I want to stick something in my ears!!!!

[Oliveshoots]

They are itching SOOOOOO bad! Itching and pressure. No pain yet, but like the pressure you get when you drive up a steep mountain and your ears "stop up", only I can't get them to "pop".

I know it's congestion. I've taken decongestants and nothing is helping my ears!! Or my nose, for that matter. You know when your nose is so stopped up that NOTHING is getting through? When I get like that and have to breathe 100% through my mouth, I get so freaked out. I feel like I'm suffocating if I can't breathe through my nose. I have these irrational fears that something is going to clamp over my mouth and I'm going to suffocate. I also have dry-mouth from so much mouth breathing. ICK!!!! :sick

I want to just dig out my ear drums with a hairpin or something.

AAARRRGGGGHHHHH.... :hissyfit

I hate getting a cold in the summer. I really just want to go to bed, but too much to do. :(

Maybe I can take some time off tomorrow.

I just hope I don't get the body aches my mom has had the past couple of days. :shiver

Okay, wah wah wah, whine over :grin

[crunchymum]

:hug2

have you ever done ear candling? i would try it. i was amazed at how much just came out of my ears!!! it was just gross!!! :jawdrop

i would also look into a neti pot: http://www.sinucleanse.com/netipotlanding.htm?source=google&group=neti&campaign=1 i haven't used it yet, but i have friends and friend's grandma's that SWEAR by it. one of them had chronic ear infections her whole life and after she started using it, nothing. :yes

the thing with decongestants is that they dry stuff up, but sometimes the 'stuff' just needs to get out, so it can make it worse. :/


seriously, try it. i hope you feel better soon!!! :hugheart

[Oliveshoots]

I have ear candles at home. :tu Love 'em!!

They do give me temporary relief, the warmth and the reverse pressure. But then when it's done, about an hour later they start hurting again.

My mom uses a Waterpik with this funky attachment for her nose to clean her sinuses and she has had WAY less sinus problems since starting that. I may look for a neti pot, or improvise with a bulb syringe and some saline solution.

Thanks, Jen.

Man I would so love to candle them both today, but I have work then a rehearsal until 9:30 pm. maybe while dinner cooks..... :think :lol

[crunchymum]

you can get the neti pot at walgreens or cvs or whatever...

i've never candled my own ears! :jawdrop i'm always so nervous!! :giggle

[Oliveshoots]

I use a mirror. :yes Dh has this nifty hand-held mirror he uses when shaving his head and it is light-weight enough to hold the whole time. It's also large enough to see my head and the entire candle.

I also have a large bowl of water right in front of me, so when it gets down a couple of inches from the foil, (I use a foil "shield" and hold the candle with 2 fingers under the shield), I dip it into the water.

I made my mom or dh help me the first few times, then when I figured out how it burns and how fast, and the best way to protect my hair/ear/hand and the best way to put it out, I started doing it by myself.

So there's your DIY ear-candling tutorial. :lol

Oh, and i always have a pair of scissors on hand because usually the tip that goes in my ear is smooshed closed, so I cut a bit off to make a more open hole. I also cut it open after it has cooled to see what comes out. :shifty EWWWWWW!!!!! :giggle I'm wierd that way. The first time I did it and got these big chunks out I was going around showing dh and my mom and they were pretty grossed out, but impressed that it actually worked. :haha

[crunchymum]

:lol we totally cut open the end!!!! eeeww! :lol

[Oliveshoots]

:roll :haha That is too funny. It's just too interesting not to, ya know? :giggle

So I bought me one of those SinuCleanse neti pots last night!!! :dance :rockon That has to be the best $15 I've spent lately (2nd to lunch for two at 12 Bones :giggle :shifty)

It has *really* helped my nose and sinuses. And maybe it helped my ears, I dunno, but they aren't as miserable as they were. I've avoided decongestant, becuase I think I'm already semi-dehydrated, so I used some tylenol for the pain and that soothed me.

Welcome to Jen's pharmacopia of natural medical wonders...how may we help you? :giggle

Okay, so I've got the ear candling....got the neti pot....so my ears and nose are covered....

Now what can I do about this icky burny chest congestion? :crazy2

[crunchymum]

Welcome to Jen's pharmacopia of natural medical wonders...how may we help you?


:giggle when i did an internship for a youth missions organization years ago, everyone called me the "medicine woman"... :lol all my little bottles of herbs and such. (and, i gave a pretty decent haircut! :P~ )


i'm so glad it's helping! i'm telling you my friends rave about it, i just haven't had the opportunity to use it yet! (NOT that i am complaining! ) i'm not sure what to tell you about the chest congestion... if it's cold or whatnot, you may just need to stay hydrated and ride it out. making a steambath and putting some eucalyptus oil in it and breathing it in may help it feel better. you could also try the hydrotherapy thing where you run a hot bath (as hot and you can handle) and put an ice pack around your neck and a cold towel on you head. and as with anything, when you're fighting off something, steering clear of refined sugars is going to help your body do it's thing. :yes


:rockon :pray2

[lavendermama]

You might try some breathe easy tea by Traditional Medicinals. Also mullein herb is the lung herb! And I would definitely recommend hydrotherapy!