Irrigating sinuses

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:24 am

Okay, after years of resisting the pleas to do this, I irrigated my sinuses last night. GAAARRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And here I thought gargling with salt water was bad....

I bought the regular Neilmed kit that everyone here talks about:
http://www.unimedprod.com/products.shtml

I used distilled water, but it was room temperature, not warmed. I was personally WARMED from a hot shower, and just couldn't bear more hotness just then. I had been working for a couple of hours cleaning out my great-aunt's house. 50 years of hoarding and an incontinent cat. 2800 square feet of house. Two floors. My allergies. Oy vay!!!!!!! So I was WARMED UP and thought room temperature would be JUST FINE.

Anyway, temperature seemed the least of my worries. I think I did it okay. It was very much like drowning, but I did it.

Here's my problem - I was so congested afterwards, I couldn't breathe out of my nose and had to skip CPAP last night. I'm still pretty clogged this AM. Will this go away with repeated irrigation?

Many thanks!
Barbara

Xian · Post by **Xian** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:44 am

hmmmm when I do sinus irrigation, it clears my sinuses, not the other way around! Sounds like you may have remaining allergies from cleaning that house... Perhaps a couple more sinus rinsing would help. There are non-antihistamine allergy meds that could help clear the sinuses so rinsing is easier...

Also, it should not feel like drowning!!! You should be able to relax and breath with your mouth while the solution (likewarm) goes into one nostril to exit through the other... A fine balance between titlting the head just so and holding the solution a the right angle so the flow is OK (I prefer using the Nettie Pot, and letting gravity do its thing... rather than using a squeeze bottle or bulb...)

Good luck!

pabond · Post by **pabond** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:56 am

I agree with Xian. I use a nettie pot and let gravity flush the allergens from my nose and usually have very good results. I get post nasal drip pretty bad sometimes and this helps with that as well as the congestion. Give it a couple more tries and see if it helps.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:02 am

Ah... Perhaps it is USER ERROR!

I may have been too forceful in my squeezing of the bottle (I wanted to get it over with fast). And I don't think I tilted my head.

And I agree that allergies are very much in play right now.

Will keep working with it. Might have to try the Neti Pot. I looked at it, and thought I might enjoy the flushing better. Enjoy??? Oh my....

LOL,
B.

Janine · Post by **Janine** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:57 am

I don't like the feeling of the water entering my sinuses, and always get a bit of panic, but let it come and go. I found I was congested after use, so I do it around dinner. If I do it too close to bed, I feel clogged. I also lean all the way forward a couple of time after I finish, like look at my knees upside down, and find that I avoid post nasal drip that way.

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:24 pm

Ooo! Very good tips! I did do it too late last night. After that I laid in bed and read. Not a good thing, I'm sure.

Thanks Janine! I like the idea of leaning way forward. I think that might work well.

Cheers,
B.