Sinus Infections and Face / Eye pain? Anyone else?

Cinny · Post by **Cinny** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:33 am

Scared still... How long can this last??

I get blurry vision and head numbness in my forehead, and sides of my head/neck. Floaters in both eyes, blurry Goofy Eye in right eye off and on. I wake up with it. (It "seems" to be getting a little better, as it is not as constant, especially if I stay really busy.) Pain in the eye balls, and above them. Went to eye dr, all is well, no bad pressures or anything. Went to dr., and I have sinusitis. But anti-biotics didn't kick it.. sinus are sore and dry, but plugged up, if that makes sense. I will even get spots of blood in the Kleenex once in a while. Freaked me out, but my wife thinks that it is because my sinus are so dry, and I am taking lots of aspirin and ibuprofen, fish oil, and maybe that my blood is thin. The Dr. looked up my nose for about 3 seconds and I got the "oh yea, you have a sinus infection". I have had it now for about 8 weeks. I am finishing up a second round of anti-biotics, with again no real improvement. The sinus blood has stopped, but the eye aches still go on, and have actually moved down into my left cheek area and the center of my forehead, just above the eyes, and temples. Eyes hurt if I rub them or massage them.

Nothing seems to help it too much, but the saline flushing of them and sometimes Tylenol. You mix that with anxiety, tension headaches, tight and stiff neck muscles, clenching teeth all the time, and you have a recipe for some dry sore, blurry eyes. I also take Wellbutrin and Ativan, which cause dry eye too. And I look at dual monitors all day long at work. <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> </pre> <pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> </pre>

Dr. suggested lubricating eye drops, like artificial tears. Not like Visine but the lubricating kind. They don't clear my eyes up fast or anything, but they do make them a little less sore.

I have been having eye issues for about 2 months now, maybe even a little more. It makes me anxious, because you can't really get past it, as you look through your eyes constantly. So it seems like it is always there!

But I found that if I can get busy, and not think about it, I will not notice it, until I think about it. Then it comes zipping back? Does that tell me that it is probably all in my head..???

(little joke there

)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:45 am

Dear Cinny,

Having been a severe allergy sufferer all my life, there may be a couple more things you can do.

Has there been anything introduced into your environment that may be prolonging your suffering?

Im not reading anything about vitamins in your diet. A supplement just cannot hurt when you are fighting infection. Fish oil is great for your brain and mood. Good choice.

Midol - good for lots of things. Like ibuprofen it has muscle relaxing medicine but unlike painkillers, Midol also has medicine to help thin mucous. I had taken an RX for sinusitis once, the mucous all drained into the lower gland under my ears. Ouch. The Dr suggested Midol. Im sure Pamprin works too if it's less expensive.

Saline flushing is good but are you using a proper Netty Pot?

Then the regular nose treatments...covering your head over a steaming pot; Vicks vapo rub on the chest. Eucalyptus tincture might help too.

Good luck. Hope something there relieves some of your discomfort.

AnnetteW · Post by **AnnetteW** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 7:59 am

Dear Cinny,

And the eye thing...

Artificial light and bright diffused daylight make them crazy.

I took a course of Paxil on two different occasions. My father in law is a retired pharmacist and is convinced that some anti-depressant meds can cause temporary to permanent eye discomfort.

I do notice that when my sinuses are acting up it does affect my eyes comfort.

I am going next week for an eye exam just to double check.

Let me know how it goes.

CarolynEd.Dir. · Post by **CarolynEd.Dir.** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:26 am

I use a NeilMed type flusher, with the PH neutral packets. If I covered my head with a towel and pumped Vicks in there, I think my eyes would burn right on out of my head..

.. The Midol is interesting tho.. Might experiment with that. My sinus are tolerable, except for the eye aches.. I even wake up with them aching, and blood shot, like I was out a little late.. And, I am constantly catching myself clenching my teeth, and giving myself tension/temple headaches. So it could be anyones guess about what it actually causing my eye aches. I agree with your father, this all started happening right after the Wellbutrin / Ativan startup, and I have heard lots of things about dry eyes, vision issues while on them. I hadn't heard anything about permanent issues with the eyes though.. Until now.

I have been to Edmonton a couple times, quite a mall there. Nice city!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 18, 2009 5:18 pm

Well, still plugging along. Once in a while, I will have a day with no real eye pain. But for the most part, it is still there. I am still clenching my teeth at night I think. I have been trying a bite guard type deal, but I must take it out during the night or something. I don't wake up with it. My teeth, temples and the muscles/tendons that work the jaw, are sore where they meet the skull, way up above the temple, eye, and the cheek mostly on the left side, and that is the most bothersome eye. I still have semi-blocked nose, but have had two rounds of anti-biotics for sinus infection. Probably still have it but posted that already ...

Anyone else clench their teeth like that? Would it make my eyeball ache like it does?

I am still tingling in my ankles, and forearms, and I am totally stressed out by it all. I wish I could break the teeth clenching habit..

Anyone else still having the eye pain symptoms? Or better yet, anyone ever have it go away? After about how long?

noname_2520 · Post by **noname_2520** » Tue May 19, 2009 4:29 am

Cinny - When I was on a computer at work all day long under artificial lighting I had the same problem. My doctor called it "computer dry eye syndrome." Staring at a computer all day also tenses up neck and shoulder muscles. I don't think our bodies are made to stare at a computer all day. I also would find myself clenching my teeth during the day so bad that I ended up at a maxillary facial surgeons office complaining of TMJ. I learned how to relax my jaw muscles as soon as I felt any tension at all by dropping my jaw and putting my tongue in between my teeth. I also get the eye pain sometimes and can feel it when I move my eyes from side to side. To me it feels like muscle tension, so when I get this symptom I know I need to untense, relax, and destress. I found that clenching your jaw can make your whole head hurt- including your ears and part of your neck. It may also be worth having your sinus cavities scanned. A friend of mine had terrible sinus infections that were chronic, and finally had a laser surgery done due to the fact that her sinus cavities were too small and not draining properly. I know the surgery seems drastic and is not for everyone, but she is now infection free with no problems.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 19, 2009 5:09 am

I can relate. I've had so many problems with allergies and my sinuses this year. I've been treated with antibiotics and a steroid nasal spray (which I promptly stopped when my anxiety increased). I had a persistent post nasal cough for a couple of months which finally went away but I've been struggling with sinus pressure, lightheadedness and headaches the last couple of weeks. I'm thinking I'd rather have the cough. At least then I knew my sinuses were draining. I do have a neti pot and find it very helpful. I just need to use it more often plus I find a warm steam vaporizer helps to get the mucus flowing.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 25, 2009 12:40 pm

Thanks for the reassuring comments! I was camping with the family for the last few days. I can take ibuprofen, and it seems to knock out the temple / eye ache. I wake up with it, and end up taking 4 to 6 ibuprofen per day. Seems like it is dry, even thought I have been off the computers for 4 days now. Seems to me that my temple/eye would quit aching eventually, but it has been a long time now. Mary, how long did it take to clear up for you? I know everyone is a bit different, but I am thinking that this has been going on way too long. But maybe it lasts longer than I think?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 27, 2009 2:31 am

While going through anxiety I have become a regular at natural health food stores, etc. and I have an awesome cure for any type of sinus problems. I actually had a severe sinus infection a few weeks ago that made my entire face hurt and this cleared it up completely.

mix:
1/4 cup distilled water heated to body temp
pinch of sea salt
5 drops liquid chlorophyll (at health food stores-like Whole Foods)
5 drops colloidal silver (at health food stores)

* apply 2 dropperfulls into nostril and let it drain out of the other side-repeat on each side
* repeat 2x per day for 7-10 days to clear up infection (make new batch every time)
* continue 1x per wk for maintenance