Sinus Infection

Here's the whole handout -- I refer to this so often I might as well just type it and then link to this post...!

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Saltwater washes (nasal saline lavage or irrigation) for nose and sinuses

Saltwater washes (saline lavage or irrigation) help keep the nasal passages open by washing out thick or dried mucus; they can also help improve the function of cilia that help clear the sinuses. This can help prevent the spread of infection to the other sinuses and reduce postnasal drip. It also can make the nose feel more comfortable by keeping the mucous membranes moist.

Nasal irrigation can be done several times per day, and is frequently performed with a syringe or a Water Pik device (the attachment is purchased separately). You can buy saline nose drops (such as Ocean or Salinex) at a pharmacy, or you can make your own saline solution by mixing 1 tsp (5 g) of salt in 1 pint (473.5 ml) of water and adding a pinch of baking soda. It is best to use Morton Coarse Kosher Salt or Springfield plain salt because table salt may have unwanted additives. Use the saline solution at body temperature. To apply homemade saline solution:

- Fill a bulb syringe with saline solution, insert the tip into your nostril, and squeeze gently. [list]For young children, use small commercial spray bottle, such as the one from Ocean Spray or nasal steroid spray and squirt it as many times as the child will tolerate. Do not force the child to lie down, have the child sit or stand.

- The saline wash should go through the nose and out the mouth [transcriber note -- this rarely happens in my experience. more often through one nostril or out the other, or in and out of one nostril].
- While irrigating the nose, it is best to stand over the sink and irrigate each side of your nose. Aim the stream toward the back of your head, not at the top of your head.
- Blow your nose gently after the saline wash.
- Repeat several times every day. Consider using this before you try other nasal medications.[/list]

If the solution stings, use less salt. In the beginning, or for children, it is best to start with a weaker salt mixture. It is not unusual to initially have a mild burning sensation the first few times you irrigate. If you are using a nasal steroid spray, you should use it after the salt water wash.

Ok, so I took the chance and did it and WOW, it cleared me up quite a bit. Especially my head and the pressure that was starting to build behind my eyes is gone. You guys are should have been doctors ;-)

Wow!!! I wish I had known this years ago.

Dag, that sounds wonderful and soothing too, so I'm going to do that too since I have the tea, but I'll wait until later.

Thanks a lot you guys :-D

The steaming thing Dasha describes is great, helps a lot. Steam then saline is a good 1-2 punch, but even just steaming helps.

Yay - another convert!

The pressure behind the eyes and the headache were the worst, but now it's all gone.

It's a miracle I tell ya! This just blows my mind!

Where's Rockhead? He's gotta find me the Beattles song "I'm a believer"

I'm still going to hit the drug store tomorrow and try your method too, Soz, and I'll grab that spring water while I'm there.

We have well water with a filter system, but I'd rather not take too many chances.

Actually one thing I noticed is that the handout doesn't specify purified water -- that may have come directly from my ENT. But maybe not as necessary as I thought, especially if you boil the (tap) water first (let it cool off before you use it though! :-D)

Hadn't seen that you already tried things, yay, glad it helped! It's really amazing when it works.

Hey, Montana, how bout the monkees?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXaHHDpGMS8&feature=related

I kinda liked this one... :wink:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECvZ96Hy7pg

Bye now.

RH

I didn't boil the water first, but I know I should have. I will from now on though. I was just so desperate to get rid of the headache and the pressure behind my eyes.

It was a bit strange at first to have water going in one side of my nose and come out the other, but I got the hang of it within a few seconds and I'm totally amazed at how much better I feel.

I'll take your advice and boil the water and let it cool down before I go at it tomorrow ;-)

Slaps self in head, feeling stupid that I forgot it was the Monkees

Ok, so I have a sinus infection and I'm a little foggy. Yeah....yeah....that's it.

Thank you Rockhead :-D

I got out in the garden today. I didn't really do any digging, but I was getting a little stuffy by the time I came in. I used the neti pot as a preventative.

So, Soz, you use a bulb syringe? That's what I have, but it just seems so long and, and, pointy, especially after checking out Littlek's neti pot link and seeing how snub those are. How do you know how far it should go? (I'm sorry if this seems like a really stupid question! )

Not very far in at all. I dunno, a little more than 1/4 inch?

The "aim at the back of the head" direction helps. (If it's too far in, you can only aim up.)

Okay, yeah, thinking of aiming at the back of the head helps--now I can picture it better...Thanks! My sinuses have been killing me today, I can't wait to see if this helps.

Good luck with it cypher. I did it the way Littlek said because I had all the stuff, but it worked wonders for me. It's amazing because I always thought you needed antibiotics to get rid of a sinus infection.

I figure since they're both the same solution that both methods would work well.

Let us know how it goes and I hope you feel better.

I still feel stuffy and sniffly, but it was really soothing--the nasty burning feeling behind my eyes I've been having all day is gone. I'm so glad to know about this! I've got this awful cold that's going around here and everyone says it hangs on forever, so I'm hoping this might help me shake it off faster.

The saline treatment won't cure a sinus infection once it's settled in. Antibiotics are still needed at that stage.

However, the treatment will help with some of the symptoms - and works well as a preventative. I think hamburger's doctor once explained that it helps prevent the bacteria/gunk from settling down and turning into an infection.

Damn! I wish I had known that before. I would have gone to see my doc today and nip it in the bud because I have to go job hunting next week and I won't be able to see my doc until tues.

Oh well, I knew it was too easy.

You may not be in full-blown infection mode, Montana, so keep on doing the lavage a couple of times a day and see if you can flush the buggies away before they settle in.

keep using the saline until you get to your doctor.