Chronic Sinus Problems?

[snlee]

I''ve always had sinus problems my whole life, mainly nasal congestion. I usually have to blow my nose daily. I recently heard about the SinuCleanse system. After I heard it could soothe my sinuses naturally, I was sold and couldn''t wait to go to a drugstore to buy it!

After work today I went to a drugstore, bought it, and rushed home to try it. It comes with a neti pot and 30 all natural saline solution packets packets. I had a stuffy nose before I used it and now I have never felt better. I''m amazed! It says it helps with temporary relief of sneezing, runny nose, nasal stuffiness, post-nasal drip, and removes inhales irritants (dust, pollen), promotes nasal and sinus drainage, and helps reduce swelling of nasal membranes. Ok, I will stop before I start sounding like in infomercial...

If any of you suffer form sinus problems, you should definitely try this product. I highly recommend it!

Has anyone else ever used this?

 

[Love in Bloom]

Wow snlee that sounds neat. I will definitely have to try b/c I have bad allergies, asthma and am quite prone to sinus infections

. I need all the help I can get! Sounds like something great to use before and after flying. About how much does it cost??

 

[Love in Bloom]

Hehehe I just google''d it. It looks like a magic lamp

.

 

[monarch64]

sounds like a great t hing to try! question: have you ever had x-rays taken of your sinuses or facial area? I recently had oral surgery to widen my upper palate and had my 4 wisdom teeth out as well, and it has really helped my breathing at night...when I was younger (maybe 10 yrs. old) my ped. told me I should have my tonsils out and septum corrected. Just wondering if you''ve ever had a dental prof. tell you that you needed similar work...?

Glad to hear you''ve found a product that''s been helpful, though! Happy sleeping!

 

[mercoledi]

I had sinus surgery earlier this year and had to start the sinus-rinsing regimine. It is really helpful. My version is just salt water and a bulb syringe, about 1C per side. It''s amazing some of the suff that''s been in your head!

My husband has had terrible allergies this year- I''m trying to convert him too.

One question- do you ever get, umm, suprise floods later in the day?

 

[elsie]

LOL snlee, glad you brought this up -- the neti pot is my secret "indulgence" (I read on a forum somewhere where some one said it was disgusting, and have been reluctant to admit I use it ever since!). I am allergic to about every type of particle on the planet, so it really makes me feel great to rinse everything out every day.

BTW, if you don''t want to buy saline packets, I buy kosher salt (any kind of salt without additives) and mix 1/2 teaspoon with 1 cup of water (I usually use 3 cups total).

And yup, mercoledi, I hear ya about the floods! Good thing I do it before bed usually, although DH doesn''t like the unpleasant surprise when I go to hug him and my nose starts dripping on him...

 

[zoebartlett]

I''ve had sinus problems for a long time and I finally made a visit to an ENT doc. She said that it''s a deviated septum and she recommended surgery. I thought about it but I haven''t made a follow up visit yet. That was actually about a year ago and I haven''t been sick much at all. If it starts up again though I may try the neti pot.

 

[Ellen]

I''m gonna get some of this for hubby, he''s suffered for years. He''s on meds that don''t seem to help much and I''d like to get him off them.

Thanks! I''ll let you know if it helps.

 

[snlee]

I didn''t have to blow my nose the whole day! Woohoo. Except after I used the neti pot (my 2nd time). Ekk! Who knew so much stuff could be in your nasal passage!? It definitely cleared out my nasal passage!

Love in Bloom, it''s about $15 but you probably already found that out! You should definitely give it a try!

monarch, glad the surgery helped you out! I''ve never had any X-rays taken. I''ve never really considered that...never thought my sinus problems were that bad.

mercoledi and elsie, surprise floods!? Haven''t gotten any of those and I hope I don''t! LOL my husband wouldn''t like to get any surprises!

elsie, I''m glad my post made you admit you use the neti pot! Good to know about the salt and water mix. I''ve heard you can use salt without additives. I''m just using the saline packets now since it comes with the neti pot.

zoe, that''s good you haven''t been having much sinus problems. Definitely try out the neti pot if it acts up again. I''d rather give that a try than have surgery.

Ellen, hope the neti pot helps out your husband!

 

[IrishAngel7982]

I LOVE this stuff. I don''t use the Sinucleanse one though...I just have a generic one which uses a squeeze bottle instead of the neti pot. Same thing though. It''s been a god send. I have really bad allergies...when the weather changes I get sick. This has helped me so much, and like you said it cleans all the gunk out as well as moisturizing your sinuses (when they''re dry they hurt too). I always have to walk around with a kleenex for about a half hour afterwards in case some extra drippage occurs, but it really makes you feel better on a daily basis as well as when you have a cold or something.

 

[Skippy123]

I have the pot and keep getting the salt mixture wrong. How do you make it? I had some packets and loved those but ran out. I am so bad a mixing; do you have any suggestions. I am JUST LIKE YOU; I blow my nose everyday. In fact in aerobics it is so embarrassing because I feel like people think I am the kleenex girl blowing her nose during class.

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Skippy, I''m not sure about how to make a solution from scratch, but you can get a box of refill packets at the store (in case you didn''t know.) HTH

 

[snlee]

Skippy, Elsie suggested using kosher salt - mix 1/2 teaspoon with 1 cup of water. I haven't tried that but plan to after I run out of packets. You could give it a shot and if that doesn't work well you can buy saline solution packets. I know Walgreens sells 60 packs for about $7. Other drugstores must sell it too.

 

[crown1]

hi skippy! scroll back to the post by elsie. she gave a recipe for the solution.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 6/13/2007 11:50:41 PM
Author: crown1
hi skippy! scroll back to the post by elsie. she gave a recipe for the solution.

Thanks. I keep mixing it a little off which makes it burn. I think I will take Snlee''s advice and go to Walgreens.

 

[snlee]

Date: 6/13/2007 11:58:02 PM
Author: Skippy123

Date: 6/13/2007 11:50:41 PM

Author: crown1

hi skippy! scroll back to the post by elsie. she gave a recipe for the solution.

Thanks. I keep mixing it a little off which makes it burn. I think I will take Snlee's advice and go to Walgreens.

Ekk! That doesn't sound good!

Just wondering, do you usually use half a pack or a full pack for each side?

 

[Skippy123]

Wait I messed up making the mixture not the one I bought. The one that is bought from the store is perfect but I didn''t know where to get it. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[snlee]

Date: 6/14/2007 12:27:41 AM
Author: Skippy123
Wait I messed up making the mixture not the one I bought. The one that is bought from the store is perfect but I didn''t know where to get it. Sorry for the confusion.

No confusion, I got that part.

Just wondering if your nasal passage is extra sensitive possibly? They suggest to only use half a packet when you start out and then work up to one packet. I''m just wondering how your own mixture compares to the packets. Did you try using less salt in your mixture? I think I''m being the confusing one here!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 6/14/2007 12:40:34 AM
Author: snlee

Date: 6/14/2007 12:27:41 AM
Author: Skippy123
Wait I messed up making the mixture not the one I bought. The one that is bought from the store is perfect but I didn''t know where to get it. Sorry for the confusion.

No confusion, I got that part.

Just wondering if your nasal passage is extra sensitive possibly? They suggest to only use half a packet when you start out and then work up to one packet. I''m just wondering how your own mixture compares to the packets. Did you try using less salt in your mixture? I think I''m being the confusing one here!

I had no problems w/the packet. . . it was when I ran out of the packets and mixed it myself. I used one packet.

 

[boston_jeff]

Date: 6/13/2007 11:47:50 PM
Author: snlee
Skippy, Elsie suggested using kosher salt - mix 1/2 teaspoon with 1 cup of water. I haven''t tried that but plan to after I run out of packets. You could give it a shot and if that doesn''t work well you can buy saline solution packets. I know Walgreens sells 60 packs for about $7. Other drugstores must sell it too.

Quick add... for those of you making your own rinse, you should add a pinch of baking soda... it acts as a buffer, which is necessary because water tends to be slightly acidic, and this bothers some people.

 

[rainbowtrout]

Blech. I need to get a nutti pot. I wonder if it will help a lot, I already use saline spray. I went to an EMT in 9th grade and he said well, it's just really dry up there...and I was like yes, because I have to blow my nose all the time, can we get a REASON?? He put me on Allegra, but I don't think I am allergic to anything, and he didn't test me (it didn't help much+bad side effects).


I've been considering going back and finding out about the surgery this year. it's just too much, I wake up with sinus pain, I can't smell anything, can't breathe out of one side at all, it's embarrassing...

Interestingly I don't get sinusitus like many of you. Colds last awhile, but that's it.


One question: do those of you with deviated septums find that the bones in your nose hurt? I find myself rubbing the bridge of my nose a lot, and it just aches. it also looks crooked to the naked eye, but the EMT said that surgery might or might not help...

I really don't want them poking around up there if it won't help!

 

[mercoledi]

rainbowtrout The nettipot or a bulb syringe will be more effective than the saline sprays. I used the sprays for months with no results, then changed to washing with the buld syringe and whoa, what a difference.

I also had the complete knock-everything-out-and-start-over surgery in April. I had had a persistent infection and bad headaches for just about a year. The surgery itself is no fun, and the recovery is pretty gross, but I no longer get headachy at the drop of a hat and I'm slowly getting my sense of smell back.

For me the surgery was non-vital (ie, I wasn't going to die without it or anything) but my ENT said that if you have gunk in your sinuses all the time and it doesn't clear, it will eventually kill the little wavy hair cells that help move the gunk out normally, and those never really come back.

If I were you I'd find a new ENT (if you're in Boston, I like mine) and get a CT to see what's going on. In the mean time, try the saline/nettipot thing.

Skippy you can try adding a little baking soda to your 1/2 tsp salt/1C water mix. Also if your tap water isn't very good, try filtered or bottled water and make sure you're using NON iodized salt, like kosher salt. Iodine will burn anyone's sinuses!

 

[rainbowtrout]

Boo. I have a bulb syringe, annnnd, well. I don''t think it''s making it through. It just comes back out the same side it went in....is there some sort of trick to it? I''m tilting my head to the side, getting a nice forceful squirt out of the syringe....

 

[rainbowtrout]

Date: 6/14/2007 10:52:10 AM
Author: mercoledi
rainbowtrout The nettipot or a bulb syringe will be more effective than the saline sprays. I used the sprays for months with no results, then changed to washing with the buld syringe and whoa, what a difference.


I also had the complete knock-everything-out-and-start-over surgery in April. I had had a persistent infection and bad headaches for just about a year. The surgery itself is no fun, and the recovery is pretty gross, but I no longer get headachy at the drop of a hat and I''m slowly getting my sense of smell back.


For me the surgery was non-vital (ie, I wasn''t going to die without it or anything) but my ENT said that if you have gunk in your sinuses all the time and it doesn''t clear, it will eventually kill the little wavy hair cells that help move the gunk out normally, and those never really come back.


If I were you I''d find a new ENT (if you''re in Boston, I like mine) and get a CT to see what''s going on. In the mean time, try the saline/nettipot thing.


Skippy you can try adding a little baking soda to your 1/2 tsp salt/1C water mix. Also if your tap water isn''t very good, try filtered or bottled water and make sure you''re using NON iodized salt, like kosher salt. Iodine will burn anyone''s sinuses!

Thanks mercoladi! THat is scary about the cilia dying....I have always been nervous that maybe all the years of it has actually somehow killed my sense of smell as well. I''m not sure if that''s possible?

If you don''t mind me asking, how long did it take you to recover from the surgery? Is your congestion totally gone?

 

[mercoledi]

Here's how my ENT has me do it:
warm salt water- fill the syringe so there's no air.
Lean over the sink with your mouth open. Insert bulb syringe comfortably into one nostril, hold the other nostril closed.
Gently squeeze syringe. A lot of water (and often some surprises) will come out.
Repeat until the whole cup is empty, then try the other side.
Wait a few minutes and gently but thoroughly blow nose. I use paper towels for this.

I also rock my head back on my shoulders to dislodge and little saline pockets that are hiding out in there for later. If I don't there's a little shower when I tie my shoes.

It may not make a huge difference the first time, it took a while for me to feel results. Also if you have a serious blockage between your nose and sinuses, it may do squat.

Good luck!

ETA:

Sorry, didn't see your reply. I had the surgery on Friday and was able to go to work Monday, but wasn't close to 100% for about 10 days. I didn't have any brusing, but there's still a lot of healing going on. It takes about 8 weeks to heal totally, but since then my congestion has been much much better, the headaches are pretty much gone, and my sense of smell is returning. I didn't realize how much I missed it until it came back! I also had a specialist in this type of surgery for my ENT, so I'm sure that helped. Feel free to ask anything else!

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 6/14/2007 5:13:59 AM
Author: rainbowtrout
Blech. I need to get a nutti pot. I wonder if it will help a lot, I already use saline spray. I went to an EMT in 9th grade and he said well, it''s just really dry up there...and I was like yes, because I have to blow my nose all the time, can we get a REASON?? He put me on Allegra, but I don''t think I am allergic to anything, and he didn''t test me (it didn''t help much+bad side effects).


I''ve been considering going back and finding out about the surgery this year. it''s just too much, I wake up with sinus pain, I can''t smell anything, can''t breathe out of one side at all, it''s embarrassing...

Interestingly I don''t get sinusitus like many of you. Colds last awhile, but that''s it.


One question: do those of you with deviated septums find that the bones in your nose hurt? I find myself rubbing the bridge of my nose a lot, and it just aches. it also looks crooked to the naked eye, but the EMT said that surgery might or might not help...

I really don''t want them poking around up there if it won''t help!

I have known people who had to have the surgery twice. . . my mom for one and a friend.