sinus infections galore!!!

[polly4711]

anybody know how to avoid getting sinus infections?

[Selkie]

Daily sinus rinse w/a neti pot. One Dan-Active a day.

[yellow]

Daily sinus rinse w/a neti pot.

I double, triple, quadruple this suggestion. Twice a day when you're suffering a cold.

We talked about Neti pots at length here.

[polly4711]

I am a proud owner of a Neti-pot and I love it... I guess I don't use it enough!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yep, since doing my every-other day warm salt water sinus rinse, I don't get sinus problems anymore. What a relief!
I don't have a "neti pot" but I use the Ayr brand kit with a plastic squeeze bottle instead- basically same idea but I feel I can control the flow better.

[wackyjacky1]

+1 on the neti pot. Cured my chronic sinus problems!

[channlluv]

What do you put in your neti pot to rinse with? Plain water? Warm?

Thanks!

Roxy

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

What do you put in your neti pot to rinse with? Plain water? Warm?

Thanks!

Roxy

No! Doing the rinse with plain warm water makes your sinus membranes hurt (I tried it). You use a finely ground sea salt in the warm water, then it's really soothing. Too much salt makes it uncomfortable as well, so Google 'neti pot solution' or something similar and get the water/salt proportions right. I get my fine sea salt in little 1/4 or 1/2 lb. bags really cheap at my health food store.

[wackyjacky1]

I use about 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt per pot.

[Grog]

The neti pot instructions provided with my pot say 1 tsp salt (preferably not with iodine added) or 7/8 tsp salt + 1/8 tsp baking soda.

That's for 150 ml (around 2/3 of a cup) lukewarm water.

I've just been using it for a week but I think it's a bit on the strong side. I'm putting a bit less salt now and it's better.

[Blueberry]

Mine said 1/4 tsp. I buy sea salt in bulk from Whole Foods - about $1 for a good sized bag.

I'm back on the rinsing bandwagon. Sadly, I'm not sure it's in time to prevent the sinus infection/head cold that seems to be coming my way

[Karma007]

+ a zillion for the neti. A humidifier running all night helps too.

[Grits]

I know family members and friends who have had great success with the natural remedies already suggested.

If you already have a sinus infection going that does not seem to clear up, or clears up for a short time and then comes right back, you might have chronic sinusitis.

I had that years ago and finally went to an ENT who put me on a broad spectrum antibiotic for about a month and also allergy medicine. I don't think I've had a sinus infection since.

Just wanted to put out there that you might need some medical intervention in addition to the natural remedies. Once you get it knocked out, the neti pot can definitely help keep you from getting another one.

good luck!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

All good advice.
We should also keep in mind that not all 'sinus infections' are actually infections. Many are simply clogged sinuses....which are certainly miserable enough by themselves.

[WindingRoad]

If you want to make the salt dose stupid easy like I do, CVS sells individual packets that are the correct dosage for the sinucleanse brand neti pot. I use those because it's impossible to screw up. Yay.