Monday, February 11, 2019

Val Discovers Ancient Chinese Secret

Don't be jealous! It's not like I'm getting my own series on The Discovery Channel. I was, after all, scooped on that discovery the ENGLAND is and ISLAND! My discovery is more like that of Hick, who uncovered the concept that GOATS are HERD ANIMALS!

It's uncanny that I even stumbled upon my new knowledge. I'd had a headache for almost two weeks, and was not thinking clearly. Sitting in the salesman's cubicle while buying SilverRedO on January 29th, I'd told Hick:

"I hope I don't get that headache again. Every afternoon it starts. I think it has something to do with the weather. I'm fine when I get up, but in town, my head gets all stuffy. By the time I get home, I have to take something for it. I'm pretty sure it's my sinuses. It hurts in my forehead, but mostly in my face."

Of course Hick didn't reply. Not even a grunt. No sympathy for the devil his loving wife.

My headache started arriving earlier, and hurting more. I did everything I could to relieve it. Acetaminophen. Aspirin. Ibuprofen. Frequent sessions with my vibrator...


...which I used to loosen up congestion in the sinus areas, at times resulting in a gush of clear snot like I'd opened a spigot, and to push the end of my nose sideways, which can sometimes elicit a sneeze, which loosens the congestion as well.

As it progressed, the headache kept me awake at night, and started as soon as I woke up from an hour or two of sleep. I actually considered seeing a doctor! Especially after three days of pain in my upper left jaw along with the headache and pain in my neck and shoulders. I figured the neck stuff was from stress from the constant head pain. And the jaw could have been a toothache, I guess, since I have a broken tooth in that area. However, holding my face under hot water in the shower made ALL THE PAIN GO AWAY! For the shower, and about 30 minutes after.

This just strengthened my opinion that I had sinus issues. I consulted my estranged BFF Google to see if sinuses can cause jaw pain. THEY CAN! Particularly maxillary sinusitis. The symptoms were exactly what was wrong with me. I was relieved to see that it usually resolves on its own, even without treatment. I figured I was nearing the end of the tunnel. I could tough it out a few more days.

THEN I saw, in the suggestions for home treatment, a hot shower. Uh huh. I was on the right track. I'd been doctoring myself pretty good with that method. It was the another suggestion that caught my eye: ACUPRESSURE!

Acupressure is like acupuncture, but without needles. Apparently, there's an area called LI 20 that you can press to relieve a headache. SUUURE, though Val. But I looked it up. It's where the bottom edge of your nose joins your cheek. Put a finger there, on each side, and press on it for 3 minutes. You can hold pressure, or massage it. I just pushed. At first, I couldn't even swallow my own spit like that. I was so congested. My ears wanted to pop, and I kind of choke-snorted. So I quit trying to swallow. After 2 minutes, I wasn't sure this thing was doing any good. But right at 3 minutes, I could swallow as if nothing was wrong. My head had quit hurting. My jaw had quit hurting.

WHAT A FANTASTIC DISCOVERY!

My pain was abated for a couple hours. When it started to creep back, I did the pressure thing again. I was able to sleep all night. When I woke up, the pain was gone, but I had a little blister/abcess thingy on my gum by that tooth. That comes and goes, every couple of years, because I won't go to the dentist. I'm wondering if relieving the pressure on that tooth nerve let it vent an infection to the gum, or if a sinus infection had gotten into the tooth nerve. Chicken or egg, I guess. I'm thinking the latter, because normally a hot shower on the face doesn't cure a toothache. Doesn't matter, because the next day, that little blister was gone. Everything's back to normal.

I'm really glad I discovered acupressure!

17 comments:

  1. Good trick, but still...got to a dentist.

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    1. Last time, I had to have the kids' dentist of the group, and laughing gas. I kept getting anxious, and turns out their clown canister of gas was running low, and I really wasn't getting the proper dose.

      Whoever came up with the clown theme must have hated kids, because seems like a lot of them fear clowns like I fear the dentist.

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    2. Aha! the clown fear is explained. I never understood why so many Americans fear clowns, now I know it is because they are associated with childhood dentists. We don't have that problem out here. If gas is needed it comes in a regular canister and most kids who need work done get injected anaesthetic instead anyway. After a numbing gel is rubbed on the gums so the pain is less.

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    3. I had the numbing gel and the injection, but I STILL need that gas, or I'll freak out and try to get out of the chair. I don't like to feel trapped. That's why I sit by the door in the movie theater, too. I think they might frown upon me bringing in a canister of nitrous oxide there!

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  2. I'm glad you found that pressure trick, but agree with joeh that you really should see a dentist. Most of my front teeth have had root canal treatment because I used to get such awful toothaches, turns out the problem was sinus pressure on the tooth nerves because of severe hayfever. I discovered that connection quite by accident when I took antihistamine for the sinus pain above my eyes and the current toothache disappeared.
    Did you do a post once before about this particular headache? I could have told you it was sinus pain and antihistamine would help. but you've found your own cure, so that's probably better. Now you just b=need to find out what it is you are breathing when the headache starts and maybe avoid it if you can.

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    1. Yes, I was getting a headache from casino smoke, but at least it didn't last two weeks. Just a day. Worth if for me to go to casinos! I don't know what's triggering the outside headache. It's WINTER. Happened on the bitter cold days, and on the 70 degree day. It's not time for pollen yet.

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    2. The problem will be the intense cold then, I have the same thing in winter here (stop laughing) when the mornings are frosty. The cold hurts my sinuses and my teeth. I'm glad I'm retired now and can stay inside until the winter days warm up around 9-10am.

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    3. I'm only laughing at the thought of you braving the winter chill, since it's been about eleventy-billion degrees there lately.

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  3. I went to the dentist and they asked if my face hurt. I thought they were going to say it was hurting them, but seems I had a sinus issue and it caused pain in the roots of my back teeth. There is something about pressure points!

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    1. Heh, heh! My sister used to try that joke on me all the time.

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  4. So glad that acupressure worked for you!!

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    1. Now I can use it when I'm clogged! I am curious if it will help during a cold.

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  5. I am going to try that! I still think my headaches are associated with the wood burning stove. HeWho is tinkering with the fire right now and I can feel the pressure building in my head.

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    1. It can't hurt! Only three minutes of your life that you'll never get back!

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