Has anyone done a sinus rinse before?

[Myusernameismud]

And is it horrific?!

I've got various allergies and asthma and while waiting for an appt with allergy specialists (because we still don't actually know what it is I'm allergic to) my asthma nurse has got me trying lots of different things. She got all excited when I said the nasal spray I'd been using had worked well and said 'ooh I've got something fun for you to try then' and gave me a sinus rinse and a load of sachets.

I stupidly watched a few YouTube videos of people doing it and someone said she felt like she was drowning! She did seem a bit dramatic in general though.

I'm desperate to get on top of this, and I really want to try it but I'll be the first to admit I'm a bit of a wimp!

Sardinesontoast that constant sinus infection sounds like me. Did you do rinses daily? How long was it till it suddenly cleared?

TheGoodEnoughWife my problems are allergy related, so to be fair sinus rinses aren't going to totally clear them up. I'm still exposed to whatever allergens are causing my symptoms, so rinses are only really easing it overnight. My suspicion is pollen, house dust mites and potentially pet dander, although I don't have pets of my own.

I guess with sinus issues it'll be a few days of daily rinses before you feel a real improvement, but that's just a guess!

I have multiple allergies hay fever, asthmas, permanent rhinitis, eczema, rheumatoid arthritis.

I read about this on MN, it's also on the NHS website - nasal irrigation.
I bought a Neti pot from amazon for about £4. I use boiled, cooled water with ordinary salt in it. I do it twice a week and it's made a big difference to my general snuffliness.

It feels similar to when you go underwater in a swimming pool, no worse.

The NetiPot is so simple to use.
Blow nose.
Head over sink, tilted to one side.
Put spout in one nostril.
Wait for water to pour out of the other nostril.
Blow nose.
Repeat for the other side.

I am really about this but I get horrible stinky breath, not all the time but enough to make me really self-conscious. It doesnt seem to be coming from my mouth (super diligent about my dental hygiene) but from the soft part of the back of the roof of the mouth (palette?). I can kind of smell/taste it iyswim. I frequently feel that I have a little bit of phlegm hanging around. Do you think this rinsing lark would help me?

They are amazing! Stick with the sachets, sterilized bottle and cooled boiled water - you don't want to introduce any bacteria up there. Just keep your mouth open and breathe through your mouth while you do it. Also - get an air purifier. I spent money I didn't have on a vax air 300 (as it was recommended by asthma society) and it blasts all the allergens out of the air in my house (just found out I have a severe cat and dust allergy. I have 2 cats and am shit at cleaning) it's made the world of difference.

My son does one twice a day and he's 7! Been doing it himself since she's 6. We use the Neil med sachets and bottle. It really helps him, he has allergies as well which we just can't identify.

We buy boxes of sachets from amazon.

It's so impressive what can come out on a rinse 😂 I suggest you don't do one last thing at night though, my son does it one hour before bed as although you blow your nose after the rinse there's still a little drip down the back of your throat when you lie down and if you go straight to bed it can be a bit tickley.

I suggest you don't do one last thing at night though, my son does it one hour before bed as although you blow your nose after the rinse there's still a little drip down the back of your throat when you lie down and if you go straight to bed it can be a bit tickley

I second that. The salty drip is annoying if you go to bed straight away.

I love a neti pot rinse.

I can only do nostril to nostril tho. Some people can do nostril to throat. Never mastered that.

does it hurt? Is it like accidentally snorting swimming pool water

Not at all. You aren't forcing water UP like that, just allowing it to run gently through form one side the other.

Cora maybe you have tonsil stones????

Ah ha! Susie yes i have had them in the past (and poked them out with a cotton bud ). But none for a few years now. But perhaps they are hiding and releasing their stink stealthily gag. But I do often feel like I am a bit ‘clogged up’ so wondered if a rinse might help?

Arrrgh - hate it!! Feel really paranoid and am keeping Trebor in business, main-lining extra strong mints!!

does it hurt? Is it like accidentally snorting swimming pool water

Not if you use a properly concentrated solution, and it's just a touch less than warm. You will find your own perfect temperature

OP I went to my GP a month ago saying I was suffering from allergies. I said I suspected pollen (knew this as I had hayfever) and possibly dust and pets/cats. He made an appointment with the nurse who took blood and sent it off to be tested for those 3 specifically. It came back a week later at level 6 for all 3 (they are measured level 1-6, which 6 being the worst). So I didn't wait to see an allergy specialist, just sent off a blood sample via GP. Fwiw I had no allergies until I had DS. Apparently hormone changes can trigger them.

Smellbow my GP wouldn't even entertain that idea! To be fair they're testing me for a few food allergies too but I have to go to Addenbrookes for mine.

My ds uses one to help with allergies and asthma. He has no problem with doing it although we're probably not doing it as often as we should.

My hayfever is brutal this year and I've been eyeing the bottle...

@Myusernameismud oh, that's odd. But at least you can tested for lots at the hospital. I think my GP just thought I was a malingerer, especially as he only tested for the ones I vaguely mentioned might be the culprits. I felt actually quite vindicated when he called with the results (and finally prescribed an inhaler) I'd had the asthma blow test thingy before that came back clear you see, but I did say they didn't have any cats or dust in the surgery and I'd been sat there waiting for over an hour so was pretty symptomless! Until I got my air purifier I was dreadfully wheezy at home (as well as itchy and bunged up)

As I'm a bit stupid I've accidentally ordered this one instead will it have the same effect? www.amazon.co.uk/NeilMed-Sinugator-Cordless-Pulsating-Premixed/dp/B00CQ7IBFG/ref=asc_df_B00CQ7IBFG/?hvlocphy=1006802&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=309940318982&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos=1o1&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-614810192316&hvrand=4981504513500952600

It will but overkill. I have this one and it works perfectly well. Can you cancel if it's not been dispatched and save tourself some dough? www.amazon.co.uk/NeilMed-Original-Sinus-Premixed-Sachets/dp/B000RDZFZ0/ref=pd_aw_fbt_328_img_3/259-2905896-7230328?psc=1&pf_rd_p=2ef3f294-3d5d-499e-861c-c3dd12069854&_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_wg=JwMDR&pf_rd_r=Y45YR84STZ13PBS6DAAD&pd_rd_i=B000RDZFZ0&pd_rd_w=vedaB&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&refRID=Y45YR84STZ13PBS6DAAD&pd_rd_r=4c4a5241-7275-11e9-8f6d-5558d0c85632

Smellbow I've got a list as long as my arm I'm being tested for . What I'd love is for them to say 'it's just this one thing that's making you so ill, cut that out and you'll be fine forever' but I doubt it'll be that easy. Mine all started a while back when I'd been in hospital and having a really stressy time at work. Before that I just had mild asthma and it was well controlled. Now no matter what I do, don't do, take or don't take I'm wheezy, bunged up, itchy and usually have a random patch or 2 of hives somewhere. It's draining!

Drat Smell, it's been dispatched. I may have to return if it's going to blow my socks off.

You poor thing OP. It's miserable. This is the air purifier I got. I have a small open plan house and it does it all. If I don't have it on for an hour the itching and sneezing is back. It's worth every penny. I bought in installments to make it slightly more bearable.
www.vax.co.uk/vax-pure-air-300-air-purifier

There was a thread on air filters recently.
I bought the Bionaire, mainly because the filters are washable and most others require frequent new filters. I've had it a day so far and the jury's still out.

Yeah it was probably started by me. I researched it to death! I wanted kne that was actually rated by allergy UK and that was powerful enough to deal with my whole downstairs (as it's open plan) It is a disposable hepa filter but only about every 6 months. It's completely amazing. We live in quite a polluted area too so I'm comforted it's at least giving DS clean air at home. As it also takes out airborne viruses I'm a bit nervous about changing the filter when it's time! Surely it's a biohazard?! Will I need a hazmat suit? I could cut it into strips and post it through the letterboxes of enemies

I can suggest a few names