CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Non-Audio Stuff => Random Thoughts => Topic started by: atomicbob on May 12, 2015, 02:29:15 AM
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Ok, I've heard more than a few suggestions over many years of suffering the common cold, but I thought I'd ask anyway. Anyone here have a suggestion for clearing the auditory system fast while fighting a rhinovirus that you have personally experienced as working?
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I think a hot shower/steam is your best bet coupled with equalization. If u have fluid from an ear infection you're kind of screwed and only time will fix all things along with an antibiotic. Really depends on what is actually going on with your ears.
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I'm a big believer in mucinex. It mostly helps thin and clear the gunk from your lungs and throat, but might help sinuses too.
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Mild cold: 50 mg chelated zinc 2x/day + gargling warm salt water 2x/day.
Severe cold: the above + sudafed in the morning + benadryl in the evening.
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In this case the ears are just following the sinus congestion, along with the consequence from 8 hrs of runny nose. It appears it is a 24 hr variety as it onset at 0400 and already the sweat flush has begun, 17 hrs later. Just need to be in good shape tomorrow as there are hours of VoiceOver edits awaiting my attention.
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Mild cold: 50 mg chelated zinc 2x/day + gargling warm salt water 2x/day.
Severe cold: the above + sudafed in the morning + benadryl in the evening.
benadryl makes me depressed. I took just one dose and then threw the bottle out of the house. I have never experienced such a mood-changing effect from a drug, not even from substances that were supposed to me mood changing.
Indian brand names are not going top help much, but I have a nasal spray which is very good at clearing a blocked head: it gets rid of that sinuses-filled-with-concrete feeling. I think it is antihistamine based. Your local pharmacist/drug-store/whatever-you-call-it-in-your-country might have a suggestion.
Get well soon!
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In this case the ears are just following the sinus congestion, along with the consequence from 8 hrs of runny nose. It appears it is a 24 hr variety as it onset at 0400 and already the sweat flush has begun, 17 hrs later. Just need to be in good shape tomorrow as there are hours of VoiceOver edits awaiting my attention.
I use a fast acting nasal decongestant drops. It can help to open the Eustachian tubes but one shouldn't use it for more than 3 days or a rebound effect can occur and make symptoms worse. I apply them like this as they will hit the tubes directly.
http://www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/How%20To%20Use%20Nose%20Drops%20Properly.pdf (http://www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/How%20To%20Use%20Nose%20Drops%20Properly.pdf)
I also try Sudafed, (pseudoephedrine) not the Sudafed PE. This you have to ask the pharmacist for as it is behind the counter. It can make me a little jittery sometimes.
Good luck.
Oh yeah, this is not medical advice. Always ask you doctor. :)
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For temporary relief, copious amounts of wasabi works wonders. Do not apply to eye.
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I would be cautious with antibiotics as they will do nothing to the virus per se and some induce tinnitus over long periods of use.
The best remedy (and clearly 100% innocuous) is chewing gums. Certain recommendations such epi nasal sprays/ drops will only help in the short term, their duration is very limited in time and depending on your medical background and age could create other problems. I advise for a max of 4-5 days of usage.
A decent alternative is salt water solutions (physiomer for example).
If you want more details pm me.
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For temporary relief, copious amounts of wasabi works wonders. Do not apply to eye.
Or powdered ginger in hot water.
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The best remedy (and clearly 100% innocuous) is chewing gums.
Why is this?
I'm just guessing that the chewing motion works the muscles around the ear to help dislodge stuff?
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Thank-you all for the suggestions. Here is what I tried that offered relief:
1) Large bolus of water ingested frequently several hours before sleep cycle
2) glass of red wine 60 minutes prior to sleep cycle
3) 25 mg diphenhydramine hydrochloride (not 50 mg as then I feel the effect described by Thad E Ginathom)
4) oxymetazoline, several sprays
Now it could also be merely co-incidence, as this could be a 24 hr rhinovirus and recovery may have been in progress when the above was employed.
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Why is this?
I'm just guessing that the chewing motion works the muscles around the ear to help dislodge stuff?
Exactly.
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For temporary relief, copious amounts of wasabi works wonders. Do not apply to eye.
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Do you snort it? :&
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I would be cautious with antibiotics as they will do nothing to the virus per se and some induce tinnitus over long periods of use.
Yup. Like I said, it depends on the nature of what's causing the ear problem. A rhinovirus can weaken an immune system opening it up to a bacterial ear infection. Quite common. If you have fluid in the ear, a decongestant does absolutely nothing in my experience.
Always avoid antibiotics if possible. Use only when absolutely needed.
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Do you snort it? :&
Many moons ago hanging out with the guys, we dared one guy known for stupid antics to snort wasabi... we all laughed at first, but uh, we stopped laughing very quickly. Please don't snort wasabi.
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Many moons ago hanging out with the guys, we dared one guy known for stupid antics to snort wasabi... we all laughed at first, but uh, we stopped laughing very quickly. Please don't snort wasabi.
Is that you in the background?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfcFUSv70UE
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- Lots of water
- Extra zinc (can get fancy pants lozenges for simplicity)
- Lots of rest
- Benadryl or similar anti-histamine if needed, but usually I find this doesn't help as much as other meds
- Decongestants. Try psuedo. Stuff like Afrin will clear you right up, real quick, but A) don't use for more than 3 days and B) symptoms get worse as med effects wear off
- Long, hot, steamy showers
- Fart sniffing
- Saline rinse through nostrils may help. Could also try other "natural" decongestant sprays. Some have spicy crap in them that will clear you out.
- Antibiotics if you have an ear infection, but often it is viral and not bacterial...
- Something like Advil if the congestion is really bad and/or causing headaches
- Lots of soft tissues with lotion in them. Don't skimp out on this!
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Neti pot, maybe... just make sure it's clean or you'll get brain worms and die / get super powers.
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yeah and don't use tap water :)
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Is that you in the background?
The jackass guy took it better. My buddy snorted wasabi powder and was bleeding from his nose and freaking out because it was burning inside his head and he couldn't handle it. In desperation he grabbed a coke on the table (probably wanted the water but couldn't think straight) and tried snorting that to calm the burning. Blood, puke, and wasabi coke spray resulted. Not pretty.
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That's hilarious you should get your friend to buy Zerodeefex's Alpha Primes.
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The jackass guy took it better. My buddy snorted wasabi powder and was bleeding from his nose and freaking out because it was burning inside his head and he couldn't handle it. In desperation he grabbed a coke on the table (probably wanted the water but couldn't think straight) and tried snorting that to calm the burning. Blood, puke, and wasabi coke spray resulted. Not pretty.
If you have it on video I will pay you 10$ for it!
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I thought I was joking!
Ye gods, some people are stupid. Even getting a whiff of wasabi powder in the air is bad enough.
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Once someone ordered some sushi for my uncle and he thought that the wasabi was guacamole...
p:0
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Why is everyone hating on wasabi?
I use it to clean my sinuses during allergy season.
Works like a charm.
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Thank-you all, a great collection of information. I am now convinced that what I experienced was an allergic reaction as I have recovered far too quickly. 48 hrs and it's as if it never happened. Never had anything like this before. Short but intense.
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If you have it on video I will pay you 10$ for it!
Sadly, this was before the days of youtube and cell phone cameras.
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Sadly, this was before the days of youtube and cell phone cameras.
One has to try..
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25 mg diphenhydramine hydrochloride (not 50 mg as then I feel the effect described by Thad E Ginathom)
It was major, like a black cloud dumped shit on me, and just from one dose. I wasn't quite getting the razor blades out, but I can understand how someone might do that.
Thing is, that is not my mental profile at all. I have a tiny core that just sits out the bad times, and even clinical depression never made me feel like that.
For some people, this stuff might clear the nasal passages, but for some, it is evil!
And I don't hate wasabi: I like it. In small quantities, with sushi/sashimi, which I adore. The secret is getting it into the right orifice!
48 hrs and it's as if it never happened. Never had anything like this before. Short but intense.
Glad to know you are better. I read somewhere recently that all this streaming-nose stuff is actually not directly caused by a cold virus, but by the body's immune system, just like it turns mosquito bites into itchy red swellings. Look, immune system, thatnks, but this stuff is not really that useful.
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Thad, have you tried rum and rasam(the South Indian concoction) with black pepper? My friend swore by that.
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Rum and Rasam! :)p2
Is that the name of your trendy new Nungambakkam* pub? It will be a great hit!
Rasam, certainly, as I'm sure you know it's great for colds. Alcohol, I've given up, but used to find that, when feverish it made me feel worse.
(One of the main reasons I stopped drinking is that it stopped being fun and became just an expensive way to get a headache. It just does not suit me. I'm not complaining: life is cheaper this way. And I make a fool of myself slightly less often. :)p15 )
*Posh, trendy area in our city
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For some people, this stuff might clear the nasal passages, but for some, it is evil!
It does clear my nasal passages at the expense of feeling drowsy, fogged in for 12 hours past then end of benefit experienced, mild depressions (for me) even at 25mg, and a general feeling of malaise. I avoid it unless absolutely necessary. In retrospect, it was unnecessary in this instance.
Glad to know you are better. I read somewhere recently that all this streaming-nose stuff is actually not directly caused by a cold virus, but by the body's immune system, just like it turns mosquito bites into itchy red swellings. Look, immune system, thatnks, but this stuff is not really that useful.
Thanks, feeling much better now. Useful to know about streaming-nose, that is exactly what happened and I thought it was a particularly nasty onset for a rhinovirus.
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(http://www.melrosepharmacy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/What_is_a_Neti_Pot_and_Why_do_You_Need_One2.jpg)