Womaning-up time

Because I don't like going in to the doctor or dentist at the best of times.

But I decided that I just couldn't keep treating the symptoms of this thing. It was really bad midday today (though now, after taking a couple ibuprofen and doing the saline rinse, the pain is almost gone again). I debated whether to go to my doctor or the dentist - I THINK this is sinus, based on the symptoms, but I FEAR it's that screwed-up front tooth going bad.

I decided to go with the doctor, on the grounds that it's usually easier to get in to see her on short notice, and if this is any kind of a bacterial infection, even if it's dental, the underlying infection will need to be eliminated first before any work can be done. And my dentist might just push on my cheekbones to see if I wince and send me to the doctor for a prescription, anyway - that happened once before. And I can press on my own cheekbones, and yeah, it kind of hurts.

The saline rinse was a lot harder to do today, it seems like the water doesn't move as smoothly, and I did notice that the mucus (sorry) is beginning to look faintly infected. (You learn these kinds of things when you have sinus problems).

Hopefully, I can get a simple prescription (that I tolerate okay: no sulfa drugs!) and start feeling better quickly. I was really hopeful when I got up this morning and felt so much better but I suspect I'm best not waiting on getting it checked out since the pain isn't totally gone, it's just that it's responsive to treatment.

****

Well, the diagnosis is badly inflamed nasal passages from allergies, doubtless also inflamed sinuses that aren't draining right. I have a steroid nasal spray to use and see if that works. (Originally she wanted to give me a steroid *shot*, but I talked her down from that on the grounds that I wouldn't sleep and would be grumpy.) If this doesn't work, then I have to take Prednisone tablets for a few days.

Well, that probably explains why a dose of ibuprofen pretty much removes the pain. She didn't think the tooth was involved other than that its roots are touching the sinus cavity nearest where the problem is.

I cancelled my piano lesson today out of an excess of caution - the doctor was fitting me in, and while she wasn't busy today, there was a time in the past where I had to wait nearly to the end of the day because there were a few emergencies before me. And anyway, I wasn't feeling good AT ALL around 1 pm today (when I made the appointment), so.

I think I've had this nasal spray before; it's a generic but it smells like roses and I KNOW I've had one in the past that smelled like this. (It's the generic form of Flonase). She did say if this helps I can just take it daily during allergy season.