Avoiding And Relieving Sinus Infections Through Irrigation

Now that it is winter, the flu, cold and other allergies are in full force. There are plenty of ways to keep yourself healthy during this season. If your cold has turned into a sinus infection or you are prone to chronic sinusitis, there are natural ways to clear your sinus cavities. One of the best ways to relieve sinus pressure is with the use of saline solution administered through an irrigation system.

Essentially, you will mix up a warm saline solution that you will spray into your nose. This solution can be sucked up into a basting bulb or put in a more sophisticated nasal irrigation system. For ease of use, an irrigation device is a better option than using a basting bulb. The warm saline solution loosens and dislodges infectious mucus in the sinus cavities. The loosened particles drain right out of your nostrils.

There are several different types of sinus rinse systems on the market. You might be familiar with systems like the Neti pot. The Neti pot is a more user friendly version of the basting bulb, but it is cumbersome to use. With the Neti Pot, you pour the solution into one nostril and it drains fromteh other. This limits the sinus cavities coverage. Devices like the SinuPulse Elite Advanced Nasal Sinus Irrigation System is much more advanced. It gently pumps the solution up into the sinus cavities and provides much better sinus cavity coverage than the Neti Pot.

The SinuPulse has two functions. One sends a light, pulsating mist into your nose. The other function sends a greater amount of solution into your nose as a deep cleansing rinse. This advance system is perfect for those that suffer from post nasal drip, packed nasal passages, and other sinus congestion problems.

For more advanced systems like the SinuPulse, the device is sent with a saline packet that mixes with water. You would simply mix one packet when needed. For more basic systems, you will need to mix up a nasal rinse recipe.

You can mix your own with items you probably already have in your kitchen:

1. 30 Oz of warm water

2. A palmful of table salt

Mix these ingredients until salt is dissolved. Remember, this water will hit sensitive sinus cavity tissue.

Once the saline solution is mixed, you can fill an irrigation system or basting bulb to rinse out your nose.

Saline solution should be used to rinse your sinus cavaties several times a day if you have sinusitis symptoms. Since there are no medicinal properties to the rinse, it is ok to use it as often a you prefer. For simple maintenance, irrigate sinuses once a day. If you are using medicine spray to treat sinus concerns, the saline rinse will help your sinuses absorb the medication.