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Original poster

Sinus Issues - Sinus Rinsing

32 replies

kuckingfunt · 17/03/2011 11:37

Does anyone know anything about sinus rinsing?

I have had trouble with dizziness etc for months now following a really bad cold last year. I am having all kind of other tests to see what it could be but so far all is clear.

I went to the dentist this week just to get them to check on a tooth at the top.They did an xray and asked if I suffered with my sinuses because the xray has showed that all around my sinuses were cloudy.

I do suffer with sinus - I wake up frequently with headaches/blocked nose and it usually clears if I take a decongestent. I also have to blow my nose several times a day. However, the gunk is clear, not a yukky green colour and I also dont have any face pain. It has been mentioned that my middle ear tube may be blocked which could be causing the dizziness - this could all be to do with the sinus stuff?

So I think that there may be something in this - maybe my sinuses are blocked and not draining? Has anyone else had problems with this? I assumed the gunk would all be green through. I thought I would try a sinus rinse to see if I could clear some of it. I wonder if this would work?

Finally, which is the best one to use and where can I buy it? I have never used one before and it looks really difficult - how do you do it?

OP posts:
Original poster
kuckingfunt · 17/03/2011 15:58

anyone?

OP posts:
Bucharest · 17/03/2011 16:03

My Mum has had it done in hospital a few times, a full blown sandblaster job Shock

Do you mean those saline things like you can buy for babies?

I can recommend a neti pot with neti salt rinse....it's an odd thing when you start, but mine have been much better since I started doing it.

There's another thread around at the moment- or just google neti pot, cheap as chips on ebay.

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 17/03/2011 16:43

Yes thats the one I mean Bucharest, like a neti pot. It looks really odd and hard to use!

Can I have sinus issues that are causing me to go dizzy without all the green snot though? I thought if the xray showed them to be cloudy it means that they are full of gunk. Or maybe the gunk is just stuck in there and thats why I am dizzy - they may need unblocking somehow!

OP posts:
Original poster
kuckingfunt · 17/03/2011 19:38

I've been steaming all afternoon, no green gunk yet either.

OP posts:
indigobarbie · 17/03/2011 21:52

kucking, hope you are feeling better. I've used a nasal rinse called sterimar you can get it in boots, it it easy to use, just stick the thing up your nostril and let it run back out, or down your throat. I find it has helped me before. I've had times with and without the gunk. HTH

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 17/03/2011 22:07

thanks indigobarbie, I will have a look in Boots then and get one.

I havent got green gunk or pain, just dizzy and xray was cloudy - do you think this means that my sinuses are congested and need clearing?

OP posts:
Bucharest · 18/03/2011 06:28

I rarely get any gunk at all,because it's all blocked too far in my tubes when I do get sinusitis...I think gunk would indicate an infection (cold type stuff) rather than bogstandard sinusitis which is what I get, when the gunk just never manages to get out IYSWIM?

When I use the neti pot (it's a weird feeling at first,especially because the water goes in one nostril cold and comes out of the other warm Shock) it's near my ears that I feel the immediate effect.

I forgot I also have one of those facial steamer things with inhaler attachment- don't buy a new one,they are notorious unwanted Christmas presents, mine was as new from ebay and I paid 99p. They are good for immediate unblocking but a neti pot is better for prevention and ongoing unblocking IMO.

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 18/03/2011 15:58

Sounds just like me Bucharest, thanks for that info.

I have started steaming until I get a neti pot. I think it may well be the sinus issue making me dizzy all the time. I really hope it is in a strange way because at least I can try and do something about it.

Would I have face pain with sinusitus? I haven't got any pain around my face.

OP posts:
rockinhippy · 18/03/2011 20:57

I'm a bit "blinded" with migraine ATM, so not able to read all replies, & may of misread bits of your post, but as this is something I've a lot of experience of thought I'd offer my twopeneth & hope I'm not repeating anything :)

I would recommend seeing your GP for a referal to an ENT specialist, as sometimes you need surgical help & sinuses are just not properly formed to be able to drain on their own, & in that instance, using a Sinus douce can cause you more pain, they can also look into causes for infection too, which might also be your problem.

That said, a bottle like gadget NielMed Sinus Rinse from www.neilmed.com is far better than the Netti douce, I was given 1 by my ENT specialist, but you can buy them online, the company also sell sachets of ready mixed powders to mix up your douche with, these are good, & probably a good idea for a begginner, but not necessary, you just need the right mix of bicarb & table salt, google & you'll find the recipe online

YES you'd have face pain with Sinusitis, but not always, depends on where the infection is, you would likely have headaches though, & these will get worse if you bend over/hang your head down

hope thats of some help...do get properly checked out though, ...good luck

southeastastra · 18/03/2011 21:02

neti pots are great, i had sinus operation for this but i kept getting infections as well as stuffiness was awful.

definitely get a referral

nightcat · 18/03/2011 21:48

A lot of it is on the inside and drains to inside as well. In my case, although I was referred to ent, they didn't do anything, they suggetsed gromets Hmmin my late 30s. I had scans and all sorts of investigations & potions but nothing actually worked.
In the end and after many years of this going on and off I have read that osteopathy can help and I had an osteopath manipulate the area behind the ear, around the face & back of the neck. I had 3 sessions and it has eventually cleared. Mine was caused by inner ear infection and swollen lymph nodes at the back of the ear that prevented sinuses from draining.

rockinhippy · 18/03/2011 22:25

Interesting nightcat I'm back in ENT in a few weeks as my last scan seems to have shown something up again, I'm now usually only on a yearly check up, but was scanned again due to recurring gland problems pressing on facial/neck nerves & have been called back, but after now 5 lots of surgery I doubt theres anything else they can do/cut away Hmm

I have had Osteopathy in the past, which made it worse, but got to admit I didn't trust that Therapist at all, something just not right about himConfused but I might look into it again having read that...thanks

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 18/03/2011 23:31

Lots of great info, thank you.

I am not sure mine is an infection, but its the dizziness and the cloudy sinus area on my xray which has made me wonder if they are linked. I guess my sinuses could make me dizzy but it isnt a typical symptom is it? Has anyone else had this?

OP posts:
MissGreatBritain · 18/03/2011 23:33

I had lots of sinus problems and eventually had an MRI scan, which showed that my tube was narrowed and therefore unable to drain out the fluid. I had a very small op which widened the tube and have had absolutely no problems since. Might be worth pushing for some further investigation.

rockinhippy · 19/03/2011 10:10

Yes dizziness & balance problems can be a symptom, it has been for me - definitely worth getting it investigated with an ENT specialist, mine improved a lot after surgery too

nightcat · 19/03/2011 13:07

rockin, I saw a very similar case mentioned in one of Jan de Vries' books and as he does come down to London every few months, I managed to get the first appt with him. At that point I was quite bad as I felt swelling at the back of my neck and was unable to look straight ahead and my hed was turning off to the left. Was dizzy, had headaches and ear pain inside.
He dug his fingers under my skull at the back to pull it outwards and I felt it started to drain since then. Subsequently I had 2 more appts locally to keep going and after that it has cleared and I have been able to straighten my head/neck. All this after almost 10 years of going back and forth to ENT.

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 20/03/2011 17:15

that's really interesting nightcat - wish I could find a fix if it is all sinus related.

I have an mri booked as part of the investigations - would any sinus issue show up on this?

I have been to an osteo but the dizziness hasn't gone away - maybe I went to the wrong one.

OP posts:
nightcat · 20/03/2011 20:32

When it first happened I was admitted to hosp as was falling over, it then subsided enough that I wasn't falling over but had to move slowly and was too scared to drive as was feeling dizzy every time the road turned to the left. I somehow trained myself to really slow down on left turns and was driving only locally, but my head was perm turned to the left.
The local osteo did different manouvres then Jan de Vries, who was quite forceful with my skull bones - and it hurt - but it worked. I also had scans but they didn't show anything they could fix Hmm.

Original poster
kuckingfunt · 20/03/2011 21:17

oh no, I was hoping the scan may show something - maybe it wont then.

I also get a strange pain in my head sometimes if I am breathing in deeply or inhaling, then I get dizzy. I really hope it is my sinuses know, I know that sounds daft, but at least I would know it was that and not something more sinister.

OP posts:
anniepanniepears · 20/03/2011 21:24

try googling emcur nasal douche I have used it and find it helps ,also try a tincture by A Vougel you can buy it in health shops like Jan Diefries you take 15 drops in a small glass of water works wonders

nightcat · 20/03/2011 21:34

Good point Annie, you reminded me, I was also prescribed herbal tinctures by Jan de Vries, it was Plantago and Valerian-Hops vy Vogel.

I believe Plantago was for widening the capillaries inside the inner/middle ear.

KF, I had 3 mri scans years apart and none of them showed anything that drs could fix.

You could also try homeopatic stuff like NatMur (if you believe in homeopathy that is). I had that when my chemist wouldn't allow me Sudofed anymore.

Aonach · 20/03/2011 21:40

ENT gave me the Neilmed sinus rinse to use. It works better due to positive pressure the bottle creates. I've found it useful for recurrent allergic sinusitis. My hubbie has borrowed it for infectious sinusitis and found it helpful.

anniepanniepears · 21/03/2011 10:25

plantago works wonders for me

rockinhippy · 21/03/2011 15:54

Thanks nightcat I'll definitely be looking into that further, especially having read your 2nd from last post, bar the head turning, I could of written that myself, & have an M.E. diagnosis as a result & often have to use a push type granny shopping trolley to stop me falling Hmm..... I'm wondering did you have any persistent migraine problems along side the balance, exhaustion etc??

can you please tell me though, is Jan Defries, cranial osteo, or otherwise??, not sure I can get up to London for appointments that easily, so may have to try & find similar locally.....I also did see a 2nd Osteo in London when I lived there, he refused to work on me as said I was showing signs of CNS damage & it was too riskyShock 12 years & lots of tests/scans later & still never had any medical diagnosis that backs that up

I will also be looking into the Voguel tincture etc, hadn't hear of those before, so thanks to you too Annie

valiumredhead · 21/03/2011 16:50

I got rid of my sinus problem very quickly by cutting out milk and switching to soya. I hardly had any milk anyway, only in tea an sometimes in cereal but it was obviously enough to give me problems.