same symptoms as me and as far as I know she's not working [or if she is, she's damn clever, sorry that wasn't meant to sound sarky] she's also got either a heat rash or German measles - thankfully not menigitus, and wife has cracked several ribs [no it wasn't me] Apart from that everrythings rosy!! Sympathy gratefully accepted XXX :+D))

[jorton]

Try pipecleaners.

[nykkieberry]

you need to see the doctor as you may have sinusitis. also try your local herbalist - there's some fab complementary medicine around to unblock passages!

[coemgen]

Try some echinacea and garlic tablets

[Janetex]

I sympathise with you - just having gone through a virus for a whole month. First sinuses & ears, throat, then even my eye! Salt gargles, saline solution nasal spray etc. Finally visited the doc who said to bathe the eye with salty water (whole new meaning to "go soak your head"). Hope you feel better soon, I know how wearing it is.

[d+dwidow]

a really good, but disgusting way of clearling your sinuses is by using a neti pot. it looks like a little plant watering can and you fill it with warm salt water and pour it through your nostrils - yeah gross i know!!! it's a technique they use in yoga and it's fantastic. it really helps me as i suffer horrendously with blocked sinuses during the summer cause of hayfever.