Dizzy infection headaches

[ryan310]

Two days ago I woke up with a slight sore throat and cough. While the sore throat is gone I am still coughing up mucus, have a headache dizziness and at time extremely hot. I do also have a slight ear ache on both sides. I did have diabetes in the past but was able to get off medication because of diet and exercise but have gained a lot of the weight back.

[Paderla Anitha, DNB]

Hello and hope you are doing well.

Fever and cough with sputum indicate an infection of the lower respiratory tract. The dizziness and headaches are a consequence to this. You need antibiotics to tackle the infection. So, please consult your primary care physician at the earliest. In the meantime you could try warm salt water gargles, steam inhalation and OTC Tylenol (acetaminophen).  

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

[mklarson]

It sounds more like one of the two viruses that are making the rounds right now in the U.S. and the U.K. It starts with a sore throat and and flu like symptoms with cough. It also usually includes sinus headaches and ear pain (due to the eustachian tube getting clogged between the sinuses and the ear). Now the bad news, even after the flu like symptoms are gone, the cough and mucus want to stick around for weeks (sometimes a couple of months). here is the best way to knock this out: There are some over the counter products that can help with your symptoms until you body gets an upper hand on the virus. I will give you the branded names of the products here in the USA and and the generic name when possible (not sure if branded names are the same in UK). First product you want is Mucinex D (guaifenesin and pseudoephedrine). This product will dry out your sinuses and help clear your Eustachian tube that runs from your nasal cavity up to your ears (this is where your ear pain, balance issues, and hearing problems can come from). This product will also thin your mucus to help you get it out instead of being so thick that coughing is a chore with little effect of getting it out. If you cannot find Mucinex D, then try to get each ingredient separately if possible.  If sleep is an issue then look for a product called NyQuil. It should only be taken if you are home and ready for bed. It will make you sleepy.  Here are the ingredients of NyQuil: Acetaminophen (325 mg/15 mL) (pain reliever/fever reducer)
Dextromethorphan (15 mg/15 mL) (cough suppressant)
Doxylamine succinate (6.25 mg/15 mL) (antihistamine)  

the only time you want to throw an anti-biotic at it is if your mucus turns bright yellow, this means an infection has started (green, white, and clear mucus are OK).

I hope this helps!