My husband has a pretty bad sinus problem right now. I don’t think it’s an infection (yet); it seems to just be really bad congestion.
His solution is to go into the shower with a glass of warm salt water (not sure what level of salinity) and proceed to snort it up his nose.
Now, I’ve heard of gargling with salt water to relieve sore throat or post-dental discomfort, but I’ve never heard of someone attempting to drown oneself to relieve sinus blockage or congestion.
Can someone come along and either confirm that this is a valid treatment or tell me it’s total bunk? My common sense-o-meter is going nuts.
We had a thread about a month ago, about the use of neti pots (aka sinucleanse) for chronic sinus congestions and infections, but the search is not working for me now.
As a physician, I’ve recommended the neti pot a LOT and with good results for many folks. Many have thrown away their nasal steroids, their spray decongestants, and no longer need antibiotics for recurrent infections. They’re a mix of salt water and bicarb washes.
Google “neti pot” or “sinucleanse” for lots of good hits. Or search the SDMB for recent threads on the topic. Perhaps the search function will work better for you than me today.
Again, two thumbs up from me for this approach for treating nasal problems. And I’m generally a skeptic when it comes to such therapies. But evidence-based medicine shows it works.
I’m relieved to find out that allowing water to flow into and out of your nasal cavity is okay, but should my husband be forcing the water up his nose by inhaling it? From reading the instructions on the first item returned when I googled it, one should tilt the head to an angle that allows the water to flow from the target nostril into the other nostril and out while breathing through the mouth.
Given that I live in the sticks between the Middle of Nowhere and No Man’s Land, I would probably have to order a neti pot online. I’d be willing to get one if only to spare my husband what must be a truly uncomfortable treatment method. He claims it burns while I say that the burning sensation might be a warning. After all, the human respiratory system wasn’t designed to accommodate, you know, liquid.
I’m going to tell him about the neti pot method. It seems that he’s on the right track with the treatment, but maybe he got insufficient information that stopped just short of the whole “let it flow freely out of the other nostril” part. Out of curiosity, is he putting himself at risk of developing a more serious problem by inhaling the water? Pneumonia, perhaps?
Doubtful. It’s not reaching his lungs. That would start such a coughing fit that he wouldn’t want to do it that way again.
He needs to achieve the right salt/bicarb mix for himself, which will minimize burning, also.
More salt extracts more fluids from the swollen nasal tissue. Not enough salt, and one can make the nasal tissues swell even more than they already are.
ah, I actually have a semi-on-topic reason to share this great medical invention: Dr. Pierce’s Nasal Douche
Probably quite a bit more helpful than the rest of the stuff he patented. I think the neti pot looks a bit more gentle though.
If you have a Walgreen’s near you there is a sinus rinse my mom swears by, just looked online and it is called NeilMed Sinus Rinse Kit runs $10.99 online. Hope it helps! The thought of snorting salt water makes my nose cringe. When I’m stuffed up I use Afrin No Drip Severe Congestion. There is also some menthol nose spray too. Good luck!
NeilMed Sinus Rinse Kit user here, for the last couple years. It really helps, and I got used to doing it. The water doesn’t sting at all, and if I go to the trouble of warming it is not even “funny” feeling.
cruel butterfly, it’s good your husband is willing to give this a try.
I received the neti pot as described in the link to my thread, and demonstrated it smilingly on myself a few times. But the husband won’t use it. As someone mentioned above, the idea of water going up his nose makes him cringe. And with the weather as dry as it has been the last few days, I’m expecting him to get a sinus infection any day now.
After a sinus operation, I was advised by the VA docs to purge the sinus area with saline solution at least daily. They provided a 50cc syringe (minus needle, of course) which works fine until it wears out. I guess they aren’t meant to be used more than once, and the plunger stops sliding after repeated use.
I couldn’t get a replacement from a med supply house without a prescrip (why, I don’t know – there’s nothing dangerous about a huge needle-less syringe, and I might have been using it to make Jackson Pollack paintings), so I found a veternarian supply that carried it.
How’s this for timing; I was about to post about whether Neti Pots work.
I realized this week that I may be allergic to either dog hair, mold or Cedar (Ash Juniper) pollen. I’ve snorted salt water before when I had colds with mixed results, probably from not getting much water into my sinuses. A Neti Pot is on my grocery list. I’ll follow up with results if anyone really wants to know about my sinuses, but Qadgop has recommended them many times before, and as he may have an interest in effective treatments that do not involve unnecessary medication, I assume that he is in a position to know.
