luvpeace
New Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 74
|
Post by luvpeace on Nov 28, 2008 13:20:10 GMT -5
Hi everyone,
I've been having chronic sinusitis for a long time, with it getting worse and worse over the last few months. I've been vacillating between level .5 to 2 clutter in my bedroom. Originally I thought it was from food allergies, but I no longer eat those foods (esp. wheat). It's especially bad in the mornings and usually gets better by sundown, so the bedroom may be the culprit.
It now looks as though it may be from one or more of several things: mold (there had been a leak in the wall by my bed many years ago), something in the heating vent, dust from clutter and/or carpet, or plants outside. A couple of months ago, I realized that it was worse when I slept with my bedroom window open, so I've been keeping that closed. We just cut down a plant outside which I think was a problem.
Does anyone have suggestions? Perhaps I need to fully declutter and have it be totally cleaned? Luckily I have someone I can pay to do the cleaning. Perhaps when I declutter I should wear a mask? How do you check if there's mold inside the walls (it's not visible, but the leak streaks are). Can you let me know about websites with more information? My SIL just lent me a HEPA air filter. I used it last night for part of the night (slept in an adjoining room), but it was so loud I finally had to turn it off. Still woke up stuffed up. What's important to look for in an air purifier? How do I figure what's really the cause (plus what exacerbates the problem?)
Anything that would help me figure out the cause, what to do and how to do it would be appreciated. This is really getting in the way of me being functional.
Thank you so much.
|
|
|
|
Post by metamorpha on Nov 28, 2008 13:42:48 GMT -5
Could it be hayfever? I've only had it twice but I always woke up feeling terrible but by the afternoon felt much better. My doctor said that's how he knew it was hayfever vs. a cold, etc. Chlortrimaton was the best medicine I could find for it. If think you're having a similar allergy I would try that for relief. I know hepa filters, both standalone and heat duct hepa filters are supposed to work well, but before going to the expense, I might see a doctor first.
Good luck.
|
|
|
|
Post by mellowyellow on Nov 28, 2008 14:09:15 GMT -5
I have certain seasonal allergies that happen even in the winter (during the cold times, I am sensitive to "snow mold"). Another bad time is during or just after a rainfall.
I never know when it will happen, but there are moments when I have to wake up and get out of bed to close the window.
The worst times seem to be in the early hours of morning like 4 or 5 am. Someone once told me that that is when molds and spores release, or are at their peak.
Whenever I feel this coming on, I just make sure to keep the window closed, and if it is particularly bad, just avoid going outside. Sometimes I have to take a pill.
As for dust, I find that if I do not vacuum on a regular basis, I tend to be very sinusy and congested. I never realized it was dust and cat dander until I had a clean home. Now that my vacuum cleaner is broken, I have once again noticed the sinusy and sneezing symptoms.
|
|
|
|
Post by heylady1 on Nov 28, 2008 16:11:36 GMT -5
Do you have a fan going in the room? I know for myself that if the ceiling fan is on too high I will wake up with my sinuses clogged, also if the fan needs to be cleaned, that will trigger it too!! (I'm one of those people who must have air circulation when sleeping) All the vents in your house may be a problem too. If they are clogged up with mold, dust, etc.. that can be a source too. There are companies that will come out and clean all the ventilation ducts in the house but that can be $$ and if your house is cluttered, then that's another problem you have to deal with.  BUT, what you can do is to make sure the air filter on your heating unit is clean and you can also get an air filter to put inside the vent in your bedroom. You will have to remove the grill and cut the filter to fit but you should be able to rig something up. Like this: www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100019705&N=10000003+90401+500387Another huge source of allergens is your bed. Dust mites cause a lot of problems. There are a couple of ways to kill them. I believe Febreeze makes a product that kills off dust mites, and there are probably others too. Also, you can kill them by using a hot iron on your mattress. Iron the whole mattress and your pillow(s) too. When you are done with either method, vacuum the whole bed well to remove as much of their dead bodies and waste that you can. Other than mold you can see I don't know how to detect it inside walls. You may need a professional to do this. HTH and good luck!! |
|
|
|
Post by eagle on Nov 28, 2008 16:13:07 GMT -5
Bed pillows need to be replaced every year or two. If not properly cleaned and maintained, they can harbor dust mites and contribute to asthma. So I would suggest you first consider you pillows. I would also suggest using a zippered pillow cover over the pillow, and then a pillow case over that. Then I would also suggest that you strip the bed and vacuum the mattress, flip it, and vacuum it on the other side. Then put a really good mattress pad on top of that. Then clean sheets. Clean the mattress pad periodically. Vacuum the mattress when you flip & turn the mattress (about every 6 months.) Mattresses also tend to harbor dust mites. Breathing dust mites aggravates the respiratory system. So I'd suggest addressing this issue first. Another thing you might need to do is to replace the furnace filters. This should be done as frequently as monthly, depending on the kind of furnace you have. We change ours monthly here at our house. You might find that if you remove the wall vent (or floor vent) in your bedroom that there are big bits of dust inside. We found that when we bought the house and assumed the previous owners did not clean the vents at all for a very long time. And of course, frequent vacuuming of your carpet. And yes, if you have lots of sensitivity right now and lots of dust in the room, wearing a mask is a good idea. If you really do have mold in a more exposed area, then a mask is surely a wise choice while working in the room. Here is a site about toxic black mold with some good information about detection, etc. |
|
hopehope
Banned
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,815 
|
Post by hopehope on Nov 29, 2008 1:18:50 GMT -5
dairy?
|
|
