Sinusitis FAQ

Please help – CPAP user with Sinus headache = (

Question:

Obsidian wrote: > <<snipped>> > Anyway, I was given seven 20 mg Prednisone tablets to take to deal > with my sinus problem.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t done anything to > help.

As the others said, I don’t know why you weren’t prescribed antibiotics.  The Prednisone should relieve the swelling from the infection and and from CPAP, but it can return as soon as you stop taking it.   > What I’d like to know is this… are any other CPAP users suffering > from sinus problems and if so, what can be done about it?

When I started with CPAP I had terrible sinus headaches from it and couldn’t continue.  After UPPP surgery only provided short term relief, a new sleep doc switched me to BiPAP and I was fine.  No headaches.  The CPAP had been at a pressure of 16 and the BiPAP was titrated at 18/10. As an experiment I slowly raised the exhale pressure and at 16 the headaches reoccurred.  Mine were definitely from the exhale pressure and a bilevel machine stopped the headaches.  You might not have the same issue, but ask your sleep doctor if a BiPAP might help stop the headaches. Big Al

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Obsidian <obsidi…@chartermi.net> wrote: > I have been using a CPAP for a few years now.  I’ve had a lot more > energy since I started on my CPAP and no longer fall asleep while > driving or in the middle of a conversation with someone. > Unfortunately, ever since I started I’ve had a mild headache and it’s > been gradually getting worse.  I thought at first it was due to my > mask not being comfortable or perhaps from my headgear straps > squeezing my head all night long.  I even went and got contact lenses > because I thought my glasses were squeezing my temples too hard all > day long.   > When I wake up and my head just plain hurts!  After I get up and have > been up for an hour or so my head feels slightly better, but still > hurts.  I’ve been suffering with this for so long and just thought it > was par for the course,  until lately.   > I went to the doctor and told him what I was experiencing.  It’s been > hard for me to concentrate on anything, my memory is terrible, I’m > irritable most of the time and am feeling a bit depressed.  When I > told the doctor all this, he ran a bunch of test… for diabetes, > blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid and so on and so forth.  He > referred me to another doctor who sent me for a scan of my sinus > cavity.  The results showed a ‘minor chronic sinus infection’.. or I > believe this is what he result was.   > What I’d like to know is this… are any other CPAP users suffering > from sinus problems and if so, what can be done about it?

Sounds a lot like the problem I was having when I first got my CPAP. I went out and bought a heated humidifier and the sinus headaches went away in a few days. Only a mild one now and again. I have had sinus infections for years. Anti-biotics never helped. Only help was a decongestant, lots of oranges and time. With the CPAP and its filters and the heated humidifier, I am hoping that I will be able to give the sinus infections a pass this year. Ross Bernheim

Response:

echo on the humidifier being helpful. You should also consider using a nostril  saline solution ESPECIALLY during the winter when humidty is dry. secondarily a sinus headache – - many OSA’ers have headaches in the morning from grinding their teeth, so check with you dentist. Also, headaches and neck and muscle aches are often inclusive with OSA Your machine may need a readjustment if you have had any major weght changes. This would of course require a new sleep study. As to a sinus headache—the amazing curative powers of ‘capsaicin’ (red pepper) can offer true relief. Get some jalapeno or habenero sauce from the local grocery and put a SMALLLLLLL DAB (he shouted) on a piece of bread or cracker and take with a glass of water. You’ll breathe free and easy—same as eating a good bowl of chineese hot and sour soup or some Thai food….:) good luck…. On Thu, 7 Feb 2002 06:22:02 -0800, ross…@mindspring.com (Ross – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Bernheim) wrote: >Obsidian <obsidi…@chartermi.net> wrote: >> I have been using a CPAP for a few years now.  I’ve had a lot more >> energy since I started on my CPAP and no longer fall asleep while >> driving or in the middle of a conversation with someone. >> Unfortunately, ever since I started I’ve had a mild headache and it’s >> been gradually getting worse.  I thought at first it was due to my >> mask not being comfortable or perhaps from my headgear straps >> squeezing my head all night long.  I even went and got contact lenses >> because I thought my glasses were squeezing my temples too hard all >> day long.   >> When I wake up and my head just plain hurts!  After I get up and have >> been up for an hour or so my head feels slightly better, but still >> hurts.  I’ve been suffering with this for so long and just thought it >> was par for the course,  until lately.   >> I went to the doctor and told him what I was experiencing.  It’s been >> hard for me to concentrate on anything, my memory is terrible, I’m >> irritable most of the time and am feeling a bit depressed.  When I >> told the doctor all this, he ran a bunch of test… for diabetes, >> blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid and so on and so forth.  He >> referred me to another doctor who sent me for a scan of my sinus >> cavity.  The results showed a ‘minor chronic sinus infection’.. or I >> believe this is what he result was.   >> What I’d like to know is this… are any other CPAP users suffering >> from sinus problems and if so, what can be done about it? >Sounds a lot like the problem I was having when I first got my CPAP. I >went out and bought a heated humidifier and the sinus headaches went >away in a few days. Only a mild one now and again. I have had sinus >infections for years. Anti-biotics never helped. Only help was a >decongestant, lots of oranges and time. With the CPAP and its filters >and the heated humidifier, I am hoping that I will be able to give the >sinus infections a pass this year. >Ross Bernheim

Response:

There is a newsgroup dealing specifically with sinusitis: alt.support.sinusitis As with any newsgroup, retain some skepticism about what you read. There are no simple answers, every doc seems to have a different opinion. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -"Obsidian" <obsidi…@chartermi.net> wrote in message news:pld06usvh9qaig6upab1vnvqupndr89ojr@4ax.com… > I have been using a CPAP for a few years now.  I’ve had a lot more > energy since I started on my CPAP and no longer fall asleep while > driving or in the middle of a conversation with someone. > Unfortunately, ever since I started I’ve had a mild headache and it’s > been gradually getting worse.  I thought at first it was due to my > mask not being comfortable or perhaps from my headgear straps > squeezing my head all night long.  I even went and got contact lenses > because I thought my glasses were squeezing my temples too hard all > day long.   > When I wake up and my head just plain hurts!  After I get up and have > been up for an hour or so my head feels slightly better, but still > hurts.  I’ve been suffering with this for so long and just thought it > was par for the course,  until lately.   > I went to the doctor and told him what I was experiencing.  It’s been > hard for me to concentrate on anything, my memory is terrible, I’m > irritable most of the time and am feeling a bit depressed.  When I > told the doctor all this, he ran a bunch of test… for diabetes, > blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid and so on and so forth.  He > referred me to another doctor who sent me for a scan of my sinus > cavity.  The results showed a ‘minor chronic sinus infection’.. or I > believe this is what he result was.   > Anyway, I was given seven 20 mg Prednisone tablets to take to deal > with my sinus problem.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t done anything to > help.   > What I’d like to know is this… are any other CPAP users suffering > from sinus problems and if so, what can be done about it?

Response:

no…@nothere.net wrote: >As to a sinus headache—the amazing curative powers of ‘capsaicin’ >(red pepper) can offer true relief. Get some jalapeno or habenero >sauce from the local grocery and put a SMALLLLLLL DAB (he shouted) >on a piece of bread or cracker and take with a glass of water. You’ll >breathe free and easy—same as eating a good bowl of chineese hot and >sour soup or some Thai food….:)

Tom Yum soup, a very spicy Thai chicken soup with lemon grass and chilies, works wonders for me. Wasabi, Japanese horseradish, is another good one. Tom

Response:

I have been using a CPAP for a few years now.  I’ve had a lot more energy since I started on my CPAP and no longer fall asleep while driving or in the middle of a conversation with someone. Unfortunately, ever since I started I’ve had a mild headache and it’s been gradually getting worse.  I thought at first it was due to my mask not being comfortable or perhaps from my headgear straps squeezing my head all night long.  I even went and got contact lenses because I thought my glasses were squeezing my temples too hard all day long.   When I wake up and my head just plain hurts!  After I get up and have been up for an hour or so my head feels slightly better, but still hurts.  I’ve been suffering with this for so long and just thought it was par for the course,  until lately.   I went to the doctor and told him what I was experiencing.  It’s been hard for me to concentrate on anything, my memory is terrible, I’m irritable most of the time and am feeling a bit depressed.  When I told the doctor all this, he ran a bunch of test… for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid and so on and so forth.  He referred me to another doctor who sent me for a scan of my sinus cavity.  The results showed a ‘minor chronic sinus infection’.. or I believe this is what he result was.   Anyway, I was given seven 20 mg Prednisone tablets to take to deal with my sinus problem.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t done anything to help.   What I’d like to know is this… are any other CPAP users suffering from sinus problems and if so, what can be done about it?

Response:

I agree with Lori&Mike: prednisone is a SERIOUS drug, and there are several other MUCH SAFER corticosteroids for sinus problems.  However, if the specialist assumed (wrongly) that your GP put you on antibiotics, then you’ll likely not get ANY relief until you get a successful course of antibiotics.  I’ve found I get these MUCH less often since I’ve moved to a heated humidifier. (think I used enough caps? *grin*) HTH, Ari On Wed, 6 Feb 2002 03:38:27 -0500, "Lori&Mike" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<mpow…@the-beachnospam.net> wrote: >A sinus pressure headache can be incredibly painful! Here is some info I >found using www.google.com search words sinus pressure headache >http://www.sinuspharmacy.com/newsletter08.html#03 Since dry sinuses can be a >culprit, I would get (if you don’t already) a heated humidifier. Since it >might be chronic that means persistent and/or reoccurring. I don’t see what >a >few Prednisone (cortisone to help with allergies?) pills are going to do >long term. I thought antibiotics were needed. I’d ask doc why and how is >that going to help. Another good article on sinusitis headaches and some non >sinus headache info  http://my.webmd.com/content/article/1680.51343 Mike >"Obsidian" <obsidi…@chartermi.net> wrote in message >news:pld06usvh9qaig6upab1vnvqupndr89ojr@4ax.com… >> I have been using a CPAP for a few years now.  I’ve had a lot more >> energy since I started on my CPAP and no longer fall asleep while >> driving or in the middle of a conversation with someone. >> Unfortunately, ever since I started I’ve had a mild headache and it’s >> been gradually getting worse.  I thought at first it was due to my >> mask not being comfortable or perhaps from my headgear straps >> squeezing my head all night long.  I even went and got contact lenses >> because I thought my glasses were squeezing my temples too hard all >> day long. >> When I wake up and my head just plain hurts!  After I get up and have >> been up for an hour or so my head feels slightly better, but still >> hurts.  I’ve been suffering with this for so long and just thought it >> was par for the course,  until lately. >> I went to the doctor and told him what I was experiencing.  It’s been >> hard for me to concentrate on anything, my memory is terrible, I’m >> irritable most of the time and am feeling a bit depressed.  When I >> told the doctor all this, he ran a bunch of test… for diabetes, >> blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid and so on and so forth.  He >> referred me to another doctor who sent me for a scan of my sinus >> cavity.  The results showed a ‘minor chronic sinus infection’.. or I >> believe this is what he result was. >> Anyway, I was given seven 20 mg Prednisone tablets to take to deal >> with my sinus problem.  Unfortunately, it hasn’t done anything to >> help. >> What I’d like to know is this… are any other CPAP users suffering >> from sinus problems and if so, what can be done about it?

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Response:

Filed under: Chronic sinusitis

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