Nasal rinsing for allergies, nose, sinus, via neti pot or squeeze bottle

[compsports]

Because I am wondering if following my doctor's recommendation to do nasal irrigation was the cause of a sinus infection I can't seem to get rid of, I have did some googling and came upon this article. Interestingly, my former allergist who told me he was opposed to it, is quoted. As you will see, he has great credentials.

 

What really struck me is he said the effect lasts about 20 minutes regarding moistening the sinuses and that has exactly been my experience.

 

http://www.jonbarron.org/immunity/bl091117/natural-health-remedies-sinus-infection

 

Obviously, all the standard disclaimers apply such as everyone is different and causation doesn't equal correlation, etc. But I think this is a perfect example of why we have to be skeptical of all treatments that seem very popular even if they aren't drug related.

 

CS

[summer]

Hi CS... I read about this on two different Sleep Apnea sites. Long story short, they said using distilled water makes the difference... it's pure or something or other.

[compsports]

Hi CS... I read about this on two different Sleep Apnea sites. Long story short, they said using distilled water makes the difference... it's pure or something or other.

 

Thanks Summer, I found some of the posts.

 

As an FYI, some homemade beet pickles I ate last night did more for my nasal congestion than anything else I have tried. My sinuses feel better

 

Needless to say, I don't want to mess things up and risk nasal irrigation right now. But I will try it at least one more time before I see my doctor in a few weeks.

 

CS

[summer]

 

Hi CS... I read about this on two different Sleep Apnea sites. Long story short, they said using distilled water makes the difference... it's pure or something or other.

 

Thanks Summer, I found some of the posts.

 

As an FYI, some homemade beet pickles I ate last night did more for my nasal congestion than anything else I have tried. My sinuses feel better

 

Needless to say, I don't want to mess things up and risk nasal irrigation right now. But I will try it at least one more time before I see my doctor in a few weeks.

 

CS

 

Homemade beet pickles! Okay... now I've heard everything.

[compsports]

 

 

Hi CS... I read about this on two different Sleep Apnea sites. Long story short, they said using distilled water makes the difference... it's pure or something or other.

 

Thanks Summer, I found some of the posts.

 

As an FYI, some homemade beet pickles I ate last night did more for my nasal congestion than anything else I have tried. My sinuses feel better

 

Needless to say, I don't want to mess things up and risk nasal irrigation right now. But I will try it at least one more time before I see my doctor in a few weeks.

 

CS

 

Homemade beet pickles! Okay... now I've heard everything.

 

I am not joking:) I ran out yesterday and went to bed with nasal congestion. It didn't make any difference sleep wise but I need those dang beet pickles:)

 

CS

[summer]

Oh come on now, CS... say it... you just LOVE those beet pickles!

 

(whispering now)... they don't do a dam* thing for nasal congestion!

[summer]

Geeze... may have to "eat" my words. Just remembered that several weeks ago I had dinner at a Thai food restaurant. I accidentally ate a pepper, which for some stupid reason I thought was Ginger. Anyway, I just about disrupted everyone's dinner and thought I was gonna die for sure! Yeah... cleaned out my sinuses... that's for sure!!! Not funny... it was an awful experience.

[Jemima]

One of the best things I've found for sinus congestion is to put about a tablespoon of thyme in a small mixing bowl, pour roughly a cup of boiling water over it, lower your head, and inhale until the steam is gone. There's no need to do the thing with the towel over your head. Very simple and cheap.

[compsports]

One of the best things I've found for sinus congestion is to put about a tablespoon of thyme in a small mixing bowl, pour roughly a cup of boiling water over it, lower your head, and inhale until the steam is gone. There's no need to do the thing with the towel over your head. Very simple and cheap.

 

Thanks Jemma, that is a great idea. I will give that a shot.

 

CS

[compsports]

Oh come on now, CS... say it... you just LOVE those beet pickles!

 

(whispering now)... they don't do a dam* thing for nasal congestion!

 

It is the placebo effect:)

 

CS

[Goldy]

I've struggled a ton with sinus congestion too. There was a certain time that my sinus were totally blocked for about a year! During that time, used a "netty pot", nasal irrigation nose spray all the time, and none of them did anything :/. I DON'T reccomended either of these methods-- beyond gross and pointless.

[compsports]

I've struggled a ton with sinus congestion too. There was a certain time that my sinus were totally blocked for about a year! During that time, used a "netty pot", nasal irrigation nose spray all the time, and none of them did anything :/. I DON'T reccomended either of these methods-- beyond gross and pointless.

 

Hi Goldy,

 

I am sorry the netty pot didn't work for you but thank you for letting me know I am not alone. I was beginning to think I was the only one on this earth for whom it didn't work:)

 

A herbalist I emailed gave me some interesting advice that I might try since there no risk. He theorized that perhaps using steam inhalation with certain types of oils might loosen the congestion so that the neti pot would be more helpful.

 

It seems since I have quit using anything that my sinuses are better although not great. I almost feel like I was getting rebound effects even from non prescription sprays like saline water that were supposedly harmless.

 

CS

 

PS - I just realized the Jemima pretty much recommended the same thing as the herbalist. Sorry about not giving you credit. Darn brain fog.

[Jemima]

Geeze... may have to "eat" my words. Just remembered that several weeks ago I had dinner at a Thai food restaurant. I accidentally ate a pepper, which for some stupid reason I thought was Ginger. Anyway, I just about disrupted everyone's dinner and thought I was gonna die for sure! Yeah... cleaned out my sinuses... that's for sure!!! Not funny... it was an awful experience.

 

Just about anything that makes your nose run helps sinusitis. For me, even hot (termperature-wise) food can do it. If the beet pickles are sharply sour and perhaps have some spices in the mix, they could very well help.

[Altostrata]

I have allergies which have been bothering me a lot -- sneezing, itchy nose and throat, nasal congestion, coughing, etc.

 

Being hypersensitive, I can't take antihistamines. My ophthalmologist told me to minimize steroids (Pataday eye drops, Flonase nasal spray, etc.) because they increase risk of glaucoma. Plus, recently, I've become hypersensitive to steroid eye drops.  UPDATE: Since 2012, I've changed to ketotifen eye drops and azelastine nasal spray -- they are non-steroidal. Steroidal drops and sprays can advance cataracts or glaucoma.

 

So I finally tried nasal rinsing with a squeeze bottle and pre-mixed saline packets. To my amazement, it worked! Cleared up the congestion and itching right away. This lasted for several days.

 

It was easy, safe, and inexpensive. Just make sure to use distilled or boiled water that's cooled down to lukewarm in case of micro-organisms in tap water. (There have been a few reports of serious infections from nasal rinsing using plain tap water.)

 

I'm going to keep at it -- should have tried it a long time ago!

 

Edited January 11, 2019 by ChessieCat
added update

[compsports]

Very timely topic Alto and I am glad nasal rinsing is working for you.

 

Attempting to make a last ditch effort to avoid nasal surgery, I purchased a Nasaline injector irrigation device.  It hadn't worked in the past but I figured even if it didn't, I would still need to do it after surgery so I definitely didn't waste my money.

 

In spite of doing it twice a day for about 5 days. I am having the same negative experience as it isn't working.  I particularly feel the water congregating on the right side where my deviated septum is.

 

I hope it keeps working for you.

 

CS

[mammaP]

I tried it and used boiled and cooled water, it seemed to work at first but then I got burning in the back of my 

throat and in my sinuses. I think they became inflamed because I felt like I had sinusitis after a few days and

was sniffling a lot. It's settling now after about 10 days. I think it was probably the tap water, even though it

was boiled. Our water is heavily chlorinated, I should have used bottled or distilled water. When I moved in 

here I could smell the chlorine when I turned on the taps. After a while I didn't notice it any more but I always

itch after a bath or shower.  My last place had it's own spring so all my water was pure. 

 

I'm glad it works for you Alto, now you've posted I'll try it again with distilled water, hadn't thought of the chlorine

until I saw your post!

[Altostrata]

Sorry to hear that, cs. Maybe after the septum is corrected?

 

mammaP, you need to put purified salt in it. From what I've read, the burning is caused by not enough saline.

 

Some like to add a dash of baking soda, too:

 

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/tc/saltwater-washes-nasal-saline-lavage-or-irrigation-for-sinusitis-topic

 

https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/treatments/saline-sinus-rinse-recipe.aspx

[lexicon]

Thank you for this Alto ..

 

I have been looking ..and looking ..

 

Lexicon

[mammaP]

I put sea salt in it but not bicarb, maybe didn't use enough. It felt like I'd inhaled in the swimming pool! 

[Steelhead]

I had nasal/septum surgery last August. This was after 10 to 12 cuorses of anti-biotics. The MRI showed almost complete blockage in all three nasal cavities. It has been a very good thing for me. I actually have a battery operated nasal rinse machine. It is called the Sinugator. Really it is. It puts a bit more pressure on the rinse and man does it work great. When you tell people about the neti pot they are kinda grossed out but it does really work. I have used hundreds of the packages of salt.

I never had allergies until the spring after I stopped SSRI's go figure that.

[Rhiannon]

I'm a huge fan of neti pot, sinus rinse, whatever you call it. It's the best thing ever for keeping my chronic tendency to sinus infections under control (I have a deviated septum).

 

I use only distilled water; chlorinated water causes that burning sensation (remember getting water up your nose in a chlorinated pool? ouch!). It will also hurt if you have either too little or too much salt. Basically, you want something that feels to your tissues like natural tears or "normal saline" (same salt concentration as your lymph or blood). 

 

Maybe if your tap water doesn't have much chlorine it would be okay, but I prefer not to chance it; I don't want to irritate the tissues.

 

I could get into the chemistry of why you need to match the saltiness of your own cells but really that's probably TMI. :-)

[Rhiannon]

I put sea salt in it but not bicarb, maybe didn't use enough. It felt like I'd inhaled in the swimming pool! 

 

yep that's probably due to chlorine in the water. You do also want the right amount of salt--you want it to be about the same saltiness as tears.

[compsports]

Interesting Rhi that nasal irrigation works for you in spite of having a deviated septum.  I could literally feel the liquid backing up into the nostril with the DS even though I am positive I was doing everything correctly.   And I tried it repeatedly.

 

But all is not lost since I am going to have to do this after nasal surgery and know what works and what doesn't.

 

Since I stopped irrigating, my sinuses feel alot better although unfortunately, not enough to be able to wear the nasal masks that I need to be able to wear.

 

CS

[Altostrata]

If you use the salt packets in the prescribed amount of water (8 ounces), the result is very, very salty.

[Rhiannon]

Maybe it depends on the brand of packets...As long as it's not burning when you rinse it's probably the right amount though. 

 

You can also just use sea salt and adjust it till it feels right. In my experience it will burn if it's either too salty or not salty enough.

 

(Also I use a lot of salt in my food and such so my idea of "very salty" is probably pretty salty!)

[Zoe]

I like the netti pot also. I use the NeilMed premixed packets that I get at Walgreens. Also use filtered, boiled & cooled water. I probably use 2/3 of the packet, otherwise is a bit strong for me.  My cousin works in a school also & her Dr. advised her to use it every day when she got home. It will get rid of the bacteria, dust etc. that she picked up during the day. She swears by it too. 

[ChessieCat]

Any suggestions for what type/style of neti pot to get?  I've looked on eBay and there are a few different ones.

[ChessieCat]

I found this saline solution recipe online.

 

Poster states:

 

Quote

 

“How to make your own neti pot saline solution mix (for sinus cleansing). This recipe makes 60 doses, equivalent to a box of mixture you might purchase at the drugstore. I determined the proper ingredients, ratios, and dose size from saline solution mix sold over-the-counter. I only recommend using this recipe if you're familiar with how neti pots work. Non-iodized salt is the normal ingredient for neti pot solution - the additional baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) seems to help sooth nasal passages. If you're uncertain about the baking soda, omit it and just use the salt. Simple, yet effective.”

 

 

Note:  Use non-iodised salt.

 

DOSES: 60

UNITS: US

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ¹⁄₄cups sea salt or 1 1/4 cups kosher salt
• 6 tablespoons baking soda

DIRECTIONS

• Combine the salt and baking soda in a mortar and pestle.
• Grind the mixture until very fine (the finer the grain, the faster it will dissolve).
• Use approximately 1/2 tsp per 8 oz of tepid water.

[Heath]

I use the neilmed brand bottle. I did not like Neti pot. Just my preference. I think I like it better because maybe easier to control mixture flow. Maybe a hand coordination thing 🤷‍♂️. And I use the premix packets. 

years before I found Neil med brand.
The ENT dr gave me directions as follows 

8 oz cup of filtered or boil and cooled water

1 tsp of baking soda

1 to 3 tsp of sea salt - trial and error

 

use a syringe WITHOUT needle in one nostril at a time

tilt head forward and to both sides for each nostril 

try not to let the water mixture just run down throat