OK - I have read all of the posts on sinus irrigation.  Especially Vicki

Anyway, I hope that my question doesn't anger/offend anyone.....

I am a 32 year old woman.  I am also a (recent) RECREATIONAL cocaine user.  By recreational, I truly mean recreational.  Once every month or two....

Anyway, the only way I use it is nasally.  However, despite the initial "pleasure" of the drug, my nasal pasages become extremely irritated and "stuffed up".... That often lasts for days.  Also, my throat gets irritated sometmes. I have heard from many people that nasal sprays are NOT good (I have used them and it just makes the pain worse...) But also that leaving that "gunk" (especially the "cut") in your nasal passages can cause problems....

I just did my own "homegrown" irrigation using the salt and water instructions from you Vicki.  I unfortunately (I know, picture this! LOL) had to use a ziplock bag full of the solution and poke a hole in the corner.  It actually worked great!  At first, reading the posts here, I was worried that the "saline" wouldn't flow out the other nostril.... I was woried it would go down my throat or something and feel like I forgot to hold my nose in my pool!   But once I got the pressure right it sure did come out the other side with no discomfort - felt great....

Anyway, my questions are these:  Should I include the baking soda...? (I simply don't have any right now...)  And have you heard anything about irrigation with anything different than the "norm" to get rid of what I need to get rid of...?

Thanks

Hey Chris,

Don't worry about the baking soda.  I only use it to absorb odors if I have a sinus infection.  It is probably in the mix to act as a buffer so that the irrigation solution is gentler on you nose, but I don't have any trouble with just tap water and saline.  You can put the solution in a cup too and snort it from there, but the baggie is a clever idea.  That recipe is the one used by a major hospital and clinic on the West Coast, so it is probably one of the best.  I know there are store bought mixes, but I haven't checked them out yet to see if they are similar.

Do you have apnea?  If so, how is it going?

Happy (saline) snorting!

Vicki


_________________
Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

My sinus problems are so bad, that my nose has been bleeding almost daily. I started using saline salt water and it is helping that problem but not giving me any relief from the sinus trouble. What's the difference in this stuff and the irrigation? Does it work any better?

Hi -

Actually - No, I do not have Apnea.  I happened to "stumble" upon this forum while I was searching for TRUE and RELIABLE information on nasal and sinus irrigation....

Thank you so much for your quick response!

I am quite new here as well as new to sleep apnea, which I was diagnosed with this past week. I have been using the Neil-Med irrigation system for a while after a chiropractor suggested it to me.

I had sinus surgery a LONG time ago (like 25 or so years ago), so I don't get infections much any more but I do seem to always have somewhat reduced breathing through my nose -- feels like the insides of it are swollen or something. The Neil-Med does help quite a bit.

The only time I ever had 100% relief from this was a year or two ago when I was in the hospital for two solid weeks after back surgery. They had a massive HEPA filtration system. I have never breathed so well!! (I also have some pets, which probably contributes to the problem, too.)

Anyway, I have found the Neil-Med to be easy to use, not scary at all (as I expected it to be) and quite effective. :)

Lori


_________________
Began CPAP Therapy 6/15/2006
Respironics Remstar Pro M Series with
Heated Humidifier, Ramping Feature, and C-Flex
Weinmann Somno Plus mask
61.5 events/hour / Pressure setting: 13 cm

Hi Vicki.  I'm actually posting this in an effort to try and help my son.  He suffers (and has for quite awhile now) from SEVERE chronic sinusitis and allergies.  It's so bad that he can't sleep at night (from the chronic congestion) and during the daytime it alternates between the congestion and constant running nose and watery, itchy eyes, plus mega-fits of sneezing.  He's miserable most all the time and it affects him to the point he can't hold a job.  To add to his problems, of course, he has no health insurance!   Over-the-counter medications don't help unless he doubles up on the dosage.  But by doing that to get some relief, he created a painful and potentially-serious side effect for himself so he stopped doing it - thank goodness!  He also used to smoke but quit completely about 3-4 months ago.  I'm doing my best to help him, but I'm retired and have some health issues of my own so what I'm able to do is limited.  Following a suggestion I received a while back, I bought several air purifiers for the home (one for our living area and one for his bedroom).   Because his condition is so bad, I also bought a Grossan Sinus Irrigator hoping it would help.  He's used it just a few times.  The problem is, he is normally SO CONGESTED (constantly in one nostril at least), that when he uses the irrigator the solution is 'blocked' from entering the other nostril which causes a feeling of pressure (and pain) in his head/sinuses, so of course he stops because he's afraid to 'force' it.  The instructions DO warn not to continue if the sinuses are blocked which almost seems self-defeating since he wouldn't need it if that wasn't an issue!  Do you have any suggestions or advice?  I think if he could just use it successfully for a regular period of time, it might possibly help him.

Thanks so much for any advice you feel you can offer.

If it helps at all, my son's doctor recommended that he start taking vitamin C due to recurring sinus infections as he figured his immune system was down a bit. He's had the cartlidge in his nose broke, had surgury but after it happened again, the ENT doctor decided it would be best to wait until he graduates from school before fixing it again but it causes him sinus trouble and breathing problems. However the vitamin c really helped. He hasn't had an infection since he's been taking it. But I haven't tried it myself yet.. I've read some of these posts but haven't gotten around to them all yet. I'm just curious if anyone else that has these sinus problems ever experience blood frequently coming out of your nose? I'm using a saline spray and it's not stopping the problem. And everytime I use it, I have to taste that nasty junk draining down into my throat. I'm beginning to wonder if it may be something else. Neither this stuff nor Flonase has helped my nasal problems, though I haven't tried the irrigation but I'm thinking what's the point. Does anyone know if this blood is a normal symptom of sinusitis?

BabyBlue:

I have had sinus infections a LOT, and while everything medical varies from person to person, I certainly did have nosebleeds as well as bloody discharges from my nose when I had sinus infections. Also, nosebleeds can happen due to dryness regardless of whether infection is present. But just because I did, it doesn't necessarily mean that this is the case of YOUR nosebleeds. If it goes on a lot and continually, I would be sure to ask your doc. :)

Lori


_________________
Began CPAP Therapy 6/15/2006
Respironics Remstar Pro M Series with
Heated Humidifier, Ramping Feature, and C-Flex
Weinmann Somno Plus mask
61.5 events/hour / Pressure setting: 13 cm

Hi Guest,

Your son is right to never force the solution in.  If one sinus is blocked, I then try to "reverse flush" it.  I run solution in my unblocked nose and try to get it to run out my blocked nose.

Vicki


_________________
Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

Thank you!! I'm still confused as to why the saline solution isn't helping if it's sinusitis as it's purpose is to treat dryness in your nose too. This is what my doctor recommended for me. And said to call if it doesn't stop. My nasal problems never end, even if I don't have a sinus infection, my nose is always irritated. Maybe the sleep disorders cause sinusitis but I can't help thinking these nasal problems are causing my sleep disorder. Which I wouldn't even known I had if it wasn't for getting a sinus infection that brought on forceful breaths through my nose disturbing my sleep which have even yet to completely stop. But it will be interesting finding out which is doing which and I will somehow find out!!!

Thanks for responding!  I was pretty sure he shouldn't try to 'force' it but it is frustrating because I think he needs the treatment badly.   So you advise running the solution into the nostril that happens to be open until the other one finally becomes unclogged?   Thanks again.  (I've suffered from sinus infections when I've had colds or the flu, so I know how miserable they can be!)

I have one more question on the topic of sinusitis. Sorry for asking so many... Does hot or cold air make things worse with sinusitis? The temp is about 89 here and I can't half breathe.

Vicki,
What kind of salt do you use?
I normally do not keep the old fashioned Morten's Iodized Table salt in my house. The usual salt I use is Diamond brand kosher salt.
This does make a difference because of the shape of the salt crystals. Kosher salt crystals have more air space in them than the Morten's table salt. For example; If you use 1 teaspoon of morten's table salt it will take 1 1/2 teaspoons of Morten's kosher salt to have the same salinity. If you use Diamond kosher salt it will take 2 teaspoons. Various sea salts are also different in their structure. If weights are used then all the salts work the same.
So, that said; can you give the formula for your saline solution in weights instead of measures? Or let me know what type of salt you are using.
Thanks,
Mike

Morcheller,

That is a great question.  Physiological saline (the salt concentration in our blood) is 0.9%.  Unfortunately, to make this solution, you have to use metric measurements.  It is 0.9 grams of salt in 100 milliliters of water.  Therefore, as you noted, 0.9 grams of regular table salt will be a smaller pile than 0.9 grams of Kosher salt.

An easier way to do it might be to make up a solution with 1/2 teaspoon table salt and 1/2 teaspoon of Kosher salt each in separate pints of water (two solutions).  Add more Kosher salt from a measuring spoon until the saltiness of the Kosher salt solution tastes like that of the table salt solution.

It is pretty clear when the salinity of the solution is not isotonic because, when irrigated, it burns if it is too salty (like snorting sea water) and just feels awful if it is not salty enough (like getting pool water up your nose).  It is important that the salt concentration be isotonic which I will get into when I repost the instructions.

Vicki


_________________
Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

Have you ever tried this using an old (clean) nasal spray bottle?


_________________
Tom M