Anyone ever do Sinus Irrigation? Does it work & advice you have

[LynneSin]

I've been hampered with sinus infections and I've been reading about how using a saline solution to irrigate the sinus can help clean up the problem.

Anyone every do this before? I've been reading up about this on the internet and I'd like to see if anyone has experience with irrigating their sinuses

[SarahB]

1. Is that an inspiration from last night's Six Feet Under, Lynne?

:shrug: :D

[LynneSin]

3. NOt really but I did see that little teapot gift that George gave

I've heard about it before and really want to try something other than a doctor and a ton of drugs to clear the stuff up.

[SarahB]

13. I don't blame you.

I get kind of messed up in the Summer. I do the Claritin method for allergies and it helps, but repeated infections is something else. I used to get those to but I stopped smoking and changed my diet and now I don't. More veggies seemed to help my immune system. May not work for everyone though.
I wish you luck with your quest. It's icky I know. You could just get plain bottles of nasal saline and try that as a start.

[markus]

2. My 12-yr-old daughter's alergist insists on it

but, after a lot of effort, we decided we would have to sit on her chest and force it up her nose. So it doesn't get done.

It's not as gruesome as it sounds, but it's certainly not very pleasant.

[luaneryder]

4. Neti pot

People I know swear by it. I tried, but my eyes watered badly and I kept feeling like I was going to sneeze and choke at the same time.

[LynneSin]

7. I just can't see myself doing this though....

I'd probably choke on it or something

[PinkTiger]

5. I do it daily with great results, but

I don't use the neti pot. The neti gets the solution up too far and causes a bit of discomfort, so I instead put my salt water in a glass, take a mouthful, then tilt my head to make it come out my nose. Sounds hard but isn't, and after awhile you can tilt from nostril to nostril and get a great response.

It is extremely helpful, especially when dealing with an acute attack.

The neti pot takes a lot of practice.

[amazona]

34. why not just an eyedropper ?

I've always used an eyedropper but I was doing irrigation before it was cool and never heard of Neti pots until ten years ago, maybe less.

[XanaDUer]

6. I've been doing it for years

with a Neti pot and sea salt.

Works great, and I recommend it.

google "neti pot" in quotations, and you'll find some good stuff.

[jukes]

8. it's frequently sugg'd by vets

for cats w/ chronic sinus infexion. mine will perform it, but advises it's usu only a temp, stop-gap remedy.

clindamycin, 1 of the few anti-bi's that penetrate bone, may be of help.

chronic sinus infection can easily Xfer to periodontal disease.

[iconoclastic cat]

17. How can you tell if a cat has a sinus infection?

I'm serious--how would you know?

[Love Bug]

9. I've done it and it helps

Instead of a neti pot I use one of those rubber bulb syringes used for cleaning out ears. I mix 1/4 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water, suck it up the bulb syringe and squirt it up each nostril. It helped a lot during my last sinus infection-- it was gross, but all kinds of gunk came out. However, if you have an infection, you will probably still need antibiotics. I don't think irrigation alone will take care of it.

[otohara]

10. The Best Irrigation System - is....

http://www.neilmed.com/

So easy to use and it comes with several packets of Saline mixture. Add warm water - it helps to get out all the pollens, dust, molds, yeasts that collect in your nasal passages. Great for adding moisture to dry nasal passages. I think it's like $12.00 - and you get 50 packs of saline mix with.

I would also recommend cleaning your ears with ear candles. For best results do two in each ear - one right after the other - you'll be shocked at how much stuff comes out of your ear - not just wax, but yeast, pollens, etc... it's all connected ear, nose, throat

And finally the absolute best nasal spray is homeopathic - by bioAllers : http://www.botlab.com/product.asp?page=products&brand=bioAllers&pid=554

All those drugs didn't work - this nasal spray saved my life. My local health food store carries this - if not you can order on the net.

Good luck -

[Hoping4Change]

12. Ear candling potentially daangerous "carries a high risk

of causing potentially severe skin/hair burns and middle ear damage."



http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/earcandle/statement.html

[LynneSin]

14. anyhow I'd never give up the Q-Tip

it's my thrill 3 times a week

:D

[Hoping4Change]

23. As for nasal bath I have my own easy tecnique not mentioned here.

Pour tepid water about 1 cup in a small bowl and add about a 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

This sounds bizarre and painful but absolutely 100 percent painless.

Put your nose to the bowl and breathe the water in. The water simply goes up and then into you mouth which you then spit out.

It seems counter inituitive given how painful it feels to get water up your nose while swimming but it is not in anyway painful nor is there any gagging.

It may really sound like a wierd method but this method is by far the best.

[LynneSin]

24. Sounds like the easiest way to try it

Although I would never use tap water. Wilmington Tap water would probably just add more gunk to my nose.

And if I swallow the water - it's just salt water, won't kill me

[Hoping4Change]

25. Its the right amount of salt that makes it pain less. If you don't

have enough salt it hurts. If you put too much it stings. That's just a heads up.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

30. Wait a second

I would also recommend cleaning your ears with ear candles. For best results do two in each ear - one right after the other - you'll be shocked at how much stuff comes out of your ear - not just wax, but yeast, pollens, etc... it's all connected ear, nose, throat

The tube that links ear to throat is at the INSIDE of your eardrum.

[LynneSin]

31. I can believe that...

...when I irrigated my nose I swore I stuff was going to come out of my ears. Made me remember all those college classes I took many many years ago.

[otohara]

32. Ear Candles Are Non Evasive and Effective

they work - period

[LynneSin]

11. Everyone - thank you for the great advice

Here's why I don't want to go to the doctor. The anti-biotics will clear it up, but I'll just get it again in a few weeks. I get so run-down feeling that I just don't have any motivation to do anything including eating healthy or going to the gym.

And I'm sure there are a variety of problems causing this increase in sinusitis including living in a town with plenty of pollutants in the air and I'm sure the addition of those 2 cats to my home doesn't help either.

I've read reading alot about sinus irrigation and it's ironic that I saw it mentioned last night in "Six Feet Under" But I suppose my sinuses are just like any other part of the body that regular gets gunk built up into it and needs to be cleaned out on a regular basis.

I'm probably just going to buy a dropper to first try this because I can almost guarentee that the stuff is going to be a problem getting into my nose. But it's worth the effort if I can get rid of this yucky feeling!!

[truthspeaker]

15. Look for a saline spray designed for noses; works for me

Walgreen's sells it under the brand name "Simply Saline". It's better than a squeeze bottle because it has a powerful aerosol-like spray. The saline is prepackaged so it's sterile; mixing your own can introduce infection if you don't do it right.

Also, have you ever gone to an ENT specialist? I finally did it and was recommended for surgery for my deviated septum. My sinuses drain MUCH better now (and I can breathe through my nose for the first time in my life). There might be obstructions up there that can be removed with surgery.

[iconoclastic cat]

16. It works, but I won't do it.

I absolutely cannot tolerate that sensation. But, it does work.

[Nevernose]

18. Works only for a few minutes

At least for me. My ENT gave me a pamphlet on it, said it was better than most of the drugs he could prescribe.

Use non-iodized salt and one of those things that you suck the snot out of a baby's nose, and voila!

[chicaloca]

19. Sorry to come to the discussion so late...

I used to have awful sinus infections, and what ended up working was surgery. They drained my sinuses and removed my adenoids, and not only have I not had any sinus infections since then, I also haven't snored since then. The surgery was completely painless -- the worst part was waking up to find an IV in my wrist. If you have a good health care provider, I would totally recommend this method.

[LynneSin]

20. I just read some stuff about deviated septums

One of the signs is your nose is constantly plugged on the one side - which is very true for myself. My right nostril is always the one that is overstuffed whereas I have no problems with the left.

I'll have to look into that.

[truthspeaker]

22. For some reason my allergist never noticed mine

The doc who finally referred me to an ENT showed me an X-ray and it was clear as day. The ENT told me it was all the way over to one side.

Other things up there can cause obstruction: polyps can form from excessive sneezing and congestion, and there are fleshy structures called "terminates" that in some people (like me) are so big they block drainage.

[Mr.Green93]

21. got one falling off water skies

it was an exhilarating, mind clearing experience....

[ArkDem]

26. My doctor, an ENT, had me start irrigating a year ago.

I mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda in two cups of warm water. I irrigate with a baby's ear syringe. I do this 2 times a day. It keeps my sinus problems to a minimum.

[mongo]

27. Water Pic makes an attachment for sinus irrigation

I never get much discharge when I do it, but with the water pic you stick it in one nostril and wait for the water (and discharge) to come out of the other. Sound nasty? Well it is, but it does provide some relief for sinus headaches/congestion.

If your eyes feel like they are coming out of their sockets, you have the water pic turned up too high.

[ArkDem]

28. Where did you get the attachment?

[LynneSin]

29. I just did my first irrigation

Yuck!!!!!

I think half came out of my mouth. I spent 10 minutes brushing my teeth and gargling

:blech:

[amazona]

33. absolutely it works but...

...I do not do irrigation with plain saline solution. That is for trivial issues. If I have a serious sinus infection, I put crushed fresh garlic in the saline solution and strain it. You will smell like garlic so can't do this when you're going out that day. Stay home. But you will breathe freely in minutes (after sneezing your head off). There is an old hippie book called Jeanne Rose's Herbal that tells you how to do this step by step. It works. I've also done irrigation with goldenseal solution which is OK and better than saline, and it doesn't make you smell like garlic, but it isn't quite as devastating to sinus-eating bacteria and virii as the garlic.

[LynneSin]

35. I absolutely adore garlic...

...but I think I just found my garlic limit

[sendero]

36. I'm allergic to garlic..

.... and I'm prett sure it's because my first wife used to feed me cloves of the stuff to "improve" my health.

Grrr......... :)

[RedEarth]

37. Didn't work for me.....however, Flonase has worked

Have to get a scrip for it, however, I haven't had a sinus infection
in two years. Used to get 3-4/year and was fast approaching having to have surgery. Doc told me he had been using Flonase for several years and it worked for him also. Might want to look into it. BTW...even if you don't have allergies, ENT's recommend Flonase, since it opens the sinus passage.