Nasal irrigation.

IntoxicatingToxin

Cherished Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Posts
7,638
Media
0
Likes
256
Points
283
Location
Kansas City (Missouri, United States)
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Female
Have any of you irrigated your nasal passages on a regular basis? Why did you decide to start doing it, and what kind of luck did you have with it?

I have had problems with dizziness for a few years now and it was caused by a severe sinus infection that I had about 3 years ago. Ever since that sinus infection, I've also had problems with congestion. My nasal passages are normally clear, but my sinuses have always felt "full" or congested - possibly swollen, I don't know for sure. No doctor has ever been able to tell me what's wrong with me, they just told me to basically deal with it. I "knew" (intuitively) that my dizziness was caused by my sinus problems, which were from my sinus infection... if I could just somehow clear my sinus passages, all would be well... I heard about a Neti Pot on Oprah recently. I decided to invest in a similar irrigation system that does the same thing, but you just squeeze the solution out of a bottle as opposed to pouring it from a pot. I had a feeling that using this would cause dizziness, because it would have a direct affect on whatever is going on in my nasal passages, and boy has it ever... I'm so freakn dizzy. I'm afraid to get up and walk, and I have this weird tingly feeling in my face. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. *sigh* Any thoughts or ideas? Or just tell me what your experience was with nasal irrigation.
 

Ethyl

Legendary Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2006
Posts
5,194
Media
19
Likes
1,714
Points
333
Location
Philadelphia (Pennsylvania, United States)
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Female
My mother had her sinus' drilled twice. No picnic but she's able to breath without difficulty when her allergies flare up in the spring. I'd recommend irrigation if you've had trouble for three years after the last sinus infection. Some people (like my mom) get severe sinus infections weeks on high doses of strong antibiotics won't completely take care of and there is often damage to the sinus cavities afterwards.
 

SpeedoGuy

Sexy Member
Joined
May 18, 2004
Posts
4,166
Media
7
Likes
41
Points
258
Age
60
Location
Pacific Northwest, USA
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Male
Have any of you irrigated your nasal passages on a regular basis? Why did you decide to start doing it, and what kind of luck did you have with it?

Or just tell me what your experience was with nasal irrigation.

I had sinus chronic problems in the summer 2005. I just couldn't shake off a persistent drip and cough that lingered after a case of bronchitis earlier that spring. An MD recommended a daily sinus flush with a saline type solution from a plastic squeeze bottle. In one nostril and draining out the other. I did it for several weeks and my symptoms disappeared.

I continue to do it now anytime I get ill or anytime I feel like I'm about to become ill. I like the cleansing sensation and I think it helps reduce my frequency of illnesses. Or, at least I hope it does.
 

SteveHd

Sexy Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2006
Posts
3,678
Media
0
Likes
79
Points
183
Location
Daytona
Sexuality
90% Gay, 10% Straight
Gender
Male
I think it's also called "nasal lavage," and I do that about once a week to reduce congestion and running.

I started doing it about a year ago and it helps, especially the day it's done. I found that if I do it more often than twice-a-week, it gives me a sinus headache.
 

Guy-jin

Legendary Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Posts
3,836
Media
3
Likes
1,368
Points
333
Location
San Jose (California, United States)
Sexuality
Asexual
Gender
Male
I used a neti pot before. I have very severe allergies that resulted in having ear/nose/throat infections far more often than the normal person and causing me to miss work too often. I was at the end of my rope and tried the neti pot.

I found it to be very weird at first and used it for a couple of weeks and it worked decently. No dizzyness really, but certainly does cause a bit of watering at the eyes and so forth. I'm not sure how your irrigation system works, but the neti pot just uses gravity, goes from one side of your nose, up through your sinuses and then out the other side. It's a pretty significant effect when it went through my sinuses.

For me, I have exceptionally powerful allergies when I wake up, and unfortunately I kept having them even when I used the neti pot.

Eventually, I got the doctor to prescribe me the double-whammy of Flonase and Zyrtec and together, those have all but completely eliminated my allergies to the extant that I don't even need to use them everyday anymore.

My advice to you is that you continue to see different doctors until you find one who believes you have an actual problem. You should never become "dizzy" on a regular basis, nor should your sinuses be in such a chronic condition (it almost sounds like they're chronically inflamed).
 

classact1979

Sexy Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2007
Posts
92
Media
7
Likes
55
Points
163
Location
Jacksonville (Florida, United States)
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Female
You may want to consider seeing an allergist. My mother suffered from sinus problems her whole life, until an allergist did a CT scan and discovered she had sinus polyps. She had to get them removed and had her sinus's scraped, but she hasn't had any problems since. Just a suggestion.
 

B_CBTallthetime

Sexy Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Posts
271
Media
0
Likes
34
Points
103
Sexuality
80% Straight, 20% Gay
Gender
Male
I use the small bottle with saline solution from Neil-Med. Have used this for about a year. I feel amazingly better - has changed my life.

I highly recommend it.
 

IntoxicatingToxin

Cherished Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Posts
7,638
Media
0
Likes
256
Points
283
Location
Kansas City (Missouri, United States)
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Female
My advice to you is that you continue to see different doctors until you find one who believes you have an actual problem. You should never become "dizzy" on a regular basis, nor should your sinuses be in such a chronic condition (it almost sounds like they're chronically inflamed).

All the doctors I have seen believe that I have a problem, but I don't have health insurance (nor do I qualify for state insurance) so they basically do nothing to treat me. I had to pay out of pocket for an MRI just to make sure I didn't have something more severe going on... it showed some congestion, but I was told that it was probably nothing major. My symptoms are similar to that of Labyrinthitis. I don't know if I have that or what.

I know that when I first used the irrigation system, I had to make 2 or 3 attempts at each nostril before it would actually flow through to the other side... so there's SOMETHING going on in there. :rolleyes: I just don't know what.
 

B_CBTallthetime

Sexy Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Posts
271
Media
0
Likes
34
Points
103
Sexuality
80% Straight, 20% Gay
Gender
Male
I use the rinse after taking a hot shower - it seems to loosen everything up in the nasal passages. And the water should be lukewarm to warm for the rinse.

That is the way I do it.

If there is a lot of dust in the air or I am outside a lot, I will do it twice a day.
 

Guy-jin

Legendary Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Posts
3,836
Media
3
Likes
1,368
Points
333
Location
San Jose (California, United States)
Sexuality
Asexual
Gender
Male
All the doctors I have seen believe that I have a problem, but I don't have health insurance (nor do I qualify for state insurance) so they basically do nothing to treat me. I had to pay out of pocket for an MRI just to make sure I didn't have something more severe going on... it showed some congestion, but I was told that it was probably nothing major. My symptoms are similar to that of Labyrinthitis. I don't know if I have that or what.

I know that when I first used the irrigation system, I had to make 2 or 3 attempts at each nostril before it would actually flow through to the other side... so there's SOMETHING going on in there. :rolleyes: I just don't know what.

Well, if that's your situation, I think you should probably stick with the nasal irrigation for a bit and see if it improves your condition. With the neti pot, anyway, it takes at least a few weeks before you see general improvement.
 

IntoxicatingToxin

Cherished Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Posts
7,638
Media
0
Likes
256
Points
283
Location
Kansas City (Missouri, United States)
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Female
Well, if that's your situation, I think you should probably stick with the nasal irrigation for a bit and see if it improves your condition. With the neti pot, anyway, it takes at least a few weeks before you see general improvement.

Yeah, I think that's what my plan is going to be... I just hate the dizziness... yuck. I hope that goes away with this nasal irrigation!
 

Guy-jin

Legendary Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Posts
3,836
Media
3
Likes
1,368
Points
333
Location
San Jose (California, United States)
Sexuality
Asexual
Gender
Male
Yeah, I think that's what my plan is going to be... I just hate the dizziness... yuck. I hope that goes away with this nasal irrigation!

I think you might experience the dizziness associated with using the irrigation for a while yet, but hopefully outside the irrigation, it will be eliminated if you manage to clean out your sinuses and reduce the inflammation.

It was my experience that I'd be all congested when I woke up, would use the neti pot, which made me all light-headed, but then the rest of the day I'd be fairly clear.

The only reason I find the meds I'm on work better is because I don't even wake up congested anymore--I'm clear pretty much all the time! (Unfortunately, the Zyrtec makes one drowsy, but I combat that with my daily dose of Earl Grey!)
 

D_Chaumbrelayne_Copprehead

Account Disabled
Joined
Jan 9, 2008
Posts
8,858
Media
0
Likes
84
Points
133
I use a neti pot regularly. My wife uses it every day. Fewer allergies, fewer colds, fewer sinus problems all around. You can buy saline solution, but you can also just use warm water in the neti pot, add a little salt and a tiny pinch of baking soda, and rinse your nasal passages out. Feels good afterwards, once you're used to it.
 

DGirl

Experimental Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2007
Posts
1,778
Media
0
Likes
22
Points
183
Location
Somewhere on EARTH.
Sexuality
No Response
Gender
Female
Hey TattooedMamaMeg, I used to go to a EAR, NOSE and THROAT doctor that was in the Kansas City area for my major sinus problems.." That was way back before I got in the Navy. I just know remember I took a few buses to get to a nice area way out. LOL!!

Physicians Surgeons Otorhinolaryngology Ear Nose Throat in Kansas City - YELLOWPAGES.COM


Here is a list of doctors. I hope you can get some help from that.." Also, I did not have Medical insurance. But, they took me anyways. You pay before you go and they did NOT billshit me in the least!!!
 

IntoxicatingToxin

Cherished Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Posts
7,638
Media
0
Likes
256
Points
283
Location
Kansas City (Missouri, United States)
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Female
Hey TattooedMamaMeg, I used to go to a EAR, NOSE and THROAT doctor that was in the Kansas City area for my major sinus problems.." That was way back before I got in the Navy. I just know remember I took a few buses to get to a nice area way out. LOL!!

Physicians Surgeons Otorhinolaryngology Ear Nose Throat in Kansas City - YELLOWPAGES.COM


Here is a list of doctors. I hope you can get some help from that.." Also, I did not have Medical insurance. But, they took me anyways. You pay before you go and they did NOT billshit me in the least!!!

Yeah, I plan on seeing one someday... I don't have any money, though. I make shit for money and only work about 10 hours per week. :tongue:
 

earllogjam

Expert Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Posts
4,917
Media
0
Likes
186
Points
193
Sexuality
No Response
I've used a netti pot once after a suggestion from a friend who had some success averting colds and irrigating her sinus after long airplane fights. Even with the saline powder added to the water it still stung and I kept sneezing for half an hour afterwards. It was such an unpleasant experience that I only used it once.

My friend went on to develop chronic sinusitis and has ceased using it herself. Not sure if it was due to the netti pot but personally I think any irritation to the sinus is not very healthy. If you do use one I suggest you irrigate with distilled water free of bacteria and allergens.
 

SpoiledPrincess

Expert Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Posts
7,868
Media
0
Likes
121
Points
193
Location
england
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Female
I think sinus tissue is so sensitive it's best not messed around with. I have a friend who's an ENT specialist and although I haven't asked his opinion on neti pots I know his opinion on shoving anything up your nose which is alleged to clear your sinuses (such as Vicks Nasal Spray) is that it isn't a good idea.
 

B_CBTallthetime

Sexy Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Posts
271
Media
0
Likes
34
Points
103
Sexuality
80% Straight, 20% Gay
Gender
Male
I have used the Neil-Med sinus rinse for about two years. It has changed my life, no more headaches, head is clear all day.

I think it may work for some people and not for others.