Nasal irrigators and Holistic sinus maintenance

Years ago when I took ashtanga vinyasa yoga classes the neti pot was encouraged to help with breathing.     Still use it occasionally with warm salty water. A basic one only costs a couple of £.

Yoga itself could help as some positions de stresses head and neck muscles which might be a contributing factor.

TOBYJUG posted:

Years ago when I took ashtanga vinyasa yoga classes the neti pot was encouraged to help with breathing.     Still use it occasionally with warm salty water. A basic one only costs a couple of £.

Yoga itself could help as some positions de stresses head and neck muscles which might be a contributing factor.

I'm a Yoga teacher and can certainly vouch for Neti. I'd also suggest a nostril breathing practice like Basthrika as well. I know people who have completely eliminated hay fever through Neti alone.

I'd also suggest seeing an Osteopath to work at relieving fascia and misalignment through the jaw and nasal passage. 

I'm not a vegetarian, but you could try going vegan for a month to see what effect that has on your symptoms.

Good luck!

...Or play an album loud that's heavy, psychedelic and rhythm driven to get the cilia waving to the beat (with optional head banging).

Other ideas - you could try a visit to a homeopath. For nasal symptoms the "generic" remedy is Alium Cepa but there are lots of variations to the symptoms so a specific piece of advice might be necessary.

Something else that has shown good results is eating locally produced honey.

Best of luck.

Despite negative stab and blood tests, I can guarantee to start symptoms in late February through to October. Over the counter anti histamines, prescription only ones, taken at 8 in the morning wear off by 15:00. I was recommended to use Sterimar, it works, but it's and expensive way to buy sea water!

Mrs. Hook and I also have a pescatarian diet, but we only eat fish about once a month. She also suffered from seasonal allergies, so we decided to try eliminating gluten. It seems to have really helped, and the past couple of years she has had very few sinus problems. Fortunately, there are lots of very good gluten-free products and recipes these days. Even our local pizza joint does a pretty tasty GF crust.

Get a better power supply for that nasal irrigator...

And then eliminate as much dairy and gluten and sugar as you can from your diet. Cheap Neti pot works just fine too. And what a strange thread for a hifi forum. 

All replies much appreciated, and tend to confirm the same fundamental approach I read on the net. Congestion aside, I'm already feeling better for having eliminated all my OTC sinus and allergy meds a week or more ago.

TOBYJUG posted:

Years ago when I took ashtanga vinyasa yoga classes the neti pot was encouraged to help with breathing.     Still use it occasionally with warm salty water. A basic one only costs a couple of £.

Neti pot or some sort of nasal irrigation is ground zero. I'm going to order the powered irrigator because it provides large water volumes at varying currents, and isn't terribly expensive. Seems very easy to get started with.

Mike Sullivan posted:

I'm a Yoga teacher and can certainly vouch for Neti. I'd also suggest a nostril breathing practice like Basthrika as well. I know people who have completely eliminated hay fever through Neti alone.

I'd also suggest seeing an Osteopath to work at relieving fascia and misalignment through the jaw and nasal passage. 

I'm also intensifying my daily exercise and including more stretching in my routine with a focus on deep breathing and relaxation while I stretch. I grind my teeth at night on occasions and have asked my dentist specifically about TMJ. He doesn't see TMJ as an issue, but strongly suggested a night guard. As far as seeing an Osteopath, good in theory, maybe further down the road. I've gained a few worthy tricks from practitioners on Youtube. As I mentioned above jaw exercises, ear tugs and pressure point stimulation have had surprisingly fruitful results (as does a hot shower). 

john s posted:

Other ideas - you could try a visit to a homeopath. For nasal symptoms the "generic" remedy is Alium Cepa but there are lots of variations to the symptoms so a specific piece of advice might be necessary. Something else that has shown good results is eating locally produced honey.

I'm all about a sustainable homeopathic approach. Haven't run across Alium Cepa, but will google it, thanks. Locally produced honey (even better with the comb) makes much sense to me. I'm fortunate to have a provider less than 4 miles from my house. Local honey is on my list to try this winter before my intense cedar allergies start in mid-February. 

Hook posted:

Mrs. Hook and I also have a pescatarian diet, but we only eat fish about once a month. She also suffered from seasonal allergies, so we decided to try eliminating gluten. It seems to have really helped

charlesphoto posted:

eliminate as much dairy and gluten and sugar as you can from your diet. 

Addressing diet seems a logical step. My wife is prone to intense migraines and had a food panel done by a holistic practitioner. Using an 'eliminate all offenders then reintroduce process', she was able to identify several migraine triggers. I plan a similar screening to spot the potential allergens in my diet, in due time. Key being to take one step at a time so as not to confuse the contributors or benefactors.

Try 'boiling your head' (i.e. a nasal steam bath).

Get a bowl of hot water, put a towel over the head and the bowl, then breath through your nose as much as possible.
Relatively effective and no increased risk of sinus or ear infection; much safer than nasal irrigation.

joerand posted:

... I plan a similar screening to spot the potential allergens in my diet, in due time. Key being to take one step at a time so as not to confuse the contributors or benefactors.

If you had allergens in your diet you'd be getting GI symptoms (and possibly a systemic histamine reaction as well).

Huge posted:

If you had allergens in your diet you'd be getting GI symptoms (and possibly a systemic histamine reaction as well).

I agree and the quizzical aspect is that since eschewing my OTC allergy meds my GI function is more healthy. Without going into gory details the bottom line is that decongestants eliminate mucous from the sinuses; so where does it go? Out via the GI tract. Mucous ought to be expectorated or blown out the nose.

So, give me your addresses and I’ll pop a copy of Bad Science by Dr. Ben Goldacre in the post. The evidence for Neti Pots is nil. Homeopathic medicine? See the book above. Beyond ludicrous and it will eventually be seen as possibly one of the bigger mistakes the NHS ever made. Local honey? Numerous studies, all of which concluded it was abject nonsense. The placebo effect and reduced dairy on the other hand have clear supporting evidence. 

I understand the urge I really do. Two member of my family have appalling hay fever. When my son was 18 months old we left him asleep in the garden and came out to him screaming because his eyes had glued shut with leaking mucus. He’s improved hugely since we read up on nasal irrigation and stopped doing it. Our garden is only occupied by me.

This thread has to be one of the most disappointing I’ve read on here over the years. Any of you got a Bedini Clarifier? 

Mike Hughes posted:

The evidence for Neti Pots is nil. 

 

Evidence for what? That they help some people clear their sinuses?

Mike Hughes posted:

This thread has to be one of the most disappointing I’ve read on here over the years. 

I could say the same for your response, but I won't. The point you may be missing is that this is a quest from a person that's been tied to pharmaceuticals for 40 years in order to treat seasonal allergies to find an alternative solution. Reliance on OTC drugs is not fun, and it's really the only response I've gotten from MDs. Much as the industry will down-play side effects of drugs, I feel they are real and take a toll over time.

My current daily routine to successfully ameliorate my allergies, which occur from February through August, consists of one Claritin pill, a spray of Nasonex in each nostril, eye drops every eight hours, and a decongestant pill every four hours (while I'm awake). I tried the twelve hour decongestant pill, but it eventually gave me pain in my pancreas or somewhere thereabouts. Plus, overall, there's a general latent fatigue, distance, numbness, or dulling of the senses that results from the use of anti-histamines. OTOH, the decongestant is a stimulant. Simply a ridiculous rationalization or accommodation of balancing drugs day-after-day and year-after-year.

So yeah, I'm ready to try about any potential relief that does NOT come in a blister pack or a metered spray bottle. Evidence for the intended near-term effects of OTCs may be prolific. Long-term studies on their potential detriment don't exist. 

I may have erred using the term "a homeopathic approach" in my response above; likewise with a term such as "alternative medicine" in their strict definitions.  I'm simply seeking a salient, non-pharmaceutical treatment to keep my sinuses and ears clear. Much more interested in personal success stories than regaling accepted industry studies.

I get problems with my eustation tubes from time to time, and also some sinus problems. I had it checked out with a probe up my nose and the doctor recommended the NeilMed Sinus Rinse. It’s made from salt and bicarbonate of soda and you can of course mix your own to save money. I’ve found it very helpful. I also have a steam inhaler, which is basically a pot with a little mask to go over your nose, which cost about £3. It’s far easier than a bowl and towel. I see you mention Clarityn - I don’t know what the situation is in the US, but in the UK it’s far cheaper to get generic cetirizine dihydrocloride, which is about a tenth of the price and exactly the same. I take one every day from April onwards, till sometime in August. I’ve tried homeopathic remedies to no avail, but the cetirizine has been really effective for the last few years. Even in this hot summer I’ve had itchy eyes on only a few occasions. 

Appreciate the response Nigel. Yes, I do the generic versions, no need to waste money as you say. The nasal irrigator I ordered (in transit) includes a supply of saline packets to mix with the water. As far as the clogged Eustachian tube, best solution I've found is a natural nasal spray called Xlear. Made with Xylitol, it also contains saline and grapefruit seed extract. When used with my prescribed/OTC drug regimen (which simply dries my nasal passages), the Xlear enables me to blow mucous out my nose or expectorate it, which is the natural elimination process. It digs deeper and clears better than the drugs alone.

Not sure if of use for others - as for me its dry sinuses after sinus surgery.  But I use the NeilMed sinus rinse, the same as HH.  These work great for me (but note that this is not related to allergies).  Only real issue is that you have to use recently boiled water, so have to get in the habit of boiling a kettle a good hour before you need it!

Back in the long hot summer of ‘76 I thought I had developed a varient of hayfever, with blocked sinuses - but it remained that way for 10 years, unchanged throughout the year. It turns out I am mildly allergic to cats, and something between the number increasing to 4 that year, maybe combined with the weather, brought it on, remaining with various numbers of cats in the house until I moved somewhere cat free, and miraculously within a few weeks my sinuses cleared and have been ever since (never since stayed in a house with cats for more than a day at a time).

The moral of this, combined with some other contributions above, is that sometimes there can be alternative causes that might be possible to eliminate. Meanwhile both my now adult sons suffer from hayfever, and use antihistamines to help alleviate symptoms at times when bad. Having heard the local honey suggestion  they have both just started taking local honey on a daily basis (I have recently become a beekeeper), so it will be interesting to see if any discernible difference next year.

Having suffered from allergies all my life, another vote for the rinse. I also use a saline spray to prevent dryness. The final absolute godsend for me was discovering a nasal ointment in Germany (by Bayer - Bepanthen Eye and Nose/ Augen und Nasensalbe). Has made a huge difference to me, it only protects the nasal passage itself, but the symptoms I had experienced for years became much more manageable since I started using it. Highly recommended in case of discomfort/ irritation and at least not expensive to try.

Thanks for the responses. I've been using the powered nasal irrigator for several days. It's incredibly easy and the results are favorable. Best for me done late-afternoon, right before running or cycling. Pollen is waning this time of year, so sneezing attacks are manageable without medication. I hear some clicking in my right ear, an indication there may be some movement with the congestion in my problem Eustachian tube. 

IB, I have to say that beekeeping is among the underappreciated crafts in our society. Apiary health is one of the most fragile linchpins upon which modern agriculture (the world's food supply) is fundamentally based.