How would you approach this lingering congestion?
December 19, 2024 6:13 AM
After about ten days, I can't seem to kick this lingering congestion. Not bad enough to knock me out of commission, but I have things to do and people to see and no one wants me sniffling all over them. What should I do?
About ten days ago, I got a mild cold/illness - a couple days of sore throat, congestion, tiredness. Then it eased up... I still have periods of time every day where I am congested, and then stretches where I feel fine - but when congested, in the nose, needing to blow my nose, coughing. Again, its mild, but I notice it - it doesn't make work from home fun, and I have some social things to attend over the holidays. I'd like to not be sneezing and sniffling on people.
What sort of steps would you take to address this lingering congestion? Do you do things like take vitamin C pills or other vitamins, do a sinus rinse, drink teas, hot baths? Vigorous exercise or rest? Should I see my doctor at this point?
A few variables:
- I did move into a new apartment recently, its great but a little dingy - wasn't deep cleaned befpre I got here.
- I do have cats, could I have recently developed an allergy?
- I live in the Northeast, its been blustery up and down temperatures between 35-50.
- I've tested, not Covid.
I know others have longer periods of congestion, but I very seldom get any respiratory illnesses - I could be overreacting and should just wait it out. I'd love to hear your home remedies, thanks!
About ten days ago, I got a mild cold/illness - a couple days of sore throat, congestion, tiredness. Then it eased up... I still have periods of time every day where I am congested, and then stretches where I feel fine - but when congested, in the nose, needing to blow my nose, coughing. Again, its mild, but I notice it - it doesn't make work from home fun, and I have some social things to attend over the holidays. I'd like to not be sneezing and sniffling on people.
What sort of steps would you take to address this lingering congestion? Do you do things like take vitamin C pills or other vitamins, do a sinus rinse, drink teas, hot baths? Vigorous exercise or rest? Should I see my doctor at this point?
A few variables:
- I did move into a new apartment recently, its great but a little dingy - wasn't deep cleaned befpre I got here.
- I do have cats, could I have recently developed an allergy?
- I live in the Northeast, its been blustery up and down temperatures between 35-50.
- I've tested, not Covid.
I know others have longer periods of congestion, but I very seldom get any respiratory illnesses - I could be overreacting and should just wait it out. I'd love to hear your home remedies, thanks!
There are two things going on here:
1) Your comfort
2) Whether or not you are contagious
Yes, I think you should see your doctor, because:
1) Sometimes colds turn into sinus infections that need to be treated with antibiotics (note: sinus infections can cause coughing).
2) Your doctor can advise you about whether or not you are contagious.
#2, above, is a very important because it will let you know whether or not you risk infecting other people if you are around them, and I know you don't want to harm anyone.
p.s. I never use home remedies when I have a cold, because they don't cure anything, they just sometimes make the process more bearable. Personally, I just white knuckle it and let my immune system do everything. The only remedy I use is a visit to the doctor if I think it is necessary.
posted by SageTrail at 6:28 AM on December 19
1) Your comfort
2) Whether or not you are contagious
Yes, I think you should see your doctor, because:
1) Sometimes colds turn into sinus infections that need to be treated with antibiotics (note: sinus infections can cause coughing).
2) Your doctor can advise you about whether or not you are contagious.
#2, above, is a very important because it will let you know whether or not you risk infecting other people if you are around them, and I know you don't want to harm anyone.
p.s. I never use home remedies when I have a cold, because they don't cure anything, they just sometimes make the process more bearable. Personally, I just white knuckle it and let my immune system do everything. The only remedy I use is a visit to the doctor if I think it is necessary.
posted by SageTrail at 6:28 AM on December 19
I sometimes use Afrin *very conservatively* to relieve congestion before bedtime. (Read on Afrin addiction and rebound congestion so that you use it knowingly.)
I also use a Flonase nasal spray, which is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation of the sinuses.
And, during the day, if I need to manage congestion, I use pseudoephedrine. If you buy Sudafed, you have to make sure you get the stuff with pseudoephedrine (sometimes behind the pharmacy counter in the USA, and you need to show ID for it), not the stuff with phenylephrine (which is no more effective than a placebo).
I use Flonase freely, but pseudoephedrine and Afrin (especially!) pretty conservatively - only to clear up particularly uncomfortable or difficult situations.
SInus rinses don't do it for me, because my congestion tends to be sinus inflammation and swelling, not snot.
posted by entropone at 6:28 AM on December 19
I also use a Flonase nasal spray, which is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation of the sinuses.
And, during the day, if I need to manage congestion, I use pseudoephedrine. If you buy Sudafed, you have to make sure you get the stuff with pseudoephedrine (sometimes behind the pharmacy counter in the USA, and you need to show ID for it), not the stuff with phenylephrine (which is no more effective than a placebo).
I use Flonase freely, but pseudoephedrine and Afrin (especially!) pretty conservatively - only to clear up particularly uncomfortable or difficult situations.
SInus rinses don't do it for me, because my congestion tends to be sinus inflammation and swelling, not snot.
posted by entropone at 6:28 AM on December 19
I do not know where you are, so this may not be possible, but if you have any Chinese groceries near you then this may work.
While living in Hong Kong I started to use Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa syrup for exactly these situations and it works better than any normal more medicine medicine I have tried. I am not given to woo or to natural remedies. I would say normally I'm even actually hostile to them, but this stuff works. I always keep a bottle in the house.
Wikipedia article here.
posted by frumiousb at 6:45 AM on December 19
While living in Hong Kong I started to use Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa syrup for exactly these situations and it works better than any normal more medicine medicine I have tried. I am not given to woo or to natural remedies. I would say normally I'm even actually hostile to them, but this stuff works. I always keep a bottle in the house.
Wikipedia article here.
posted by frumiousb at 6:45 AM on December 19
Ok so I have the same thing (with cough) and went to urgent care yesterday and here is what I learned-
Basically everyone in NY has this and its just lingering. Its not only you. I have deemed it the winter crud.
It either gets significantly better at 12-14 days or it just doesn't and thats when you should get checked for either walking pneumonia (also going around) or a sinus infection. Both of those things need antibiotics.
My Dr said give it two more days and if its not changing fill the zpack rx (my dr is not your dr, ymmv)
The dust/cats is probably not helping but not the cause.
Ive been trying to stay super hydrated (warm/room temp water is less irritating that cold), humidifier by the bed at night, sleeping uprightish, hot bath w/ epson salts and just trying not to loose my mind.
Goodluck
posted by zara at 8:10 AM on December 19
Basically everyone in NY has this and its just lingering. Its not only you. I have deemed it the winter crud.
It either gets significantly better at 12-14 days or it just doesn't and thats when you should get checked for either walking pneumonia (also going around) or a sinus infection. Both of those things need antibiotics.
My Dr said give it two more days and if its not changing fill the zpack rx (my dr is not your dr, ymmv)
The dust/cats is probably not helping but not the cause.
Ive been trying to stay super hydrated (warm/room temp water is less irritating that cold), humidifier by the bed at night, sleeping uprightish, hot bath w/ epson salts and just trying not to loose my mind.
Goodluck
posted by zara at 8:10 AM on December 19
To check for allergies, maybe try Astepro. It's a nasal spray like Flonase, but it works as a one-off instead of having to be used for a while to start working. (One downside is Astepro has a weird sickly sweet aftertaste, eesh.)
For allergy people: Astepro was recommended to me as a newer OTC option by an allergist, released in 2022. One cool thing about it is it works with a different mechanism than Flonase, so you can stack them if need be.
posted by john hadron collider at 8:18 AM on December 19
For allergy people: Astepro was recommended to me as a newer OTC option by an allergist, released in 2022. One cool thing about it is it works with a different mechanism than Flonase, so you can stack them if need be.
posted by john hadron collider at 8:18 AM on December 19
My kid gets long sniffle/cough sequelae from winter colds sometimes. He has bad allergies and a respiratory system that seems prone to inflammation, so sometimes even when an active infection is long over, the inflammation lingers for weeks. We treat it with steroids - Flonase if it's sniffles and we use his asthma inhaler if it's cough. If it's going to work you'll notice lasting relief within probably 2-3 days.
posted by potrzebie at 8:45 AM on December 19
posted by potrzebie at 8:45 AM on December 19
After I found myself coughing for way longer than I would expect for a normal winter cold I asked my GP because I did not used to get long lasting sinus symptoms with nasty cough in my throat like that until last year.
I was told that I am not imagining that winter colds have changed and last a lot longer in young and middle aged adults than they used to. Apparently the underlying viruses have changed, they tend to cause slightly different and longer lasting symptoms than e.g. 5 years ago. It can take 4-6 weeks.
posted by koahiatamadl at 8:55 AM on December 19
I was told that I am not imagining that winter colds have changed and last a lot longer in young and middle aged adults than they used to. Apparently the underlying viruses have changed, they tend to cause slightly different and longer lasting symptoms than e.g. 5 years ago. It can take 4-6 weeks.
posted by koahiatamadl at 8:55 AM on December 19
Assuming other suggestions don't work, try wearing a well-fitted N95 mask at home for a few hours. If it helps, that suggests environmental factors are in play.
And if you can't fix the symptoms, make sure you wear a mask when out of the house to avoid worrying other people about your potential contagiousness.
posted by metasarah at 4:18 PM on December 19
And if you can't fix the symptoms, make sure you wear a mask when out of the house to avoid worrying other people about your potential contagiousness.
posted by metasarah at 4:18 PM on December 19
When I had a hella lingering cough last year - like 3 weeks after I had walking pneumonia (treated with antibiotics but the cough just would NOT go away) my sympathetic doc prescribed a steroid taper. It was wonderful.
posted by citygirl at 7:07 PM on December 19
posted by citygirl at 7:07 PM on December 19
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Be careful with decongestants (sudafed eg) in the dry weather, that can lead to opportunistic infections.
You may have developed a food sensitivity. If it keeps up into months, start a food log. My main sinus issue cleared up when I stopped eating the thing that was constantly triggering my immune system.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:25 AM on December 19