Chronic Sinus Infections/ Headaches

Yes, the neti pot is amazing! The best thing to do is type it into youtube and watch someone give a demonstration on how to use it. I have had outdoor allergies and sinus infections all my life and this is a very effective solution.

I've used a neti pot a few times- I first started when I had a really bad cold while pregnant. It was really strange the first ime- just read the directions all the way through before you start. It took a few times before I didn't get a bad salty taste in my mouth, but it was worht it, so give it a try!! Good luck- K.

I used to have about 4 sinus infections a year until I took allergy shots. I never even finished the whole series of them. I didn't think my allergies were that severe until a took the shots. I felt so much better, and it cleared up a lot more than just sneezing and runny nose. I felt just better in general.

Tell your doctor that your headaches are worse. If they do not offer a solution, change doctors. Likely the congestion (infection) is not clearing from your sinuses.
Use the neti pot (salt wash) before you use the prescription nose spray. Also an ear bulb syringe works. Cheaper, My whole family has had sinus problems for many years. Less now than in the past.
The sprays work. They lessen the swelling in your nasal tissues but it takes days to work. More of a preventive maintenance.
We use a salt wash to literally wash out our sinuses when we have a cold. Put in a pinch of baking soda. Warm water feels nice. It may feel strange at first. Do it leaning over the sink, have tissues handy to blow as much as you want.
My husband had sinus surgery because his sinuses would not drain. Now they drain very well. Use a good ENT surgeon. No one else has need surgery.
I suspect your infection may not really be clearing. You may not be staying on strong enough antibiotics long enough. Go to an ENT or allergist. I believe it can take as long as 6 weeks.

I have had sinus surgery. I would get a sinus infection if the weather changed more than 20 degrees in 1 day, if my husband left the fan on at night, etc. The surgery really helped all that.

Your doctor should tell you what is causing the problem. Deviated Septum, clogged sinus cavity, etc. This usually requires a CAT scan (Not to big of a deal, request a valume if they don't have the open air kind.)

My sugery was abput 13 years ago. I still get sinus infections, just not as often and not as bad. I also try to take care of them before. I wear a painters mask when I mow the lawn or do any kind of sanding, when I sweep in the garage, etc. Basically anywhere that has the MORE than usual stuff flying in the air.

I have tried a version of the Neti Pot. However I tired it during a flair up and made mine worse because I didn't do it correctly and some of the water got stuck in my sinus cavities and wouldn't drain back out.

Feel free to email me if you have other questions I didn't cover!

E.,

I, too, have had chronic sinus infections in the past and had sinus surgery back in 2002. I'm also a nurse, and have done a bit of personal research on this subject. Let me ask, are you sure you have sinus infections, or could it be just allergic rhinitis (allergy problems). The two have very similar symptoms. The only way to truly diagnose a sinus infection is to have a CT of the sinuses, which is a ahort, painless test. The CT will show if there is any mucosal thickening, indicative of infection. Perhaps you should ask you doctor if she feels a CT of the sinuses would be appropriate. If you truly do have a sinus infection and this becomes a chronic problem, then you need a referral to an ENT (ear, nose & throat) specialist to see if sinus surgery could help you. You may have a deviated septum or sinus polyps that surgery could help. The surgery did help me. Also, I tried the neti pot and think it's a great idea. If you have a lot of nasal congestion, then I'd suggest the nasaflo sinus rinse. It uses a squirt bottle that allows you to rinse your nose with a bit of positive pressure, as opposed to the neti pot which rinses by gravity only. I use the squirt bottle every evening and am pleased with the results. Good luck!

E.,
I feel for you too. My hubby suffered with Sinus inf. for years. He tried the neti pot and did not care for it. The sinus passage irrigation is key for him however. Instead he uses a Nasal irrigator. It is basicly a water pic design(google them online) with a special adapter for your nose. It is quick and easy. His only side affect would be the occasional drippy nose if he does it too quickly.
good luck!!

I've used a neti pot before when I had a chronic post-nasal drip problem. It is scary at first, but if you follow the directions (which should come with the pot), it is actually very simple and you can breathe fine through your mouth throughout the rinsing. If you have any inflammation in your sinuses, it may sting because you have to use a little salt to make the water saline. But it's great for preventing colds and flu, and lots better than facing surgery!

Yes,I know something that will definetely help, it has helped hundreds of others, including my own family. Please call me so I can tell you about it. Nose sprays can be very addicting. This is natural with no side effects and quick results.
Sheri M ###-###-####

I started going to a Chiropractor and I have few episodes now Hay bailing gets to me! I go to Sean Troutman in Carthage. No meds seemed to help much. I rarely go to the Doctor anymore...well for stitches and broken fingers!
Just an alternative thought for you.

Dear E.,
My daughter had terrible allergies and we put her on our nutritional supplement, Vemma. After we did this, she cleared up completely in 3 days! The allergies have never returned and that was over 4 years ago now! Dr. Mehmet Oz has recommended Vemma in the March 2008 issue of Esquire Magazine, the one with Arnold Swarzenegger on it. It's a powerful supplement that works as an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal. It boosts the immune system and gives your body what it needs to fight the infection in your sinuses. Dr. Oz also recommends using a Neti-Pot. It looks like a funny little tea pot that you put salt water in and allow it to run in one nostril and out the other nostril over a sink. You will be amazed at how great it feels and it really cleans out your sinuses of all the things that are irritating it too! I'm not saying you don't need the surgery, you could. But I would certainly give Vemma a try and do all I could to avoid it if possible! My website is www.havewellnessnow.com. If you are not satisfied for any reason, you can get your money back even after you have taken it all! So there's nothing to lose, only health to gain and possibly surgery to avoid! ;-) If you wish, send me an email address or write me from the website and I will send you the Brunswick Studies that show the double-blind placebo controlled random clinical trials that were conducted recently for your own examination and doctor's approval! We have doctors coming on board by the hoards since we conducted that clinical trial. It proved what we knew all along but made it official. Happy Mother's Day!

Hi E.,
I've used a neti pot and it really isn't that bad, you just have to follow the directions exactly! However, I found something I like a whole lot better...it's a saline nasal spray that I use in the shower that is similar to the neti pot. I found it right next to the nose spray in the pharamacy dept. I can not recall the exact name, but it is a blue CAN that has a white applicator tip about an inch and a half long and it is simply a saline spray (it may called "simply saline". Take a hot shower and at the end use the spray by tilting your head completely sideways, spray for a few seconds (don't pull it out immediately after you finish as it continues to spray for a second after you stop so that it doesn't get contaminated) then keep your head tilted to the side for a few seconds to let work. When you bring your head up it will drain out (along with other mucus!)but as long as your in the shower, just rinse it away and do the other side.When you get out of the shower you'll have to blow your nose several times, but it's amazing how much mucus you can get out of there. I told a friend about it and she said it has been a life saver and helped her to stop using her other nasal spray, and tremendously helped her headaches. I wish you luck as I know how horrible headaches like that can be. Good Luck!

Hi E.,

I feel your pain! Or at least I have before. The nettie pot does work and it doesn't make you fell like you're going to drown. I thought the same thing. It's real easy. You add a little salt to the water and tilt your hrad to the side. Pour it in one nostril and it flows out the other.
It is meant to really moisten and loosen up any congestion you have. It may come out then or later.

I took a baby bottle and cut the nipple then put a breathing whole in the bottle so that the water woudl pour out (I'm too cheap to buy a nettie pot when I can make one.)

Also massaging your sinues and head will help. it hurts if you are congested but work through it like it's asore muscle. I'll be praying for you to get better.
A.

I to had bad sinus trouble for many years. And the headaches were terrible. My doctor looked and found out I had spurs in my sinus that were causeing them! The surgery was outpatient, and all I get now is sneezing from wonderful spring flowers and trees.

The neti pot- it is good, and easy to use. I had the same fear you do. Nothing to it. I get in the shower and fill it a little with warm water. You insert the spout into one nostril with your head turned. It is supposed to flow in. With an infection, or blockage, you have to do it a long time, over and over. My sugg is this: Make an appt with a specialist. Sounds as if you need a strong antibiotic. After you clear up, you can talk about pros and cons of surgery.

hey just a lil advice my son has bad sinis trouble and what helps him a great deal is called a sinus rinse you can buy it at alot of places i got his at CVS his ped told me about it hey it is worth a try and i think it is only like 20 dollars and the box lasts a good while

Sinus headaches were a huge part of my life though I never realized it until I noticed all my characters in the books I write suffered from headaches! I had the surgery because when the doctor saw me and asked me how I felt (very good) and then he looked at my CT scan and saw my sinuses were just completely dark (full of gunk). He said according to the scan, I should feel terrible. So he did the surgery and cleaned out the sinuses and then suggested daily sinus washes which is like the neti pot. Basically, you take very warm salty water and spray it up your nose while inhaling through your nose. Yes, I was scared to do it at first, but it feels so much better when it's done because it gets all that crud out. My husband was so impressed, he also does the sinus washes. I use the NeilMed Sinus Rinse which can be bought at a pharmacy. They also sell individual packets with the salt mixed with baking soda so you know you're getting the right amount.

I think you should try it for a while and see if it helps you. Also, you might want to get on something for allergies. Claritin or Flonase-something like that. I'm glad I had the surgery. And I continue to do the sinus washes most every day. It really helps.

I would not continue the nose spray if it's making your headaches worse.

My husband has done "sinus baths" for years, without a neti pot -- what he does is get a bowl full of warm water, and put some salt and betadine in it; then he sticks his face into the water and sucks it in through his nose. I can't bear to do it, because just thinking about it makes me feel like I'm drowning. :-) (But then, I don't even like to put my face in the water under the shower.) Anyway, he **swears** by it. You may also try chiropractic -- I know several people have had relief from proper adjustments of the neck and back. When my husband has sinus problems, and I give him a massage on his neck and shoulders, he can feel something happening in his head and sinuses (drainage). It's all connected!

Dear E.,

Neti pots work great, but you need to get to the root cause of your infections. You have an overgrowth of yeast in your body from eating too much sugar and processed foods or from taking too many antibiotics. Research Candida on the web to find the foods to avoid. Candida diets are not easy but they really work and if you don't do it you will have a lifetime of infections. I've been there. Also, start taking a good quality (refridgerated) pro-biotic. Good luck.

L. B.

My heart goes out to you. Sinus trouble runs in our family. My dad, brother, and aunt have all had sinus surgery and it worked wonders for them. I have had some world class sinus infections myself but a Z-pack (antibiotic) works miracles for me. My son had severe sinus problems nearly from birth. He had CAT scans, sinus x-rays, and a truckload of antibiotics. We tried the chiropractor route too with no luck. Finally at age 5 his adenoids and tonsils were removed - the doctor said by age 5 his adenoids should have been decreasing in size but his were so big that they blocked off 75% of the drainage, and we did see some improvement after that - but the biggest improvement came around age 8 when he grew enough to enlarge all the passages. He's now 20 and still gets 1 or 2 sinus infections a year. My father's problems also stemmed from abnormally large adenoids - possibly this could be a factor for you?
Wishing you the best. Sinus infections are truly terrible.

Hi,

I've used the neti pot and think it works great for sinus infections. Definitely do not give up after the first time you use it. It took about 3 times for me to get the hang of it and not choke, but after that it was easy and took very little time to use and you can really feel the difference. Good luck and keep trying.

J.

My mother uses the neti pot. She has had sinus surgery in the past. She likes the neti pot, says it helps, and that after she got the hang of it, it wasn't bad. I haven't tried it because it costs $15 or whatever.

Hi E., I am a RN, and the pot is nice for stuffy nose. It sounds like you have a bacterial infection in your sinus. You can also be in contact with something in your home causing this problem, such as mold, dust mites, etc. Try tumbling your bed pillows in the dryer weekly, washing all your bedding in hot water if you can, if not check on allergy web sites for detergent that kills dust mites, then you can wash in warm or cold. If your bed pillows are made of foam, or feathers it will also aggravate your sinus. It really sounds like you need to see a ENT doctor if it continues. Most of the nasal sprays do cause headaches, I like astelin it is wonderful it is not habit forming like so many others. So many doctors like to keep you on antibiotics and never fix the problem. It could even be a food allergy, cheese and chocolate are big allergy triggers. Before you have surgery check out allergies. M.

you may be spraying to much at one time,,when i first stsrted using the spray,i would push to fast and h*** o* the sprayer and like you i thought i was going to drown,,so try just putting just the tip just inside your nose and inhale as you do,,hope this helps

I use a saline rinse. To me the neti pot would make a mess. the saline rinse comes in a kit that you can get at Wal-Mart. It's in a bottle and seems (to me) much easier and a LOT less messy to use than the neti pot. Good luck, I know how miserable you are.

C.

I would definitely give the neti pot a try - especially before deciding on surgery. It is a weird sensation but it really works! Before using it, try looking it up on the Internet for videos of people using it (youtube.com). That way you have an idea of how it should work. You have to balance your head just right and a video will show you how so that you won't feel like you're drowning.

I used to get sinus headaches and would have to take medicine that made me shaky/groggy. Now a use a neti pot when I feel it coming on and the headache never develops and I seem to have fewer instances of them even starting. Go for it!

My daughter doesn't use a neti pot but a device very similar with great results. It helps her not to have so many sinus infections as it seems every time she gets a cold, she gets an infection. The neti pot is pretty simple to use and while at first may be awkward, I have not heard any negative things about it, only great results & help. And it's not addicting the way some nose sprays can become.

Best of luck.

The neti pot has been used for hundreds of years, much longer than nasal sprays. Don't worry, you won't feel like you are drowning. I hate swimming, don't do it often because of my water issues, but I have never choked on water from my neti pot. It is important that you follow the directions for mixing up the saline and use warm water. Too much or too little salt isn't comfortable.

You need to do more than just cleanse each nostril as the pot instructions say. To get the congestion out of your head, you need to turn it all the way upside down, and hold one nostril closed as you sniff deeply through the other while pouring the water in. It won't go into your lungs! It will go into your sinus cavities and help unplug them. The pressure is what causes the headaches. So you sniff hard with your head upside down (you will feel a bit ridiculous) and try to hold the water in for as long as you can, maybe 30 seconds? Then turn your head upright and still holding the opposite nostril closed, blow out as hard as you can. Yucky stuff should come out. If you can't get any water in, keep trying, The passages from your sinus cavities to your sinuses are tiny. Repeat on the other side. My father-in-law taught me this nasal irrigation technique. You can do it with just a measuring cup, but it is easier with the neti.

Oh also it's pretty messy to do the full irrigation, I find it easiest to just strip off and do it in the tub before I shower. You can do it at the sink if you just do the nostrils, but it might still be better to strip to the waist at first till you get used to how the water is going to flow.

HTH!!

Love my netti pot. Havent had a sinus infection since I started using it several months ago, and I was getting 4-5 a year. It takes some getting used to, but once you figure it out its worth it.

Neti pot. (only not from walmart, go to a health food store who believes in organic)

Also get rid of the chemicals in your house...cleaning products, drain openers, all that stuff is deadly to you and the environment. Go with natural products, vinegar, baking soda, ask for natural organic soaps at the store.

Diet....same here. If you put toxics in your body and home, toxics will harm you, as they are doing with your nasal (filtration organs). stick to food the way mother nature intended it. Forget processes chemical laden stuff. If you can't pronounce the ingredients, your body can't use it. whole grain rice, wheat, fruit, vegetables...your body knows these.

J.

We have the same conditions in our family. The dandiest thing we use is Ayr saline spray. It is not medicated, it is just plain saline. My husband had sinus surgery because the infections would never go away, and the surgeon specialist told him to use the saline spray everyday. I started using it as well and boy, does it help! Especially in the morning. I haven't had an infection (nor has he) since we started using it.

Hi Eiza,

I have had sinus issues for years, had surgery years ago. yes it helped but guess it depends on what you have to have done. if it is worth it or not.

The neti pot however I have used and do still ues it. It works best if you use it consistently. very easy you can get it at CVS for about $15-17. Everything come with it.

HOpe it works for you.
D.

E.,

Generally surgery is reserved for cases in which a deviated septum or polyps are causing the problem. A neti pot works well and , it doesn't feel like drowning yourself, but it is different the first few times you use it. I;ve had a lot of sinus problems in the past, headaches almost daily, etc. and several years ago I went to an acupunturist and did weekly treatments for a month, then spaced them out further. I now get about 2-4 headaches from sinuses per year and really have much less trouble. Another plus is that I had a lot more energy while getting acupuncture, plus she gave me an herbal remedy for allergies that works better than any med I've been on and has no side effects. I'm really a believer in the power of acupuncture, and this comes from someone who is a mainstream (western) medicine practitioner. It took me 2 years to conceive my little girl, and 2 months after having fertility treatment by my acupuncturist and starting an herb for that I was pregnant then. If you decide to go this route make sure they are licensed and properly trained, look for a state certificate-and the needles aren't anything like what you're used to, not much pain if any, more like an electric feeling. I highly recommend this treatment, at least to give it a try and see if it helps.

E.,I am from Russia and we always use rubber bulb(like the one they give you to use for baby's nose)with warm salty water when we get sinus infections. I did it myself as a child ,so please do not worry you will not drown yourself:)
However if that does not help, surgery might be the way to go. I am not sure if it's the same thing, but I had one when I was 10 (when they go through sinus bone with huge needle) Before that I had SF all the time, and afterwards I honestly can't remember any. My 2 cents:)

I feel for you...I also have a really awful allergies and can get sinus infections at the drop of a hat. I do use a neti pot. I use it whenever I feel something coming on and I really believe I have avoided sinus infections and probably even colds because it washes everything out before it sets up. If the cats have been in my face I use it or anything like that. The other thing that really helped me is chiropractic treatment. I was taking all kinds of meds but after getting my back aligned, I took nothing! Hang in there with the neti pot. Once you get the hang of it, it is easy.

E.,

I had Septoplasty back in March for a deviated septum, and the Dr. put me on a nasal rinse for weeks afterward to help keep my nasal passages clean. He also recommended after I healed to continue doing the rinse once a week. I think it is the best thing. The kit you get at Walmart NeliRinse has instructions that are easy to follow. Just don't forget to breathe when you are doing it, don't hold your breath. As far as the headaches if you think they are sinus related then after rinsing for for a while you should feel better, but if not I recommend going to a chiropractor. The less I can put drugs into my body the better. I have had great result over the past 9 months that I have been to my chiropractor. No more headaches, lower back pain, leg pain is gone.
Good luck and I do hope you feel better soon.