This might help someone, it sure is helping me. :snort:
The first time someone reads or hears about rinsing out their sinuses (most of the sinus cavity within your head), they usually think something like "yuck".
However, after you learn more about nose rinsing, you might decide it is for you; either once in a while or several times a day, depending on your needs. People usually learn about nasal rinsing when they have a serious allergy problem, cold, or nasal congestion; or work in a dirty and/or stinky situation where cleaning your insides sounds like a good idea.
The basics of nose rinsing is to use about 8 ounces of warm salt water, at low pressure, guiding it up one nostril and letting it run down the other nostril; which removes a lot of the dirt, boogers, phlegm, etc.
There are several vendors of the cheap and simple devices and supplies needed. Perhaps the most popular, and the brand I use, is NeilMed; available at most drug stores, pharmacies, and online.
The basics of a good nasal rinsing session includes a bathroom, a nose rinsing device, a microwave oven, clean water, a salt-based additive for the water, some regular water to rinse your mouth with, a soda or juice-like drink to remove any salty aftertaste, and optionally, entertainment.
The private place is a locked bathroom, because a sink is needed, and nose rinsing is private; and is not something you want anyone to ever post online. Entertainment is optional, perhaps music or a podcast; while you do the deed, and during the draining time afterward. Entertainment and a ceiling fan also helps to mask any "funny" sounds.
The cheap nose rinsing device(s) needed is either a squeeze bottle, a small vessel that looks like a teapot, a gravy-boat looking thing, or a small powered pump device. I do not like the gravy-boat type of devices, because they make it less convenient to mix in the (usually required) salt mixture. The other devices seal, so there is the convenience of being able to add the salt mixture, and shake it to mix.
If you use hot or cold water, or water with no salt; it will sting. Warm, properly salted water does not sting. Clean water is required, for example distilled, or well-filtered water. A microwave oven is the quickest way to warm the water, and most nasal rinse equipment is microwave safe. It takes about 30 seconds to warm the water in the microwave.
The salt solution is made using salt and perhaps something else; however I prefer the cheap and convenient single-use packets made by NeilMed.
What does nasal rinsing feel like? It slightly reminds me of swimming. It should not hurt at all, and of course, you must breath through your mouth while your nose is full of water.
Sinus rinsing is done over a sink, with your mouth open most of the time. Keep your head leaned down and to one side, while you hold the device to allow the water to flow into one nostril and (sometimes eventually) out the other. Usually, you use half the water for each nostril.
Obviously, nasal rinsing is always done at low pressure because it is your face, and high pressure would be dangerous. With a squeeze bottle, you must squeeze gently; with a teapot or gravy-boat device, gravity does the work. Powered units use low pressure and/or low volume.
While you are rinsing, you alternate (gently and slightly) sniffing and then blowing your nose. Sniffing draws the water into the deeper upper areas. When the water comes back down, most of the junk and water comes out your nose, but some might come out of your mouth. This might cause a slight gagging sensation. If it’s not comfortable, then stop; and restart the rinsing, taking smaller sniffs, to release less junk per sniff.
After the salt water reservoir is nearly empty, you finish by blowing your nose and spitting a few times. Then, slowly tilt your head back for a few seconds, then a few seconds right and left, and then down (for ten seconds), and blow your nose and spit again.
Then, only if you are not totally plugged up; leaning your head to one side and gently plugging up one nostril with your finger or Kleenex, and then very gently blowing your nose, can help remove more junk much quicker.
In a minute or so, when you are mostly drained, take a sip of clean water and swish it around and then spit out any remaining salty taste. Then, take a sip of some soda or a tasty drink (at night perhaps a beer?), to put that better taste into place.
It may take an hour for the few remaining drops of water to drip out of your nose, however 99% comes out within 10 minutes or so. After 5-10 minutes you can leave the bathroom, however be ready to quickly return, or have a drain cloth near you. About 10 minutes later, lean your head down to release the last traces of trapped water. Obviously, one should not nasal rinse right before bed or leaving the house.
Some people with deep congestion may want to nasal rinse more than once, or more than once a day. It is better to gently rinse twice, than to force it all out on the first try. Also, the full benefit may not be known for an hour, so most people should wait a while before rinsing again.
Once you get used to nasal rinsing, you may enjoy it, especially the way you feel afterwards. I nasal rinse daily for my nasal congestion, and will rinse every time I BBQ or do yard work.
Don’t Date Robots! The world is trained to ignore everything unless it comes from the church, their TV, celebrities, or the media.
I understand that a sinus infection is very possible if distilled water is not used
Yes, as the article mentions you need pure water, and it has salt and baking soda added, which probably keeps it safe, thanks. Also, a clean
open sinus is much less likely to get infected than a clogged one me thinks.
Don’t Date Robots! The world is trained to ignore everything unless it comes from the church, their TV, celebrities, or the media.
I use RO filtered water that has been de-ionized, went through carbon blocks and 0.2 micron sediment filters, 0 PPM dissolved solids and microwave the water. Thanks.
Don’t Date Robots! The world is trained to ignore everything unless it comes from the church, their TV, celebrities, or the media.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX8HyjZsq_o
It feels good to be running from the devil
Another breath and I'm up another level
It feels good to be up above the clouds
It feels good for the first time in a long time now
I have tried this once or twice and while it was a trip (cause I was stoned)
It’s not for me, I tried the neti-pot method with distilled water (99 cents for a gallon
at the grocery store) it cleaned out my sinuses so I can’t say it doesn’t work, but
it sure felt invasive to me. I might have used too much salt & it burned & the spit &
I’m sure there was more that I am blocking out that happened also
best to use the NeilMed pre-packaged salt, no measuring needed, no burning.
Don’t Date Robots! The world is trained to ignore everything unless it comes from the church, their TV, celebrities, or the media.
neilmed has a sports bottle looking System that pushes the water , I use filtered water and plain table salt, no real measurement..it burns like hell but also opens up and releases any pockets of Ick..after I mow the grass I use it and my allergies have not been bad since I started using it 5 years ago..plus after a long stint of blend smoking it is cool / scary to see all the black sooty slimy crap that comes out of your nose and lungs..
I wrote another article about it:
For many people, sinus rinsing is very important. Some people with deep congestion might rinse their sinuses up to ten times a day, however that has risks including nosebleeds. Most people should limit themselves to no more than three times a day, unless your doctor says you can/should do it more often. If you have deep upper nasal congestion, be patient, because it can take several days for the full benefit of daily sinus rinsing to be realized.
Some people use unusual methods to clean their sinuses. I even heard of one guy that stands in a warm shower, and lets the water go up his nose until he gags and vomits. That does not sound fun or healthy to me, so I will never try that. Also, shower water is not clean enough; distilled, very well-filtered, or bottled pure water is mandatory to help prevent infections. However, a warm shower before and/or after a sinus rinsing session is good, because warm moist water vapor helps loosen things up; and can be a great place to drain, after a sinus rinsing session.
I have tried the four most popular basic and cheap types of sinus rinsing devices, discussed in this article. Although I have not tried those aerosol can type of sinus irrigation products, I am sure they work fine; although for daily use, they are probably too expensive for most people.
Some people use more than one type of device for their nose rinsing sessions. Some people partially block one nostril, while they gently sniff just a little water; to help the water reach deeper, and clean the upper parts better, to release more junk.
The closed NetiPot devices are teapot-looking water storage pots having a lid, so they can close and seal. These are passive devices, where gravity does all the work. They are cheap, and are usually made of plastic. Because they have a top that seals, you can use pure water with convenient prepackaged salt mixture packets. You simply microwave the water in the NetiPot for about 30 seconds, then test that it’s warm. Then, add the salt mixture, close the device, and shake/swirl it a little, to mix the salt in. To use the device, you hold the spout up to one nostril, and let water run down the other. NetiPots are the gentlest nose rinse devices, so they are good when you have to rinse more than once, to remove a lot of blockage.
The open NetiPot devices are similar to the closed NetiPot devices, except they look like a gravy ladle-boat. They cannot seal at the top, which means if you mix in a salt mixture, a spoon is required; or the salt needs to be mixed in the water, before putting it into an open-style NetiPot.
The squeeze bottle types of nasal rinse devices are very cheap, and are designed to last about three months. NeilMed usually includes theirs, when you buy their brand of salt packets. Squeeze bottles have the advantage of being "active", meaning you control the water flow by how hard you squeeze the bottle. Easy does it, however sometimes a bit of extra power is handy to release more junk. Just like the closed NetiPot devices, they have a screw-top and can be sealed, to make mixing easy. You might have to press most squeeze bottles a bit harder against your nostrils, than other cheap nasal rinsing devices. With a squeeze bottle, when the salt water is gone, you can use the bottle to squeeze one shot of air slowly into each nostril, to help get rid of junk faster.
There are also many types and brands of powered nasal rinsing devices. The advantage of powered units is they pulse the salt water to dislodge more gunk than even a squeeze bottle can. However so far; I have only tried the NeilMed SinuGator, which runs on batteries and is cheap. You hold a button down to start it, and to keep it running. The eight-ounce reservoir of salt water runs out very quickly; so switch nostrils quickly with the SinuGator. I partially close one nostril, use the SinuGator in my other nostril; and sniff gently while I press the power button for a few seconds, to clean my upper parts better. I find using the SinuGator to loosen things up, followed up by a passive (and longer lasting) NetiPot session, works well. So far, I have not tested any other powered sinus irrigators. Some are expensive and professional, and I am sure they all work very well.
Don’t Date Robots! The world is trained to ignore everything unless it comes from the church, their TV, celebrities, or the media.
Usually in the winter my sinuses go to shit. I bought a Netipot about two years ago and i love it! Its nice to be able to smell Christmas dinner cooking again lol :stoned
"Fool me one time, shame on you. Fool me two times, cant put tha blame on you. Fool me three times, fuck tha peace signs, load the choppa and let it rain on you"
You can also use contact lens saline solution. It’s sterile and available at every drugstore.
I wrote another article about it:
For many people, sinus rinsing is very important. Some people with deep congestion might rinse their sinuses up to ten times a day, however that has risks including nosebleeds. Most people should limit themselves to no more than three times a day, unless your doctor says you can/should do it more often. If you have deep upper nasal congestion, be patient, because it can take several days for the full benefit of daily sinus rinsing to be realized.
Some people use unusual methods to clean their sinuses. I even heard of one guy that stands in a warm shower, and lets the water go up his nose until he gags and vomits. That does not sound fun or healthy to me, so I will never try that. Also, shower water is not clean enough; distilled, very well-filtered, or bottled pure water is mandatory to help prevent infections. However, a warm shower before and/or after a sinus rinsing session is good, because warm moist water vapor helps loosen things up; and can be a great place to drain, after a sinus rinsing session.
I have tried the four most popular basic and cheap types of sinus rinsing devices, discussed in this article. Although I have not tried those aerosol can type of sinus irrigation products, I am sure they work fine; although for daily use, they are probably too expensive for most people.
Some people use more than one type of device for their nose rinsing sessions. Some people partially block one nostril, while they gently sniff just a little water; to help the water reach deeper, and clean the upper parts better, to release more junk.
The closed NetiPot devices are teapot-looking water storage pots having a lid, so they can close and seal. These are passive devices, where gravity does all the work. They are cheap, and are usually made of plastic. Because they have a top that seals, you can use pure water with convenient prepackaged salt mixture packets. You simply microwave the water in the NetiPot for about 30 seconds, then test that it’s warm. Then, add the salt mixture, close the device, and shake/swirl it a little, to mix the salt in. To use the device, you hold the spout up to one nostril, and let water run down the other. NetiPots are the gentlest nose rinse devices, so they are good when you have to rinse more than once, to remove a lot of blockage.
The open NetiPot devices are similar to the closed NetiPot devices, except they look like a gravy ladle-boat. They cannot seal at the top, which means if you mix in a salt mixture, a spoon is required; or the salt needs to be mixed in the water, before putting it into an open-style NetiPot.
The squeeze bottle types of nasal rinse devices are very cheap, and are designed to last about three months. NeilMed usually includes theirs, when you buy their brand of salt packets. Squeeze bottles have the advantage of being "active", meaning you control the water flow by how hard you squeeze the bottle. Easy does it, however sometimes a bit of extra power is handy to release more junk. Just like the closed NetiPot devices, they have a screw-top and can be sealed, to make mixing easy. You might have to press most squeeze bottles a bit harder against your nostrils, than other cheap nasal rinsing devices. With a squeeze bottle, when the salt water is gone, you can use the bottle to squeeze one shot of air slowly into each nostril, to help get rid of junk faster.
There are also many types and brands of powered nasal rinsing devices. The advantage of powered units is they pulse the salt water to dislodge more gunk than even a squeeze bottle can. However so far; I have only tried the NeilMed SinuGator, which runs on batteries and is cheap. You hold a button down to start it, and to keep it running. The eight-ounce reservoir of salt water runs out very quickly; so switch nostrils quickly with the SinuGator. I partially close one nostril, use the SinuGator in my other nostril; and sniff gently while I press the power button for a few seconds, to clean my upper parts better. I find using the SinuGator to loosen things up, followed up by a passive (and longer lasting) NetiPot session, works well. So far, I have not tested any other powered sinus irrigators. Some are expensive and professional, and I am sure they all work very well.
Awesome read. I believe!
Many people are helped by rinsing their sinuses. Such rinses can help to prevent crusting and/or blockage within the sinus and nasal areas.
If one rinses occasionally, or once per day; NeilMed’s very convenient premixed single-use salt packets make a lot of sense. When you buy a box of 250, their salt packets cost about 9 cents each; and they include two free sinus rinse squeeze bottles. And, Costco just started carrying the 250 packs, at less than 8 cents each.
However, if one needs to rinse several or many times a day; they might soon think about making their own salt rinsing solution, to attempt to save money. Some people have used contact lens saline solution, because it is sterile and available at every drugstore; however that sure does not save any money.
For most, the water is more of a hassle, and more expensive to prepare, than the required salt mix. If the water is not clean enough, there may be the risk of a serious infection. Nasal rinse water should be pure, either bottled or distilled, or very well filtered. If you use tap water, it must be boiled and cooled, soon before use.
I am lucky enough to have a reverse osmosis water filter system that includes 0.2 micron sediment, carbon, and de-ionization filters. Because my drinking water has zero parts per million of dissolved solids, I think it is good enough; and then of course, I microwave the water.
If you sometimes add extra ingredients to your sinus salt rinsing solution, such as Manuka honey (up to a teaspoon, after your water is heated, because honey should not be overheated); it does not matter if you use prepackaged salt packets or make your own rinsing solution.
I just started using Manuka honey, because so many say that it is helpful for their sinus health. While it is too early for me to share any kind of conclusive benefits from using Manuka honey; it seems to help, and does make rinsing slightly sweeter. However, it is very messy and sticky, so it is best to use it only on one rinsing device, and that device should be cleaned more often (and honey takes much longer to mix than salt). I wish Manuka honey came in a squeeze bottle, instead of a jar.
Some people make their own saline nasal rinsing solution, usually one batch at a time. Making your own nasal rinse solution means balancing water, salt, and baking soda. The baking soda makes rinsing more comfortable. With too little or too much of any ingredient, it might sting when you rinse. When the right combination is found, there should be no burning sensation at all. To make a single-use batch of your own nasal rinsing solution, use a recipe such as this:
In a clean container (possibly your rinsing device), start with a cup of pure water, then add salt and baking soda. How much to use of both, usually requires some experimentation. Start with a 1/2 a teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. After some experimentation, you may end up using up to a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, depending on what feels right. Preferably, use pure salt such as pickling, Kosher, or canning salt.
If you plan to make a large quantity of nasal rinsing solution, keep in mind that it degrades after about 4 days; and must be stored in the refrigerator. I am busy, and willing to pay a little more for the speed, convenience, and uniformity, of NeilMed’s single-use salt packets.
Don’t Date Robots! The world is trained to ignore everything unless it comes from the church, their TV, celebrities, or the media.
When does the talk about the colonics begin?
That neti pot done cured me & all in just one try too
I did give it a good try too, really more of two tries than just one
Now when allergy season starts I just go & get a shot- Fixes everything for the rest of the year
I tried a Neti-pot about 2 years ago when I was really sick and couldn’t afford to see a Dr. Let me tell you they can work wonders for sinus pressure as well as nasal congestion. I would highly recommend them for anyone who tends to have those kinds of issues this time of year. The sooner you use them the quicker they can help you get over a sinus infection. Plus they are really easy to use.