As most of you know from following along here with me that I have major sinus issues. It all started when I was exposed to mold in my work place and then it decided to set up housekeeping in my sinuses, my left sinus in particular. I was instructed to irrigate my sinuses daily and up to four times a day when fighting an infection or allergens. I have irrigated always with salt water but at times have also added baking soda, betadine or silver. Sometimes upping the amount of irrigating helps keep an infection away and sometimes it doesn’t.
I have had numerous sinus surgeries but thankfully nothing since 2003. I take antifungals as well to keep the fungus in check.
There is a simple saline nasal spray that some have used to keep their sinuses clear and help with swelling and inflammation.
Some swear by their Neti pots.
Then there is this contraption.
What my doctor recommended, however, is the Grossan Sinus Irrigating system. I have immotile cilia most likely from all the infections. What I like about my Grossan system is that there is a pulse to the water similar to a Waterpik. I can adjust the flow and pulse of the water entering my sinuses thereby getting more of the mucous to come out of my sinuses. This is the system I now use. I also now buy Saline Solution from the pharmacy rather than having to mix my own.
My Sinus Irrigating System
allergictolifemybattle 
I’M THE OLD NETTY POT USER!!! 🙂 GREAT INFO– KATHY!!!
Thank you.
I know that fragrances bother you, but can you use pure therapeutic essential oils? I know that some like eucalyptus, lemon, lavender are good for sinus problems.
I don’t do well with pure essential oils. I have been able to tolerate peppermint and haven’t tried lemon. Eucalyptus sends me over the edge. Just driving to the coast, I have to make sure my windows are closed and the car air is on recirculate when we go through the Eucalyptus trees during pollen season.
I DON’T DO WELL WITH ESSENTIAL OILS EITHER— AS A MATTER OF FACT– THEY ALL SEND ME OVER THE EDGE!!! THEY BOTHER ME ALMOST AS BAD AS THE CHEMICALS IN PERFUME!!! I HAD SOME ONE TELL ME THAT WAS BECAUSE I NEED THOSE OILS– I’M SORRY– I DON’T THINK SO— WHEN YOUR THROAT STARTS SWELLING SHUT– YOU CAN’T BREATHE– ETC– ETC– I’M SORRY I’M NOT INTO TRYING IT!!! 🙂
I remember someone telling me about some other issues with certain essential oils. I will have to ask again so that I can do some research into.
Wow, that is one professional looking contraption. I’ve looked into netipots, but have never seen one that isn’t plastic. I have heard there are clay ones about. I need to know:
Does it hurt? (I know that the answer to that question is subjective depending on who is doing it.) I hardly get mucas, my nose only ever blocks while wearing the mask and in a high chemical exposures (it drips, actually. Not nice with a mask on though), but most of the time, and during my high pain, and inflammation times, it is dry. So dry that it’s uncomfortable, stings, and it’s like I can feel the air I breath through it, irritate under the back of my eyes, and deep in my forehead. And, when I breathe in fragrance, or any fume, really, it gets in my eyes. Ever since this started, I’ve been saying “smells hurt my eyes” (I try to articulate it better than that, because I don’t need the strange looks that always come along with that statement. And they can burn my nostrils.
Then their are the mould symptoms: pounding, throbbing sinuses, behind eyes: all that.
I know you are not a doctor–but you are a walking surviving veteran of this affliction–and your blog reads like an experience in itself, do you think it would help with those things, especially seeing my eyes, nose area are dry on mucous? I have done this thing in the shower where i’ve tried to snort water up my nose (to wash out fragrance that’s burning it, and swelling my eye lids up) and that water has hurt and stung like hell. (To avoid these symptoms is why I wear a mask so much, but it only helps the fragrance from directly hurting my eyes and nose!)
Does it come with saline, or do you have to get it separate?
Cheers
Miche
(Oh, I’m pinning it in MCS resources here: http://pinterest.com/themcslabyrinth/a-bag-of-tricks/ )
For the most part it doesn’t hurt. I have only had it hurt/burn when my sinuses have become horrendously inflamed or swollen. In the beginning I just made my own salt water solution. Now I buy Sodium Chloride from the pharmacy. I like it better because the saline is always the same and I don’t have to guess how much I should put in. I think it helps me when my sinuses are dry and I use it especially if I have become exposed unwittingly to some chemical.
Oh, the throbbing sinuses and pain behind the eyes. I hate these symptoms. Recently, I wrote about the severe trigeminal neuralgia. Beside the buring nerves all around the left side of my face, sinuses in particular, there was the ice pick sensation I get in my left eye. It was so painful that it hurt to blink.
I don’t think the machine is particularly expensive. I bought it on Amazon. I just looked at it sells for $78.95 on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Grossan-Hydro-Irrigation-System-Original/dp/B000H84D2G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1360552156&sr=8-1&keywords=grossan+hydro+pulse+nasal+%26+sinus+irrigation+system
They also sell the Grossan Solution: http://www.amazon.com/Grossan-Breathe-ease-Nasal-Irrigation-Solution/dp/B0013J0FLQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1360552156&sr=8-3&keywords=grossan+hydro+pulse+nasal+%26+sinus+irrigation+system
I would be interested in hearing if you decide to try it.
I was introduced to saline solution as a girl. Of course, I was very against the idea of spraying anything up my nose – how gross! So my pediatrician told me “it’s just salt water. Just…pretend you’re at the beach, think of the ocean spray.” and to this day, I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and picture the sea before I spray. 😛
That is a good way of looking at it. I love the ocean.