Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
        
(Message started by: Joyce on Feb 10th, 2008, 1:51pm)
Title: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by Joyce on Feb 10th, 2008, 1:51pm
Always my cluster side nasal passage gets blocked but other side remains open. Lately both nasal passages are blocked during an attack and I find it almost impossible to breathe in the oxygen. Does anyone have a solution for this? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks.
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by vietvet2tours on Feb 10th, 2008, 1:53pm

on 02/10/08 at 13:51:55, Joyce wrote:
Always my cluster side nasal passage gets blocked but other side remains open. Lately both nasal passages are blocked during an attack and I find it almost impossible to breathe in the oxygen. Does anyone have a solution for this? Any help would be most appreciated. Thanks.


   Try blowing yer nose.

                potter
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by DennisM1045 on Feb 10th, 2008, 2:02pm
Hi Joyce,

You are using a non-rebreather mask right?

My nose stuffs up on my non-cluster side as soon as I start O2 therapy.  I simply breath through my mouth.  It's a little drying on the throat but it does the trick.  In fact I've switched to a mouth tube instead of a mask.

I hope this helps...

-Dennis-
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by E-Double on Feb 10th, 2008, 2:03pm
steam or netipots will clear you up.

Or like potter said.. give a good blow ::)

You should still be able to abort breathign through your mouth.

go get those nose goblins ;)
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by Gator on Feb 10th, 2008, 2:10pm
The oxygen will still abort an attack if you breathe it through your mouth.  Actually, some people here prefer using a mouth tube over the mask.  You can continue to use your mask or you can find mouth tubes for your oxygen rig online.  Some links have been posted recently on some of the O2 threads here.

Mike
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by vietvet2tours on Feb 10th, 2008, 2:43pm
             http://www.steelheader.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yeahthat.gif
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by DragonSlayer on Feb 10th, 2008, 3:23pm
Moist heat can help to get your nose flowing.  "Once upon a time"  I was being treated for sinus headache and Dr. told me to use a facial sauna.  Get a vaporizer and place a towel over u'r head and drape the towel over the vaporizer.  Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't but at least I felt like I had an option instead of doing nothing.
I also got some of that Hot Mustard from a chinese restaurant, put it on a cracker and that would get things flowing sometimes, I've tried hot horseradish too but it is hard to find a really hot horseradish.
Hot shower with lotsa steam and blowing nose works too.
Eucalyptus cough drops worked too.
Just be careful, if you are really stuffed up and try to blow too hard you can pop a blood vessle in your eye or force the snot deeper into your sinus.
I've tried alot of different things to clear sinus.  You just need to find what works for you.
Hope you find something that works for you!!!
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by Jonny on Feb 10th, 2008, 3:32pm

on 02/10/08 at 14:10:10, Gator wrote:
 Actually, some people here prefer using a mouth tube over the mask.  


[smiley=wave.gif]
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by Joyce on Feb 10th, 2008, 3:39pm
I should have clarified my problem better, it's more like the passage is swollen, not full. And also I didn't mention that the passages are fully clear once the attack is gone. Blowing my nose accomplishes nothing. Did not appreciate the comment to try blowing my nose. That's one of the reasons why I seldom post here but I did need some expert advice.  So I thank those who responded respectfully. I will definitely breathe through my mouth if it happens again and hope it works as well.
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by vietvet2tours on Feb 10th, 2008, 5:40pm

on 02/10/08 at 15:39:32, Joyce wrote:
I should have clarified my problem better, it's more like the passage is swollen, not full. And also I didn't mention that the passages are fully clear once the attack is gone. Blowing my nose accomplishes nothing. Did not appreciate the comment to try blowing my nose. That's one of the reasons why I seldom post here but I did need some expert advice.  So I thank those who responded respectfully. I will definitely breathe through my mouth if it happens again and hope it works as well.


Well ain't we a little pissy today.

             Potter
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by DennisM1045 on Feb 10th, 2008, 9:58pm

on 02/10/08 at 17:40:14, vietvet2tours wrote:
Well ain't we a little pissy today.

             Potter

Do you listen to yourself sometimes?  Joyce here came asking for help.  You ripped off one of your patented terse, less than helpful responses and then you act surprised that she took offense?   ::)

What am I missing here?

-Dennis-
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by vietvet2tours on Feb 11th, 2008, 3:30am

on 02/10/08 at 21:58:46, DennisM1045 wrote:
Do you listen to yourself sometimes?  Joyce here came asking for help.  You ripped off one of your patented terse, less than helpful responses and then you act surprised that she took offense?   ::)

What am I missing here?

-Dennis-


 I was serious.  My mom taught me to blow my nose.

                  Potter
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by Annette on Feb 11th, 2008, 4:40am

Try a nasal spray before getting onto the oxygen. There are various types of antihistamine nasal spray that you can buy as OTC ( over the counter ) at the local pharmacy. That will get rid of the swelling inside the nose, which was caused by vasodilatation and histamine release pre CH hit, allowing you to breath oxygen through more easily.

Some people have even reported being able to abort a whole hit using these sprays. I think it was Thomas who posted a thread on it.

Usually before the pain starts, you would feel some niggling pain in the temple or behind the eye, as well as the nose starting to block or run. Use the spray straight away then get onto the oxygen. I believe this can help knock the beast off quite quickly.

With these antihistamine nasal sprays, the one problem is rebound nasal congestion if using too frequently and thinning of the nasal lining tissues if using for too long. However, if this helps aborting CH hits successfully, maybe its worth this side effects.

All the best and painfree wishes to you.
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by lennycohen on Feb 15th, 2008, 6:45am
Annette is completely correct in everything she said, except for the fact that the sprays aren't anti-histamines. They're simple vasoconstrictors. If you feel like you have long term swelling or inflamation of your sinuses, you should talk to your doctor about your options.
Title: Re: Blocked Nasal passage & Oxygen-Help
Post by pattik on Feb 15th, 2008, 8:43am

on 02/10/08 at 15:39:32, Joyce wrote:
I should have clarified my problem better, it's more like the passage is swollen, not full. And also I didn't mention that the passages are fully clear once the attack is gone. Blowing my nose accomplishes nothing.


Hi Joyce,
What you have described is what often happens to me, both in and out of a CH cycle.  My sinuses have a low tolerance for dry air, and the CH accentuates the problem for me on the affected side.  And like you, after the attack,  things improve.  You might want to try using a bubbler on your O2 apparatus.  Check out the oxygen link (on the left), and you'll see a picture of a setup which includes a bubbler.
Some people will add ice to the water to add coolness.

-Patti    


Clusterheadaches.com Message Board » Powered by YaBB 1 Gold - SP 1.3.1!
YaBB © 2000-2003. All Rights Reserved.