Saline Sinus Rinses: What Good Are They? 3/4
How to do sinus rinses:
Choices include
- suction bulb or “bulb syringe” like you use to suction a baby’s nose
- neti pot (netti pot) – funky little thing that looks like a distorted little teapot http://bit.ly/9cNmz1
- plastic squeeze bottle – like athletes use for oral hydration on the sidelines
Procedure
Neti Pot for Sinus Rinsing
- Fill your implement of choice (mine is the squeeze-bottle)
- Lean over (look at the floor if possible), and
- Secure the “nozzle” at one nostril – the opening of one side of the nose.
Using the squeeze bottle, I give one good squeeze (about 100-200 ml) for each side. I have found, both for myself and for children, that the bathtub or shower-time is best. Less muss, less fuss.
Strange Sensation:
If you are “helping” your child do these (forcing them?), then you should give it a try on yourself first. Place the nozzle of the opening against one nostril and (for those using the squeeze bottle) give it a really good strong squeeze.
It is not a pleasant sensation. The novelty of it will surprise you, since you never get that sensation from any other activity (at least I assume that you don’t). It is a bizarre, alien sensation. Not painful, but wierd, NOT pleasant.
Look down at the floor when you rinse so that the saline flows back out of your nose, not down your throat:
Position for Sinus Rinse
Hold Your Breath
It may make you cough and sputter. You can minimize that by holding your breath while you squeeze. That maneuver – holding your breath – helps to seal the palate against the back of the throat, and closes your voice box so that you don’t get anything “down the wrong pipe.” Despite feeling very strange, it will be OK. It won’t hurt you. It will make your nose and sinuses healthier, remember.
[As an aside, I should mention that although my preference is for the plastic squeeze-bottle as the method for rinsing my sinuses, I am generally strongly anti-plastic (they contain toxins like BPA, contribute to asthma, immune changes, cancers, many problems). That is, my family and I have made a strong effort to eliminate the use of plastic for storing our food and water. The less time that food or water spend in plastic the better. More ranting about the evils of plastics in future posts.]
The good news: the squeeze bottle from www.Nasopure.com is BPA-free! Check out their site for the best commercially-available saline nasal rinse system. It is the one that I use personally, for my own kids, and recommend to my patients.
Every Day Keeps the Doctor Away
With practice, you and your little one will be able to do sinus rinses without drama or choking. Do it once per day, every day, and your child’s sinus health will improve! I promise. If your child has asthma, and rhinitis or sinusitis, saline sinus rinses will improve their life. Give it a try.
Thanks for visiting. See you here for more details on sinus rinses soon.
Best health and success to you and your families.
Please post a comment so that we can all learn to achieve sinus health, and healthy airways. And please, “be excellent to one another.”
Until next time, remember … you can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your friend’s nose (unless you’re a boogor doctor ;~D)
Saline Sinus Rinses: part 3 of 4
Next time … Making Your Own Saline Solution … Part 4 of 4
6 Responses to “Saline Sinus Rinses: What Good Are They? 3/4”
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Hello and thank you for stopping by "Ask the Boogor Doctor". This site is dedicated to helping you achieve optimal health for your children, following an integrative holistic approach to care of the Pediatric Airway: pediatric sinusitis, allergies, asthma, rhinitis, reflux, otitis, and all pediatric ENT.
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O.A.
06. May, 2010
Dr. Faust, I am just leaving a note to say thank you. You are right, it is a lot of work, screaming, crying, doing this with my 3 year old and my almost-6 year old. But it is really worth it. There allergies are much better, and there asthma is better too. Thanks, OA
Russell A. Faust, PhD, MD
06. May, 2010
Dear O.A.,
Thank you so much for visiting, and for taking time to share your experience with us! I am sure that other parents out there will find your comments at least a little bit reassuring. The point is: hang in there, keep at it, it WILL make a difference. Please continue to visit, and continue to add to our community of “boogor heads” by commenting! RF
M.B.
29. Oct, 2011
Dr. Faust, The only way I am able to administer the rinse to my son is with him laying down. Is this detrimental to the healing process. Thanks so much for providing us with this wealth of information. MB
Russell A. Faust, PhD, MD
29. Oct, 2011
Hi, Ms. Brown:
I am surprised that he allows you to rinse his nose while lying down – I would think that the rinse would make him cough and gag while lying down. If it works for you, fine. Here is a link showing how a parent can help a youngster do nasal saline rinses: http://www.vitalzen.net/o-nasopure/Video-Punčka-2-leti
Thanks for visiting, and let us know how it goes!
RF (boogs)
MB
30. Oct, 2011
Dr. Faust, Thanks sincerely for the quick response. You are so kind! I have already viewed the videos on the Nasopure site & they were not helpful in this situation (though I am ordering the product today. BPA free seals the deal). The only way I am able to administer the rinse is by holding him down & forcing it (like other parents this is very unpleasant. I am also a member of AP). Using this method I only use a little rinse & the liquid does not come back out; can this make things worse instead of better? I have not had to do this since last winter. We did it yesterday & he seems much better this morning.
Russell A. Faust, PhD, MD
03. Nov, 2011
Hello again,
Honestly, I have no idea whether you might make things worse doing that, but it wouldn’t seem so. What you are doing, using “only a little rinse” should be similar to simply using a nasal saline spray. You might just try that, for optimal nasal hygiene. The one that I use (carry it in my pocket, use it every hour or so during the day), is by XLEAR.com – it has the optimal concentration of Xylitol in saline. The benefits include helping kill some bad bacteria (“Pathogens”), and also preventing bacteria from adhering to the nasal lining – both huge benefits!
Thanks again for visiting, and please do keep us updated on your progress.
RF (boogs)