Sueston

I am the Queen of Sinus Headaches. I use a combination of a prescription pain killer (Vicodin) and the greatest thing to come along for headaches, Migraine Ice. If you're not familiar with it, it's OTC and consists of pads with cooling mentholatum gel in various shapes and sizes for the area giving you the most pain. It doesn't necessarily get rid of your headache but provides instant relief for almost four hours. It's much better than holding an ice pack to your head because it is never TOO cold.

I also have migraines frequently, with pain in my temples. I use the temple pads for those and discovered that when I have a sinus headache, I can put a temple pad on the sinuses under each eye (put the middle of the pad over your cheekbones with the c-shape side toward the eye - this way it doesn't get close to your eyes) and a forehead pad on my forehead.

Unfortunately, this is not a look you want for facing the public! I discovered that, if I absolutely must go somewhere or do something, I can get about an hour of relief by using a shower massage on my head. Turn it to the strongest massage setting you can stand, run it over your head around the hairline for a few seconds at the hottest you can stand it; then do the same as cold as you can stand it, just before you get out of the shower. It is amazingly refreshing and at least allows me to function for a little while and sometimes the headache goes away completely.

I have been through the allergy testing with five different doctors, including the recommended term of shots each time with no success whatsoever. I think the main problem is that I'm allergic to things you can't really get away from completely - mold, pollen, dust, etc. I've taken every prescription antihistamine/decongestant I have ever heard of with no improvement; and I use all the recommended air filters, air purifiers, pillow case and bedding covers, and still haven't improved. I have even had sinus surgery which cut down on the severity of my sinus infections but didn't change much else. I've tried food elimination diets.

So I'm trying to say, I think I've run the gamut of "proven rememedies." I have dizziness, vertigo, drainage, facial pain, nausea, earaches, ringing in my ears, constant throat clearing type coughing, etc., but headaches are easily the worst and there are many times when the only thing to do is turn out the lights, set the a/c as cold as possible and hibernate in bed.

Good Luck!