I have been sick for two months now.?!


Question:

I have been sick for two months now.?

I've had a bad cold for about two months now and it won't go away. I went to an instacare facility because it's really hard to see my doctor. Because I had just finished a long airplane trip, the doctor thought my congestion might've had something to do with that so I was prescribed an anti-inflammatory and a decongestant. My ears have been clogged to the point that I could hardly hear, I'm coughing up mucus, my sinuses hurt, and I'm always blowing my nose, and it doesn't come out clear; it's usually a green mucus. My husband wants me to go to the doctor, but it takes so long to see him that I'm hoping I'll get better before then. I've been taking a lot of garlic and vitamin C and seeing some improvement, but it's been slow.


Answers:

From what you've said, it sounds like you have a sinus infection. The anti-inflammatory was prescribed to you by a dink who probably talked to you for two minutes and sent you on your way with a prescription..am I right?

What you need is antibiotics. While I am a major proponent of alternative medicine, there are some cases where western medicine is called for. You could probably take herbs and recover, but you've already been sick for two months. Your immune system is most likely whimpering on its last legs. :(

If you have a family physician, give the office a call and see if they have any cancellations or can fit you in early in the morning. Otherwise if you're insured try an urgent care center (they're cheaper than the ER usually) and see if you can't get a culture taken that way (to test if its bacterial or viral).

Chances are the decongestant (unless its an expectorant) is only drying your sinuses out more, making it harder to expel your mucous.

If you insist on treating this with herbs and/or without another MD visit, then my advice to you is as follows:

Drink lots and lots of water, avoid all dairy products, avoid sugar (bacteria live off sugar), take warm showers every morning and evening to soften the phlegm, avoid blowing hard when you do blow your nose, use warm rags on your face to help soften up the mucous when you start to get a headache, and try, if you can, to use a neti pot to flush your sinuses. You can even add a goldenseal and echinacea tincture (both herbs is best) to the water as these are natural anti-virals. Here is a link about neti pots:

http://www.healingdaily.com/exercise/net...

Additionally if you are having ear issues as a result of the sinus pressure, you can try manually draining your eustachian tubes by massaging (in a downward motion) the sides of your neck. Start behind your earlobe and follow the line of your muscle down your neck. This can help with the ear pressure.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you find relief soon!




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