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!

When I use the Netipot, the solution comes out of the same nostril as I squirt it up. Apparently I have a deviated septum.
Thought I'd share that!

Err when I use saline sprays this happens to me too. I can't do the other nostril thing. I wonder if I have a wonky septum too.

When I 've used a net pot with my head on the side, it goes in the upper nostril and out the lower. Last time I used Neilmed (earlier this week), with upright head, it went in one nostril and out the same, but I was blocked up with cold. I haven’t really been using it frequently, though I did when I first had it.

Those of you using ordinary salt - check the ingredients - some have extra anti-caking agent stuff added, and I am not so sure it'll be great up your nostrils. Though it's fine for ingestion, so I doubt it would be deadly.

I've had a cold for a month, and my sinuses and ears are blocked. I've been using the sterimer spray to try to clear out the bit between my nose and ear by squirting and tilting my head. Would the neti pot method work for this area? My ears crackle when I blow afterwards but I'm not convinced the liquid is getting far enough into the tubes! I also have allergies and post nasal drip so I think it would be a good habit to get into. Sorry for TMI!

Can I be weird and ask did loads of stuff come out?

Can I be weird and ask did loads of stuff come out?

not during the rinse itself, but a few minutes after.

I can imagine if you have blocked sinuses or an infection then plenty would come out after! Nothing really comes out of mine, except the odd teeny little blood clot when I blow but that's about it!

I seem to remember reading that you shouldn't try this if you have a complete blockage?

It does say not to use if nose completely blocked.

Ok, I received the Neilmed trying yesterday and tried it for the first time today. Nothing much came out during the rinse but I can breathe through my nose properly. I still have pain but I wonder if doing this for a few days will help. Watch this space.

Thing not trying

a blocked nose is a combination of swelling and snot.
the nasal rinse reduces the swelling

the nasal rinse reduces the swelling

It can also help wash out the snot.

My kit has arrived just now. Will need to gear myself up to actually doing it but my sinuses are definitely playing up so fingers crossed it works.

My kit arrived yesterday and I have used it twice. Sadly it's doing nothing for my blocked runny nose. I wonder what I'm doing wrong

Those of you with deviated septums, did it still work well for you ?

I haven't done mine yet but this thread has solved the mystery of sinus infections my whole life (deviated septum!). This article suggest the rinse should work
nyulangone.org/conditions/deviated-septum/treatments/medication-for-deviated-septum

Ok so I've used mine. It was a bit weird and I found I kept trying to tip the bottle up when you don't need to. Disappointed that only water came back out and no kunk however I can now feel a bit of stuff draining down my throat so maybe it's loosened it a bit. Also after I had done it and blown my nose etc I went to bend down for something and water poured out of my nose

OMG you guys, NEVER forget the salt stuff! It bloody hurts without it.

I've just had sinus surgery after a 9 month sinus infection, no breathing through nose, erosion of the septum etc.

Using NeilMed sinus rinse has been an absolute revelation and my hayfever has almost dissappeared after suffering badly my whole life from that and other allergies (incl. dust which is almost impossible to avoid!)

Do it. You won't regret it!

Just bumping this because it's a fucking game changer!

Has anyone who has nosebleeds done sinus rinses before? DS (10) has had a few nosebleeds before but this morning he had the most horrendous one. He was still asleep and I was downstairs, then I heard 'MUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMM COME HERE' and I went up to what looked like a massacre Took over an hour to stop, then he sneezed and it bloody started again. Seems to have calmed down finally, and I know I'll need to leave it a day or so for the clot to properly form but I wonder if a sinus rinse every other day would stop his nose from drying out so much?!

If you think it's lack of moisture, I'd try the sterimar spray instead.

Took over an hour to stop

You should seek urgent medical attention if it lasts more than 30 minutes.

My son has just started the Neilmed....says its giving him bad headaches.....is this a possible side effect??