Sinus Wash

[chugmeister]

Since winter of last year I have made a daily sinus wash part of my morning grooming ritual. Basically you take what looks like a small flower watering pot, fill it with water and a pack of SinuFresh. Basically just a heavy saline solution. You then tilt your head back and proceed to pour the solution up your nose. It flushes out you sinuses etc.

Ok I know you are saying to yourselve why in God's name would any sane human do a thing like that. Well I have never been accused of being sane but I used to suffer from sinus infections, 4 to 7 times a year which caused me to miss alot of work and money since I am an independent contractor.

Anyway I haven't had a sinus infection since I started but I am wondering how this will affect my diving? Should I suspend my daily ritual for any certain length of time before my dive trip to Cozumel in a week?

Thanks for any serious advice. Sorry if the topic was a bit gross to some.

 

[trevinkorea]

Your treatment is precisely what my doctor recommended. I too am a cronic sinus sufferer and the flush has worked well in keeping it under control and reducing my contributions to the ENT's college scholarship plan.

I do it a little differently though. I find a cyringe or a straw works much better and I usually hang upside down from a bed or a bar when pouring in the solution. Looks kind of crazy but it works for me. I also use pure distilled water or water that I am sure has no contaminates. If you use tap water be aware that it may contain nasty stuff that could agrivate your situation.

As for diving I find it actually helps to clear everything out but I'm not sure about using a heavy solution prior to the dive as it does sometimes agrivate my sinuses.

Additionally, after I do the pour I often try very gently eaqualizing and rolling my fact around to ensure a good coating prior to draining the sinuses. If seems to result in a more interesting draining. I'm sure you will know what I am referring to here.

When in doubt it is best to check with a real doctor regarding something like this.

Good luck with your quest. I am very interested in what might come of this thread.

 

[chugmeister]

... It seems to result in a more interesting draining. I'm sure you will know what I am referring to here.

Yep. I am there with ya.

 

[pasley]

Ok, you are both better men than me. I have tried it, could not see doing it on a regular basis. I have had the surgery twice which helped and I do a saline (ocean) spray twice a day. But not the whole wash.

 

[Tom Winters]

I agree with Pasley - I saw the nose thing in a yoga book and that sinus cleansing sure looked like a good idea, except it's also a pretty good interrogation technique. I can stitch myself, but pouring stuff up my nose is a no-can-do. This topic really threw off all the "Similar Threads" listed below - all that the algorithym could come up with was bad weather and dirty dive gear threads.

 

[Damselfish]

the pot is called a neti pot - if you search on that you find a few things.

 

[crpntr133]

SinuFresh?? Is this OTC or perscription?

I had sinus surgery almost two years ago and from time to time still flush. I have never had any problems doing this before diving. If I think I might be a bit stuffy then I start flushing a day or two before the dive, no problems.

BTW, I use a bulb syringe, one of those that they use to clear out a babies nose at birth. Take distilled water and add a teaspoon of baking soda and warm the water. I then tip my head forward and insert the bulb in a nostril, point it to the other ear and squeeze. Not my favorite thing to do but if it keeps the doc away then it is worth it.

 

[chugmeister]

It is called SinuCleanse

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100095&navAction=jump&navCount=0&id=prod399135

 

[crpntr133]

It is called SinuCleanse

http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100095&navAction=jump&navCount=0&id=prod399135

I will have to give that a look.