Things that aren't fun

[ciphergoth]

Squirting brine up your nose isn't fun.

(EDIT - actually I have very little to complain about, I'm just not letting that stop me :-)

Comments

[eqe.livejournal.com]

actually I found it quite enjoyable (compared to the alternative of "can't breathe") once I improved out my technique.

1. use noniodized sea salt (or a medical saline preparation.)
2. dissolve it in blood-temperature water.
3. use a Neti pot (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Neti_pot.jpg) rather than a syringe; rather than forcing, simply allow the fluid to flow through the nasal cavity.

There are videos of correct neti pot usage on Youtube.

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

It's a medical saline preparation. Heating it up first is a good idea though. I'm not forcing the water; I think maybe a syringe gives me better control of the rate of flow.

[eqe.livejournal.com]

Oh, and getting the salt proportion right takes a bit of trial and error. Water without enough salt in it feels like acid; water with too much salt in it is almost worse; but at just the right saturation it feels almost pleasant.

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

The little ampoules are pre-mixed :-)

[ciphergoth.livejournal.com]

BTW are you saying you've had nasal surgery? What I've just had is a FESS bilateral nasal polypectomy.

[eqe.livejournal.com]

No, though I know a few people who have. I just have chronic nasal infections; pretty much every winter is a snotfest for me. Up until year or two ago I'd just suffer (and make myself high with pseudoephedrine), but since learning how to use a neti pot I've had vastly more success treating the symptoms and breathing.

[lizw.livejournal.com]

Yes, I use Sterimar (which is a saline spray) every morning for similar reasons. In my case, chronic sinus infections are a complication of my allergic rhinitis.