I use the Neil-Med squeezy bottle. It won’t break if you drop it. I really like having pressure control, too, as it takes a lot of the “swimming pool water up the nose” feeling out of the equation.
I’ve been having sinus issues for years. They always result in post-nasal drips and sore throats. I’ve had nasal irrigation in the hospital once and it was interesting, though not very pleasant (doc stuck a thin tube in there, introduce some fluid, and I bent over the sink and watched as thick, green mucus flowed out). Nowadays I just use a bowl with salt water and a straw. Makes me feel like a druggie to be snorting something in my nose but, whatever, it works.
That’s what I use as well. There’s no need to twist your head around to pour in the water - just lean over the sink and squeeze gently. It also works equally well in the shower.
And it you’re expecting a major snot harvest, doing it in the shower makes cleanup easy-peasy!
why spoiler it, we revel in tmi …
Re: decongestants
I usually use them as a last resort with acetaminophen when I have a major sinus headache, can’t breathe through my nose and need to function. Usually if I feel really stuffed up I take guaifenisen, it doesn’t just break up mucus in the chest it works in the head, too.
I had never heard of the apple cider vinegar thing and I’m certainly going to try it. I know I have some.
I get at least 3 major “my head feels like a block and I can’t breathe through my nose at all” sinus infections per year.
One thing I have found really useful is this. You can buy an attachment for a Water-Pic (those water-flossing machines) so you can actually run water through your nose. Works just like a neti pot, but with extra water pressure. Add baking soda and salt to the mixture to kill the bacteria in your nose and prevent a burning sensation.
Okay elbows, I just took my first dose of cider vinegar, then used the neti pot.
At this point I’m probably feeling “sinus” pain more from gritting my teeth when I sleep than because my sinuses are full.
But it was fun. I’ll keep it up for a while and see if the pain goes away.
Funny you should mention gritting your teeth when you sleep. I did that too.
I don’t do it anymore, and, though no one has told me so, I think I was clenching my teeth because of the continuous sinus pain. I think so because I just stopped doing it once my sinus issue was resolved.
I’m sort of afraid to use a neti pot, given my experience with nose drops that also seem to get deeper into your sinuses than a spray does.
[spoiler] I thought I bought nose spray, but it turned out to be drops. No problem, I thought. I was wrong.
No sooner had I snorted them up as directed, and some slid down my throat, did I immediately and unexpected throw up all over myself.[/spoiler]