It's never a good time to get sick. Never. This time, I saw it coming. Jamey came down with a really bad cold over the weekend and while I'm keeping my distance and he's kindly sleeping on the couch, last night I went to bed knowing that my turn had come.
Since having Sam, 8 years ago, when I get a cold it almost always morphs into a sinus infection. Thankfully, a few years back I got up the nerve and tried a nasal rinse. Similar to the neti pot idea, the rinse uses a plastic bottle to guide the rinse. There's less head-tilting involved and it doesn't look like you're pouring tea up into your head.
Since using it, I haven't had a full-blown sinus infection. As soon as I feel it coming on (the face pressure and head ache and sure signs for me), I use the rinse once a day until all symptoms are gone. It usually only takes a few days. If I feel it creeping back, I use it again.
Here is a link if you'd like to read more about it. You can find it in most drug stores and I imagine larger stores have it as well. The gist goes like this...empty one of the little packets into the plastic squeeze bottle. Fill the bottle to the fill line with warm water. (Don't use well water. I bought bottled water from the store and keep it on hand specifically for this.) Place on the cap and place the cap against one nostril, making a seal. Lean over a sink and squeeze the bottle gently. After a few seconds, water will run out the other nostril. Switch nostrils and repeat. The rinse gets up into your sinuses, clearing out any irritants such as allergies and pesky germs.
I know it sounds weird, but trust me.
I'm praying that this time around it will be as successful as all the other times. If you haven't tried it before, I highly recommend it. It's so much better than just sitting by and letting yourself get sick. Don't be scared. If we can push babies out our bums, we can squirt some warm water up our noses.
Note: I'm not recommending this for anything other than cold and sinus problems. And, if it doesn't help relieve the symptoms after a few days, by all means, go see your doctor. I wrote this on my own accord.
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Tuesday, October 11, 2011
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Yes! I totally agree with you on this one. I have the plastic tea pot-looking thing, and while it does look like I'm pouring tea up my nose, it truly, truly works! I am a total convert. I had heard of it YEARS before I ever tried it, and had thought about it many times, but always thought it was too weird. When last year a cold was threatening to turn into something more, I broke down and got one. My symptoms were gone in a couple of days! And I am just now seeming to be coming out the other end of a cold that I believe was greatly lessened and shortened by the use of this nasal wash. Only 4 days of relatively minor symptoms - no need to sit up at night to sleep, which has usually been the case with me and colds. I tell ya, I am another convert to this process! :)
ReplyDeleteI read an article a couple years back from an international doctor talking about neti pots and their great benefits. He was telling about the ways we bring germs into our bodies. We bring them in through our hands, but we wash them regularly. We bring them in through our mouths, but we can do a saltwater gargle. Our nose is the only place we bring in germs that doesn't really get the attention--I'm a convert, too!
ReplyDeleteOh, and hope you feel better SOON!
ReplyDeleteI experience the same problem since having my son 8 years ago - chronic sinus infections anytime I have a cold or let my allergies get out of control. Last year, after my third round of antibiotics in as many months for sinus and ear infections, I was willing to try anything - even the gross neti pot - ha! It changed my life! I only use it when I feel the symptoms coming on, and it seems to stop it from progressing. I love that it's a more natural way to clear sinuses than the countless meds you can take to attempt to do the same thing. I hope you feel much better, very soon.
ReplyDeleteNeti pots have worked for me, too, but only when I remember to do the "drying" step at the end where you blow through each nostril gently and repeatedly. When I don't, I get an infection within 24 hours. Fun!
ReplyDelete:) Ah yes...cold and flu season! I haven't gotten sick for about 8 years now since I have been drinking rose hip tea....MASSIVE amounts of vitamin C in rose hips...more than citrus fruit. Get yourself some STAT and put some local honey in it!
ReplyDeleteI think the nasal rinse and/or neti pot are "old" methods that were probably used for many, many years until the introduction of antibiotics. It's a natural and often very effective method of achieving the same results without the side effects or expense of antibiotics. I'm a believer, too!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear that you are suffering with a cold/sinus infection. That is miserable!
ReplyDeleteI second your recommendation of using a nasal rinse. I started doing this with a snub-nosed bulb syringe, and when my local retailers stopped carrying them, I switched to my neti pot. I will never again be without one if I have any say in the matter.
Get well soon!
kick that cold to the rear-we have a different something going around-a virus-I hate that word when the Dr. say it---it covers everything from a deadly cold to bumps bruising and hives-they call everything a virus-makes you want to run and hide becca stayed the whole weekend and today is wed, and the baby [ 9 mon. ] is still ill with it-no symptoms except a fever and so crabby he can't stand anything or anybody. I bought him a device you put ice chips or grapes in it and he sucks the heck out of it-I love it-in my day I think they called it a cold washrag!but the Dr, told us we should be more worried about Jerry-we did not forget that he has low blood count-it just that Jerry does not act like a dying man-so we sort of adapted to treating him normal-except I'm still the maid but I told him I will slave over him any day. that reminds me ,I want to take Jerry to champion,WI to the shrine of our lady of good help--anyone heard of it?
ReplyDeleteI've been a neti pot user for years now. The benefits are so many. I use it daily year round and when the allegery season or a cold appears at hand I up it to twice a day. If I get a cold it isn't as bad or long. My nose bleeds have also almost been cut to nil.
ReplyDelete