What can be done to deal with a sinus cold while pregnant?

Question

Just wondered what you have done or what someone u know has done to help with feeling like crap from a cold while pregnant. I'm early in, so already feeling horrid from first trimester pains and to throw the cold in on top of it is really draining me. Anyone have suggestions?

Answer 1

Ask the doctor about Saline Nasal Spray.

Answer 2

I just went the the doctor the second time for sinus inflection...2007 is a bad year. Well, assuming you can't be on anti-biotics, which may not work anyway, here is what I recommend:

1) Wash your hands often, it seems like colds are combining with other colds to make things worse
2) Lysol or disinfect everything to help (1) above
3) Use a cold or warm mist humidifier to keep the moisture up in the house
4) Take a warm shower to help loosen the sinus pressure
5) Get some fresh air if you can...like take a walk
6) Boost your immune system with vitamin C - drink lots of orange juice and take supplements with C
7) Avoid refined sugar...anything sweet...that knocks down your defenses
8) Relax and get plenty of sleep
9) Think happy thoughts...this thing will pass, I know its hard...its really been a tough year so far
10) Buy flowers for yourself...they will bring a smile on your face!!!

Good Luck....H2O

Answer 3

http://www.westom.com/coolsite/nose_neti.htm

OK. here goes. Click on this and look at the pic on how to do this. The solution of mix is 1 tsp. of sea salt or reg salt to 1 cup of warm water. If it burns too much then use a little less salt or add more water. The pic shows you how to run it thru your sinuses. it's just like holding your breath. Someone told me about this and I told him he was nuts. But I got desperate and tried it. I used a regular water bottle with a pull up sippy type lid on it. It rinses the sinuses right out. It's gross as hell and ya have to learn how to do it. If you hold your breath like you do when you go under water then you should do it. It takes some getting used to and you will swear that you will drown. But ya don't. And within about 15 minutes you feel great. I haven't had any sinus infections since he told me about this. It also calmed down an earache or 2 that tried to start up. Nobody knows if you do it or not. It gets a little messy. Have a hand towel nearby. Good luck. If you try it you probably won't be sorry. I hate doing it but the feeling later is absolutely fantastic. I can really breathe. And if your nose gets too dried out then just put a bit of vaseline around the inside right in the beginning. It puts moisture in there for you. Good luck. Hope you feel better.

Answer 4

If you have normal blood pressure you might have pregnancy-induced rhinitis. (Pregnant sniffles) It happens at some point in 90% of all pregnancies.

Try a saline nasal RINSE (not a spray) A full warm water saline rinse goes in one nostril and out the other. It draws out all the gunk and shrinks the tissue (like swimming in the ocean). I've been doing it at work too.

The buffered salt doesn't 'sting' as much as plain salt water. You can use a new method like Nasopure, or the vintage, Netipot. The special bottle and salt is about $20.

You can do this a often as you like with no bad side effects.

You don’t need a prescription for this therapy. So if you live in a state like mine, they’ve pretty much “outlawed” sudafed medicine. Drug-free is really the way to go on a frequent-use basis. (I put in a link for “what” and “how” – there’s also some good info on wiki)

Answer 5

I can think of a couple of things that might help a bit. Try rinsing your sinuses with saline solution - the sort that you can get for a problem with dry sinuses. It's not the same as nasal spray with decongestant, but saline won't harm your baby, of course; you can even zap it in the microwave for a (VERY!!!) few seconds to warm it up. Get a gel-type heating pack or heating mask at your drugstore, and use it. Zicam nasal spray may be helpful, and I don't think it will harm your baby (but ask the pharmacist or your doctor just to be SURE). Stay away from aspirin and tylenol; neither is good for your baby. Drink LOTS of fluids - Gatorade is great, and of course there's the old reliable standby orange juice. Hot cocoa can also be good, but stay away from coffee or other highly-caffeinated drinks. If you're having headaches (I get those when I have sinus problems) you can try turning on the hot water in your shower and letting it steam up the bathroom while you sit in there for a while; try wearing a knit cap to keep your head warm as well - it may look a little goofy indoors, but it will make YOU feel better!

Answer 6

In general Vitamin C, B complex,B12 will not hurt you or your baby. However time release vitamin C and B12 will probably help you if you get enough. Time release vitamins are available at many health food stores. Do not take large doses all the time just while you have symptoms. The cold will last as long either way (two weeks or 14 days) but the symptoms may be much better. Also do not stop the vitamin C immediately. Taper the dose off over a couple of days.

Answer 7

I am a nurse. You cannot just go out and buy Nasonex. It is by prescription only and it also has corticosteroids in it which IS injested into the body through the mucous membranes of your nose!!! But the others are right, not much else you can do, but push fluids, light exercise, steam, Tylenol (take as directed on the package) for aches or fever. If you have a fever, get into the Dr. ASAP! If it is just he flu or the influenza virus, which it sounds like, there are NO antibiotics in the world that will help!! Antibiotics kill bacteria and the flu is a virus! Call and talk to the nurse, we usually can point you in the right direction and you're not charged for a Dr. visit! You can use Vicks under your nose, just be careful not to get it into your mouth or up your nostrils. There are also the steam thingees (not sure of their name) that you can through into the shower and it releases a Vicks type vapor! I believe they are made by Vicks. Teas are good, try to find decaffeinated if u can. But be careful not to drink teas with rosehips in them as this can cause your uterus to contract! Best of luck and remember.......ask your OB/GYN BEFORE you eat, drink, swallow, or put anything on your body to make sure it is safe!! Things CAN be absorbed through the skin too!! Also, AVOID taking too much Vitamin C as this can cause diarrhea and further dehydrate you AND the baby and that can cause a whole new set of problems!!!!!!!

Answer 8

1. Get a vaporizer and use it every night.

2. Try nose strips (like breatheright strips) they can help too without using meds.

3. Ask the pharmacist for cold meds (homeopathic maybe) that are ok when you are pregnant.
4. Gargle with a little salt in water.

5. Sleep with an extra pillow to help sinuses drain.

6. Make sure your house humidifier (if you are in a cold climate) is clean and working properly.

Answer 9

Drink hot green tea to help w/the congestion and I know this sounds crazy but it does work...take a teaspoon of salt, in a dixie size cup (or similar) of somewhat hot water, stir and sniff it up your nose. No, it doesn't hurt, it may tickle at 1st but you get used to it. Keep plenty of kleenex' close by, you'll need to blow your nose right after. This will loosen all that crap up in you sinuses and will help you breathe better as well as relieving some of the pain and pressure in your head. Hot washclothes placed over your face to breathe in the warmth will help too. I do this since i suffer from chronic sinus infections and OTC meds just don't cut it anymore. Since your pregnant, I doubt there's a prescription you can take but call your doctor and inquire.

I know what you're going thru, I hope you feel better soon.

Answer 10

I suffer from sinusitis about once per year. When I was pregnant with my son, I was 11 weeks along and got sinusitis. It was awful. The first doctor I saw said there was nothing they could do for me other than rest, fluids, alternating hot and cold compresses, and steam inhalation (put Vaporub in a bowl with boiling water, a towel over your head and breathe).

It did nothing.

Five days later I was in continued agony and saw another doctor. He looked up in his physicians' reference guide and showed me: amoxicillin (penicillin) was safe (well, essentially as safe as a drug can be during pregnancy). They had to say that they still didn't know all the answers, but that it was most likely to be safe. I took the amoxicillin and THANK HEAVENS I did. It's still the only thing that will cure my sinusitis.

Check with your doctor, try the home remedies, but beg and plead for antibiotics if you have to. Feel better!

Answer 11

DO these things:

Sudacare shower soothers vapor tablets in a warm/hot shower; keep bathroom door closed and shower curtain or door closed to get the most steam possible

Take a warm bath everyday if ok to take baths per your doctor; use a warm/hot wet washcloth on your chest or face/sinus areas while soaking in tub

Use Vicks on your chest before bedtime; cover chest/Vicks with a clean piece of flannel to protect jammies/bed linen and keep heat in

Use a vaporizer--warm mist, NOT COLD MIST, add vicks vaporub

Tent your head with a towel over a warm/hot sinkful or bowlful of water and breathe deeply

Drink lots of water (not pop or juice) and eat some chicken soup--it really does help

Ask your doctor if you can take Mucinex

Take your prenatal vitamins, if prescribed by a doctor

Get lots of rest


DO NOT do these things:

eat a lot of soy or take a lot of Vitamin C to "cure" your cold; c can overdose you and too much soy has hormones that might be harmful to the fetus

eat a lot of fish, tuna or sushi or otherwise, as the mercury in it can be harmful at this time

purge, binge or cleanse/fast your body at this time

take any herbal supplement or even "medicinal" herbal teas, without consulting with your doctor, as herbs have alkaloids in them that can be harmful to a developing fetus

take OTC aka "over the counter" cold meds without consulting with your doctor, even Tylenol or Sudafed or alka seltzer