OK…..I’ve still not convinced my friend at work to try it; BUT due to the success my wife experienced, I decided to give it a try myself. Well, now I’m addicted. Even though I didn’t/don’t have any serious sinus issues, I can definitely tell the difference.
However, I have a question. The fetching Mrs. Couv and I have a difference of opinion on the force one should use while irrigating. While I say use a slow squeeze assisted by a slight inhalation, she maintains that a forceful squeeze to blast the saline into the cavities is the way to go. My idea it to allow the salt water to soak the sinus cavities, hers’ is to blast them. How about input from you veterans?
I like to get the saline into the sinus cavities to soak for a few minutes, not just irrigate the main nasal passages. To do so, I use controlled pressure, not a forceful blast.
To reduce mess, I do this in the shower. I don't know how you guys do this at a sink....
I do my irrigation by tipping my head back, filling the nasal passages with saline using a 60cc syringe sealed up against a nostril, then plugging the other nostril while intermittently and gently pressurizing the nasal passages. A bulb syringe will also work.
This method will inject saline into the sinuses during pressurizations and eject air during non-pressurizations. About 6 intermittent pressurizations lasting a half-second each followed by half-second pauses will about half fill some of my sinuses, as judged by the audible sloshing I hear when I shake my head. Go ahead and laugh....
The saline will mostly stay in the sinuses until forced out or posturally draining out later. I prefer to force it all out while still in the shower rather than getting a surprise later....
So, near the end of my shower, I tip my still sloshing head forward, blow my nose, then plug both nostrils and do gentle intermittent pressurizations, between which the saline runs out. It might take 6 to 10 such pressurizations before no more saline will run out. Only on rare occasions has some residual saline dribbled out later.
I find that a few minutes of saline soaking my sinuses really helps to liquify the secretions and facilitate their removal. Afterwards, the nasal passages seem to shrink, too, making it easier to breathe. I usually use a hypertonic solution (three quarters to one teaspoon of canning salt and about an eighth of a teaspoon of baking soda in 8 ounces of water).
In addition, I find the intermittent pressurizing gives my eustacian tubes a good workout, which appears to improve my scuba-related ear-clearing. It's gotten to the point where my ears clear passively during my dives. That is definitely a nice benefit!
Dave C
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