They bother a lot of people, including singers!
So far, knock on wood, this Spring hasn't been too bad for me, comparatively speaking. Which roughly translates to one bad attack per week instead of three.
Some people feel like they are allergic to everything - and if your sinuses are already irritated, walking into a freshly industrial-cleaned retail space, the radius of a perfumed person, or a Catholic choir loft (when they light the incense it will take the shortest route to the choir loft - promise!) can be a dicey proposition with goopy results. Many of these same people have tried endless pharmaceuticals - both over-the-counter and prescription - often year round, only to remain sneezy and snuffy. I know that place very well.
I really wanted this year to be a little different in terms of allergies, instead of living it in a pharmacy-induced fog once I got out of my 6-8 week allergy-safe time frame (comparatively speaking again). I tried some different things, and I'm finding that so far this spring I am able to limit my allergy-drug taking to when I'm really symptomatic dangerously close to a gig. It's nice not to have to pop all those pills every day!
Here's what I've found has helped me with chronic allergic rhinitis and frequent sinusitis, and maybe they can help you too if you're suffering:
1) I went to a chiropractor and he got my neck into a more normal curve. Magically my headaches mostly went away too.
2) I got serious about nasal irrigation. The vessel for this purpose is often referred to as a Neti pot. But I found a squeeze-bottle type version at the pharmacy that you can use without contorting your head, neck, wrist, and elbow into strange positions over the sink. You just do it upright. No mess no fuss if you do it in the shower.
3) I got some help from an acupuncturist who specializes in allergies. Don't know why it works for me, but I don't really know why aspirin works either, and that never bothered me. Plus it's wonderfully relaxing.
4) At my acupuncturist's suggestion I started cutting down on "the white stuff" - dairy, processed flour products, and processed sugar products.
Now, when symptoms do get acute and I resort to pharmaceuticals, they are a lot more likely to work for me. Things still aren't perfect, but the above four measures have improved things for me by two-thirds (one attack per week instead of three), and then about two-thirds again (meds more likely to work when things get bad). I find they are also a lot more cost-effective, and "my liver is thanking me", at least according to my husband.
Here's a book with lots of ideas:
The Sinus Cure - 7 Simple Steps to Relieve Sinusitis and other Ear, Nose, and Throat Conditions
Debra Fulghum Bruce, Ph.D. and
Murray Grossan, M.D.
Ballantine Books, 2007
ISBN 978-0-345-49602-7
And if you've found some things that have helped you, feel free to share. Singing is too important to give up on finding sinus relief! And DO keep in touch with your medical support people. Your family doctor or allergy specialist or ENT can keep you up to date about any breakthrough treatments, or any changes they observe in your vocal apparatus.
