Anyone done a salt wash for sinus problems?

[Ulysees]

I suffer from chronic sinus problems and have heard that you can wash the sinuses out with warm water and salt and don't mind trying it. Just wondered if anyone's done it and did it work?

[Ulysees]

Right, off to do it before the school run

[Ulysees]

Oh my!!

I feel like a lie down now. I'll only be trying this again if it helps as it isn't nice and my sinuses are throbbing You did warn me though NDP.

[handlemecarefully]

I tried it and it didn't work. Are you using sinutab / vicks sinex nasal spray etc? Or are you pregnant so avoiding?

[Ulysees]

hmc, I use a steroid spray from the gp at night. How many times did you use the wash? I think I'll need to go back to the doc as I've been using the spray over a week and it's only slightly better.

[NomDePlume]

It made my Mum sick when she tried it, hope you feel batter soon, Ulysees

[NomDePlume]

better

[yoyo]

I have done it and found it worked well. Many years ago on honeymoon in the Caribbean I had the most terrible sinus problem and a woman recommended using the seawater. Two days later completely clear and honeymoon was saved. You can buy special pots for this but I can't think what they are called. It sounds oriental like Nisi pot or something. Do Tibetan monks do it regularly (the salt water thing obviously)?

[Ulysees]

cheers ndp.

yoyo, how many times a day did you do it? I think I'll carry on doing it until I get to see the gp as it can't harm with it only being salt and water.

I'm using an old abidec dropper

[handlemecarefully]

Ulysees - I used the nasal spray 2 or 3 times a day for a few days (you're not supposed to use it for too long), but tbh I found oral medication - the over the counter "mucron" or "sinutab" tablets very effective

[spacecadet]

the special pots are called neti pots

[yoyo]

Ulysees - I did it three or four times a day.

Neti pots - I was close(ish)!

[foxinsocks]

ulysees

I have always had chronic sinus problems exacerbated by the fact that I broke my nose very badly in an accident and the operation to fix it wasn't 100% successful.

Anyway, I was lucky enough to see a brilliant ENT specialist (who has now sadly retired) who first of all gave me a very powerful steroid spray (because he said the pain I had was from my sinus passages being all swollen). I had that spray (wish I could remember the name!) for I think 4 weeks.

I then went back and he said all I needed was salt water spray. At first I couldn't believe it(having taken loads of crap for years to try and sort it out) but now, 5 years later after suffering for well over a decade before seeing him, I have only had a few bad sinus headaches.

He said the key is to get the swelling/irritation down first and then the salt water acts to keep the area infection free.

Hope you feel better soon! Have you seen an ENT?

[biglips]

im waiting to see mine too as i got hit years ago on my nose and suffered from sinus probs which i cannot breathe very well and tensions headaches 24/7 , had op 3 yrs ago, but i feel abit better then last year i went in for induction and was given dio-morphine type which didnt agree with me as resulted me threw up violenty, suddenly i had the urge to blow my nose and had a handful of dark green phelgm (yuck).. i could breathe for the first time in 10 yrs but sadly i caught a bad cold 2 weeks later and got sinus probs again so waiting to see ENT again and explain to him what had happened to me since..

[biglips]

went in for induction to have baba

[biglips]

does anyoen feels you got permanent phelgm feel at the back of your throat??

sorry to hjjack!!

[yoyo]

biglips - my daughter who is 7 complains of having a permanently gunky throat. She is very prone to tonsilitis too. Bioforce's echinacea complex helps a bit as it seems to reduce the mucous.

[Ulysees]

ur not hijacking biglips I don't feel the phlegm thing personally but pressure at the roof of my mouth, top of teeth, brow, cheekbones and ears. Nice!

thanks for the info yoyo, I did it again and it wasn't quite as bad, don't know if I'm using too much salt though?

foxinsoxs, I haven't seen ENT yet this time but have done before and had CAT. They spotted a cyst on that scan but nothing to worry about apparently? Had that around 2 years ago. I've had the steroid spray for a week so maybe I need to keep using that and then do this salt wash? Anyway, I'll see the GP and see what she says.

[bobbybob]

My consultant gave me this brilliant spray nozzle (but tiny) that you connect to a 5ml syringe. You make a mixture of salt and bicarb and water up and just spray and spray and spray, and hoik all the revolting stuff out of the back of your throat. it aint pretty, but it's amazing.

Scooping up water in the shower and inhaling it is easy and cheap but hurts like hell.

[Ulysees]

bobbybob, are u in the UK? I like the sound of that as the way I'm doing it (dropper) isn't pleasant tbh.

[bobbybob]

No I'm in NZ. The consultant said it was a new toy he had been sent, and didn't charge me for it.

[jabberwocky]

Yep, have done the salt water thing for years. An ENT doc recommended it for my brother when he was a child and my mother then used it on all of us. I've always just mixed it up in a glass then poured some in my hand and gave it a go that way. It's not bad unless you get the mixture too salty.

[yoyo]

I also find that if I get a really bad sinus problem I just snort it from my hand. It makes you splutter so much that you'll be amazed how much clearer your sinuses are afterwards. Do it over a basin though with the bathroom door locked as it isn't a pretty sight!

[Ulysees]

Thought so bobbybob, I knew you couldn't be here or I'd have heard of this new toy

Well I did it again last night and today and it is helping and wasn't unpleasant at all today I must've had the mix too salty yesterday.

[yoyo]

Pleased to hear that it is working Ulysees.