Sinus Rinse

[LucyD]

Elaine, I am sorry, but I started laughing reading your post with all of the products, medicines, and routines because I recognize myself!!! Arrggh! :-) Have recently been complaining to friends about how long it takes to get ready for bed and get ready for work! Phew! Understand about getting through security at airports, too! So funny. We have to laugh, right?

litliwlowa, you have a good point about using boiled or sterile water. Maybe I will start doing that.

Carebear - that is interesting that your doctor told you to put unpasteurized honey in the rinse. I have read it is a natural antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral. Is he a "holistic" or functional medicine doctor by chance? I have read that xylitol is also a good addition (in place of the honey) in case you want to check it out. Natural antibacterial.

Forgot to mention that my doctor also has me put a steroid in the rinse when I am swollen and blocked. It is really helpful. I think that is an excellent idea why you are blocked and swollen. I use Pulmicort -- little vials I dump in the rinse. They are expensive so I try to use only when more blocked than usual.

Am hesitant to give advice, but I hope you don't tough it out. You shouldn't have to suffer with ear pain or the swallowing trouble. They both have to be so hard to tolerate - hope you'll go see the doctor or a new one and demand help. Your point about just finishing an antibiotic and so therefore doubting an actual infection in your ears is a good one, but if you have fluid and inflammation in there it could be ripe for an infection to develop, so please keep a watch on it and don't wait too long.

Good luck. I have had so much trouble with sinus infections over the years -- I hate to see anyone else going through it.

LucyD

[LucyD]

Do NOT do this - but my ENT told me about a patient of his who was a doctor, who became so frustrated with his sinus infections that he put bleach in his sinus rinses and burned the inside of his nose. And he was a physician!!! I guess they are human too and they get to the point they are willing to try anything.
:-)

[Carebear]

LucyD,

My doc is an ENT surgeon actually.  And interestly, the honey recommended was Manuka.  I already had some because my Lab had an infection on his tail last summer (after I slammed his tail in the door  ), and the veterinarian recommended it to help treat it.  Apparently it has to be unpasteurized Manuka.  I now keep a bottle in my first aid cabinet.

[litliwlowa]

LucyD,

My doc is an ENT surgeon actually.  And interestly, the honey recommended was Manuka.  I already had some because my Lab had an infection on his tail last summer (after I slammed his tail in the door  ), and the veterinarian recommended it to help treat it.  Apparently it has to be unpasteurized Manuka.  I now keep a bottle in my first aid cabinet.

Carebear

I had to do a double take on Lab + honey before I saw infection + tail then I realized you were talking about your DOG, not Lab like we get accustomed to having blood drawn at. ooops

Is that called a brain hiccup moment (on my part of course!!) ?

Where can we find Manuka? It's getting harder to find REAL RAW and unpasteurized honey these days and I find it immeasurable at the start of an infection.

[Carebear]

That was my error,  litiwlowa.  I got lazy and didn't type out the full word. 

I purchased the honey at the Real Canadian Superstore, obviously in Canada.   . But I would expect you could find it in any major grocery store in the U.S. as well.

[litliwlowa]

Not in the grocery chains in my area. Thanks!! I search engined it and of all places Amazon sells it. Apparently it comes from NZ. I'll check also at whole foods - maybe they carry it. I know TJ's does not carry it.

Thanks carebear!!

[Carebear]

Good old Amazon!

I did my second rinse this evening.  Sucess!  No pain.  And after much head turning, all is drained.

It smells like I have a smoky bonfire in my nose though.  Yikes!

[LucyD]

Hi Carebear,
SO glad no more pain!!! Yeay! What in the world is making the smoky bonfire smell? Do you think it is the Manuka honey?
I am so interested in that. I remember reading about how wonderful it is supposed to be as an antibacterial.
Please let me know how it goes.
Thanks.
LucyD

[Irishlass]

I get the smoky smell too sometimes when my nose feels particularly dry!!

I use the NeilMed products with wam filtered water.

[KS123]

Has anyone noticed that their eyes burn and get drier after using the NeilMed sinus rinse? I am using distilled water but notice after I use it my eyes are so dry all day??? is this normal??

[Carolina]

Smoky bonfire, cigarette smoke, wet cardboard, those are part of my 'smell buffet'.

And I have a metallic taste in my mouth most of the time.

It's all fun!

Hugs,  Elaine

[LucyD]

I have a yucky metallic-like taste in my mouth much of the time now also.
Ugh! I think I am eating a lot of bad stuff in an effort to get rid of it.
LucyD

[KS123]

but do your eyes burnfor the rest of the day ater the sinus wash???

[Carebear]

Here's something for you, friends.

I have been doing the sinus rinse for a while now, and every day I get more and more congested.  By about day ten my nose was constantly running, l am sneezing - wow, my first cold in ten years.  What a coincidence.  I was so congested I decided to pass on one day of rinsing.

Next day I feel fine, so I do the rinse.  Within a half hour, same thing.  Congested, running nose.  I even have an ear ache that gets worse each hour.

What is going on?  I feel terrible.  Maybe I am having an allergic reaction.  I am adding one teaspoon of that honey to the rinse too, so maybe that's what's taking place.

If I am brave, tomorrow I will do the rinse without the honey. See what happens.

Brother.  Something so simple should not be so difficult.

[LucyD]

My eyes have never burned after a sinus rinse.