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Hey Doctor, So The Other Day I Left My Ceiling
Question: Hey doctor,
So the other day I left my ceiling fan on overnight while I was a sleep and I hadn’t used it for a while. The last day and half now I’ve had this really stuffy and runny nose because of it. I think there might of been dust on the fans blades since I hadn’t used it in a while which caused some sort of allergic reaction where I can’t stop my runny nose. I tried Clarytine Antihistamine and this morning I tried Phenylephrine this morning which kind of helped but it hasn’t gotten rid of it. What else can I try and how long do you think this will last? I have to fly out on Saturday so about 4 days from now including today would there be any downsides to flying with the stuffy nose will I get sinus pain and increase my chance of catching something I’m going to Bali and I’m from Australia so I know they have a lot of bacteria and virus that we don’t have.
Kind Regards,
Daniel
So the other day I left my ceiling fan on overnight while I was a sleep and I hadn’t used it for a while. The last day and half now I’ve had this really stuffy and runny nose because of it. I think there might of been dust on the fans blades since I hadn’t used it in a while which caused some sort of allergic reaction where I can’t stop my runny nose. I tried Clarytine Antihistamine and this morning I tried Phenylephrine this morning which kind of helped but it hasn’t gotten rid of it. What else can I try and how long do you think this will last? I have to fly out on Saturday so about 4 days from now including today would there be any downsides to flying with the stuffy nose will I get sinus pain and increase my chance of catching something I’m going to Bali and I’m from Australia so I know they have a lot of bacteria and virus that we don’t have.
Kind Regards,
Daniel
Brief Answer:
Yes it seems allergy
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to Ask A Doctor service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
You seem to have developed allergy due to continuous flow of air (and dust) due to ceiling fan. You can continue with Claritin and phenylephrine for few days. Alternately you can try chlorpheniramine which can cause drowsiness.
I donot think another medicine can be added to this regime, as its an allergy and another medicine will not benefit.
You can take precautions to avoid dust and lint accumulation in your room.
This can stay for few days (5-7 days).
Allergic sinusitis may develop. Steam inhalation or alternate nostril breathing may help.
In Bali you can take precautions like wearing a mask, avoid contact with sick people, hygienic food and clean drinking water. These precautions can safeguard you against infections.
Any preventive antibiotic is not needed in respiratory illness or traveler diarhea. Unless you develop a bacterial infection that has been proven in tests.
Hope this helps. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Dr Vaishalee
Yes it seems allergy
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to Ask A Doctor service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
You seem to have developed allergy due to continuous flow of air (and dust) due to ceiling fan. You can continue with Claritin and phenylephrine for few days. Alternately you can try chlorpheniramine which can cause drowsiness.
I donot think another medicine can be added to this regime, as its an allergy and another medicine will not benefit.
You can take precautions to avoid dust and lint accumulation in your room.
This can stay for few days (5-7 days).
Allergic sinusitis may develop. Steam inhalation or alternate nostril breathing may help.
In Bali you can take precautions like wearing a mask, avoid contact with sick people, hygienic food and clean drinking water. These precautions can safeguard you against infections.
Any preventive antibiotic is not needed in respiratory illness or traveler diarhea. Unless you develop a bacterial infection that has been proven in tests.
Hope this helps. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for that doc so the flare up could last possibly 5-7 days? If it does develop into allergic sinusitis how would I know and is there different treatment and prognosis? Would this effect me on the plane would it be painful in my sinuses or ears going up with this?
Would pseudoephedrine help or would that be too strong for allergic rhinitis and can you drink alcohol or anything like that with phenylephrine or antihistamine or should you wait a certain amount of time after taking the tablet?
Another thing on a un-related topic I’ve been having this ache like pain on right side of my back just under my should blade. Things like alcohol, and certain foods like sauces, mayonnaise trigger it off and I’m not sure what it is. I’ve read up that after drinking alcohol and having the right sided back pain under the shoulder can be a symptom of lyhphoma? Or could it possibly be my gallbladder?
Brief Answer:
Yes sinusitis can last longer for few weeks
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
Sinusitis can have a longer duration of symptoms. Its symptoms are usually pain in the cheeks, pain on the inner side of eyebrows below the bone, headache, pain in teeth, more severe post-nasal drip, etc. An Xray or scan will confirm the sinusitis.
In aeroplane ears can hurt if eustachian tube is blocked in nose. Eustachian tube equalizes the pressure in middle ear and nose. During take off and landing of plane, air pressure in cabin can change. Ear hurt can decrease if decongestant is taken before flight or regular swallowing movements are done during landing and take off of flights.
Yes pseudoephedrine can be stronger decongestant. Decongestants are also available as nasal sprays e.g Xylometazoline. Steroidal nasal sprays are also available under prescription.
Yes alcohol is to be avoided for atleast 6 hrs after anti-histamine dose as these can have additive sedative effect.
Right shoulder blade pain seems to be coming from Gall bladder. You can get a scan for gall bladder stones. These can be painful in presence of fatty foods, spicy foods and alcohol. Its doesn't seem to be lymphoma.
Dr Vaishalee
Yes sinusitis can last longer for few weeks
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
Sinusitis can have a longer duration of symptoms. Its symptoms are usually pain in the cheeks, pain on the inner side of eyebrows below the bone, headache, pain in teeth, more severe post-nasal drip, etc. An Xray or scan will confirm the sinusitis.
In aeroplane ears can hurt if eustachian tube is blocked in nose. Eustachian tube equalizes the pressure in middle ear and nose. During take off and landing of plane, air pressure in cabin can change. Ear hurt can decrease if decongestant is taken before flight or regular swallowing movements are done during landing and take off of flights.
Yes pseudoephedrine can be stronger decongestant. Decongestants are also available as nasal sprays e.g Xylometazoline. Steroidal nasal sprays are also available under prescription.
Yes alcohol is to be avoided for atleast 6 hrs after anti-histamine dose as these can have additive sedative effect.
Right shoulder blade pain seems to be coming from Gall bladder. You can get a scan for gall bladder stones. These can be painful in presence of fatty foods, spicy foods and alcohol. Its doesn't seem to be lymphoma.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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