Allergies, ugh

[oakenguy]

Okay, I've accepted the fact that after 30-some years with no trouble, I've developed pollen allergies. I don't like it, but I've accepted it. I've even, grudgingly, accepted the fact that in my case it includes a pounding headache.

But *why is it only the right side of my face*? I'm getting very, very tired of blowing my right nostril.

I should think positively. My nose isn't half full, it's half empty.

Comments

[lemur-catta.livejournal.com]

This might have happened to me too this year. It seems mostly to involve swollen itchy eyelids. Not enjoying it, I must say.

[ngakmafaery.livejournal.com]

...I've had supergreat success with stuff as simple as vitamin c, 2-3 whatevers ('gram' sounds like a drug deal) a day, and acupressure and hand massage and jin shin jutsu and reflexology, all do-it-yourself or have a slave do it...I am sure there are sites online that shows good easy positions (and I'll look them up now), and some of the easy, do-it-while-watching-tv or sleeping postures, like holding one finger with the other hand, have been extremely successful and convenient for me, with my lifelong major allergies and respiratory stuff...also ditching wheat products wiped out tons of allergies for me, plus bloat and crankiness, but that might be severe for some lifestyles...good luck with it all!

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

The pollen thing seems to be happening to a lot of people who aren't otherwise prone to allergies. I'm working on a tree-based conspiracy theory...

[lizaah.livejournal.com]

Have you tried a sinus cold med? Those seem to work better for me when my sinus cavities get some build up due to allergies.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

Hmm...I've been mostly relying on Benadryl, but without much success. Maybe it's time to focus on the sinuses!

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

Just be aware that unlike the antihistamines, sinus meds like Sudafed can have a rebound effect (they're vasoconstricters). Which is a necessary if unfortunate side effect if they're doing what they're supposed to do, decongesting you -- but in my case, since what I was medicating for was actually migraines, not sinus congestion, they just made things worse.

[magickcat.livejournal.com]

Are you shitting me?
I am having terrible trouble with my right side! My eye (even before i was accidentally punched in it, haha) my ear, my throat...all isolated to the right side.
I went to urgent care yesterday and they said "It's probably allergies" and told me to take sudafed, ibuprofen, and do salt water gargles throughout the day.
I've taken generic sudafed type stuff, aleve, and done the gargle, as well as taking some generic zyrtec type stuff and i still feel like ass.
Maybe it will work for you?

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

What's *up* with that? The asymmetry offends me, it truly does.

[lisy-babe.livejournal.com]

The sinuses on the right side of my face are always worse too.

Pseudoephedrine is my friend.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

This is so odd!

Are you left-handed, too? (I'm truly grasping at straws here if I'm trying the old "maybe it's because I use my right nostril more" theory)

[lisy-babe.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am left-handed. Spooky.

[ayelle.livejournal.com]

Out of curiousity, do you know for sure it's allergies and not migraine? I thought for years that I had allergies (and for years thought I had sinusitis, and for years thought I had eyestrain headaches, and for years thought I had TMJ headaches, etc)... turned out it was migraines all along. There's a nerve that often gets inflamed during migraines that runs right through the sinuses, and the pain can even cause congestion (rather than the other way around). And not all migraine sufferers experience the "characteristic" symptoms of visual disturbances, light sensitivity and so on -- I never have.

That said, if your headaches respond pretty clearly to OTC painkillers and allergy meds (which mine never did), they're probably allergy headaches. It's just worth mentioning -- I've read statistics that suggest that something like 2/3 of people who think they have sinusitis, for instance, actually have chronic migraine.

[oakenguy.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about anything with this, which is part of my problem! I'm getting suspicious of migraines, possible wheat allergies, caffeine over-addiction, possible pollen allergies, brain tumors, the weight of my glasses, and/or a voodoo curse.

The one reason I'm leaning towards pollen is the culprit is that last year at exactly this time was when the headaches first hit me. They lasted three weeks, made my head react exactly the same way, and then disappeared...but that's not enough of a pattern to draw anything definite from, I know!