Allergy headaches during chinavirus WARS pandemic when you shouldn't take ibuprofen?

Our allergy season came on strong this week. "They" are recommending against NSAID's, which I rely upon heavily. Anyone have any OTC suggestions without having to go peel a birch tree?

Excedrin is about the only thing that works on headaches of any kid for me. That said, they’ve had some kind of production issues recently and that shit is about as common as TP. I have found that the generic versions works just about as well.

I usually start with the acupressure points between the thumbs. Lot of time, this will break a muscle-tension headache. I usually use aspirin, if I have a really bad one. For the allergy issues, i use local honey.

I don't get headaches too bad or often so don't relate to your level of pain. I have had a headache off and on for over a week now. My wife gave me peppermint essential oil rolled onto the back of my neck and temples. Help quite a bit. Aspirin a few times.

France is the country that came out with the NSAIDS warning, specifically ibuprofen, but some of their ramblings include aspirin and cortisone in them. There are several things at play there. One this was only an announcement made by the French health minister that ibuprofen COULD cause complications, and two - with France, this is perhaps the most important, in January before the virus came into play at all, France had issued a ruling that all NSAIDS come with a warning that they must consult their physician before use. This seems to have been a step toward making all NSAIDS prescription only in France.

Supposedly the study that showed ibuprofen could be a problem came from Austria. Austria's medical people say the Austrian equivalent of "oh hell no we didn't say that" and called it fake news.

Another internet rumor said the information came from The Lancet. It did not. The Lancet had an article on the increased complications with patients with other risk factors, such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. One doctor in the article said that the increased risk could also be coming from the medications used to treat those diseases, but that was only a hypothesis, with no effort to prove or disprove it, just one of several possibilities.

The author of the Lancet article who made that comment clarified after this rumor started, that in no way was the article recommending for or against the use of any medication, there was no indication that medication were the problem, it could well be just the disease risk factors. He further said if anyone was unsure or uncomfortable with any medication, they should consult their physician as their physician would know the relative need for a given medication in that patient's treatment plan.


I treat allergy headaches with 1 naproxen sodium (Aleve or naprosyn) and 1 - 10 mg. sudafed.


P.S. peeling birch bark would give you the equivalent of aspirin... and you'd be back to the NSAID question.

I saw the “no ibuprofen” part and the OTC part but skipped right over the “no NSAID” part. Ignore my rambling about excedrin.

Someday I’ll learn to read properly.

I should have included this in the op
I take 2 full size aspirin daily and have for many years under doctor orders as part of my regime. The nurse called and discussed it with me Friday and we thought it might be best of I stopped/ tapered or cut back to 3 baby aspirin. I didn't take any last night or this morning and I feel like crap. Joints hurt but the sinus pressure is insane. Upon reading mel's words, I just took my regular dose. I guess I'm going to continue with what I'm doing, China and their virus be damned.

She might have recommended the reduction of the aspirin because of the excessive blood thinning properties of that much aspirin. Mine cut me back from 1 regular to 2 baby (so he halved the dose) in late December because he was concerned I might get the flu and it would make bronchial bleeds so much easier to happen. That was before we realized the China flu existed.

But I'm in no way a medical person, just another person on an aspirin regime.

Makes sense now that you say it like that. The bronchial bleed part wasn't explained to me. Perhaps I've had too much coffee today.

I think we're all on a tightwire of tension right now. Makes things look a little skewed sometimes.

Along with a daily aspirin I’m taking a large grain of salt. Too much BS information is more of a problem than too little.
YMMV

@branchmanager

I was reading the doc or one of them, so much info late and talking with some medical provider's I know about this and they had said low dose aspirin should be fine because its minute dose, but not a doctor. But Ibuprofen (advil/motrin) and Naproxen (Aleve) if you are exposed to the virus. Acetaminophen may have less negative effects on the body.
Class of NSAIDs OTC are
Ibuprofen
Aspirin
Naproxen Sodium

Acetaminophen is not considered an NSAID drug.

Personally for tension headaches I typically use ibuprofen but lately i've gone natural (tigerbalm on the temples, jaw and neck) or acetaminophen just to be on the safe side.

I'm not a doctor and wouldn't suggest not taking any medications you've been prescribed like low dose aspirin because you could cause more cardiovascular stress than the risk. If infected this is something to consider and discuss with a doctor.
One other thing to consider is a specific class of blood pressure medication was considered to be dangerous while infected with Covid-19 and actually possibly increase risks but I saw this data has been changed and because of the structure of the medication it actually may not only be safer to take but it may offer very minor protective properties in the lungs. Again this is changing so fast it's hard to nail down what is actually being indicated from one day to the next.

Ibuprofen has been my go to forever. I have trashcan sized pill bottles of my refills in my medical supplies. Go to for headaches and other pains. Recently I'm taking 500mg of acetaminophen if a natural remedy doesn't work. Peppermint oil can be very helpful and also clears the sinuses especially if you put a few drops in a bowl and steam your head with a towel over a bowl of hot water and peppermint oil. That cleared my horrible sinus infection up in 2 days and reduced the pressure in 10 mins. Also TigerBalm helps me a lot with headaches and same with my GF. On the temples, jaw,neck and even shoulders. Chest may help too since camphor clears the sinuses too. I HIGHLY recommend wearing a glove to apply. A few part of the body are pretty sensitive to Tiger Balm, not to mention the eyes. If you do decide to take acetaminophen be very aware of any other medications you take with it in them. Severe or fatal liver damage can occur with acetaminophen if you take too much in a given window.

Now in my EDC bag I carry tiger balm with a few gloves so I'm not grabbing them from my trauma gear. Burn me once shame on me Haha. And that burn hangs around for a while. Also delay showering for at least 30 mins from application for the same reasons.
I personally use the more liquid version of Tiger Balm, the Neck and Shoulder rub. This works well for me but a lot of stores stopped selling it without pre-order. I found a seller on ebay, US seller. Who sells it and it is exactly what I usually buy.

I wonder if CBD would be of any benefit.
i have no experience in using it, so I don't know.

Anybody?

Personally it doesn't work for me, it actually gives me vertigo and anxiety. I have a strange metabolic system if I take Benadryl I'm wide awake, I can take daytime cold medicine and it works like benydral for other people. Don't use me as a guide.
However my family and friends have amazing success with it for inflammation, nerve pain, PTSD and anxiety.

My GF takes cbd oil for neuropathic pain from a herniated disc and occasionally migraines and it works well for her. She's been taking it well over a year. She loves it, I was messing with her before the Covid-19 outbreak jump from China she should stock up just in case it's that beneficial for her. No psychoactive effects, and 50 state legal. She gets 1mg/drop- c02 extracted, decarboxilated hemp derived from Endoca. I'll try to find the promo code they run all the time it's a discount and cheaper or free shipping. Be careful buying gas station CBD, it's made in China or India and can have heavy metals etc. Endoca does all independent lab testing of their products with the info public.

This is what she takes. The Raw stuff in non decarboxilated and has less effect.

https://www.endoca.com/product/hemp-oil-drops-300mg-3-percent

Promo code is COR15 for 15% off.

I've seen multiple documented cases of extremely severe epilepsy.
I'm sure it can help with Goblins headaches.

I am not real impressed with the warnings against ibuprofen, as Mel said not really based on much data. I wouldn't be afraid to use it.

GVA - I have the same kind of backwards or exaggerated response to those kinds of medications too. I use children's chewable claritin during allergy season, because that dosage DOESN'T impact me.

For the sinus headache, it stands to reason that a painkiller only gives temporary relief from the problem. The headache is caused by those stuffy sinuses. Steam is useful, and I like eucalyptus & camphor (main ingreds in Vick's) as well as anything. I also use a compressed nasal spray - it's simply saline; no medication - rather than the neti pot some people swear by. Twice a day, with the spray - especially before bed. If you can loosen/relieve the pressure in the sinuses, the headache should go away on it's own.

I agree it doesn't have enough data, I've heard a few people who have been potentially infected while working in wings for Covid and told better to not take it until they have more solid data either way. Aside from people who have been exposed I don't see anything that shows it dangerous to take.
The data for so much related to this virus is all over the place from positives and false positives, communal spread, surface life or vector spread, along with even BP meds that are dangerous and now seem to have no effect at all.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who has a strange drug metabolism. Even benzocaine/epinephrine used in dentistry I need almost the maximum dose to have an effect on the nerve yet I take benadryl and feel like I drank a pot of coffee. Who knows.
I should try some children's claritin, as a reserve for when alternative medicine doesn't work. Eucalyptus and camphor is also in my GFs alternative medicine cabinet. She has a wide variety or herbs and oils that we've had some really good luck with. These are a either used in conjunction with traditional medicines or in place if possible. We have a bulk herb wholesaler near by so we tend to test something and stock up if it works.
This is something we like having a layered approach to treatments just in case.

I've heard good things about Simply Saline and neti pots, I haven't tried them yet. I will have to get one to try. Using the steams with oils helps so much. It has taken brutal sinus pressure to almost gone in 10-15 mins. Well worth it to keep the oils around.