Recovering

[kevin_standlee]

Of course I will take the full series of antibiotics, but after just one dose, things have improved. But I also think a good part of the start of the recovery was applying the saline spray. It's a bit icky spraying that stuff up your nose, but it helps.

Comments

[jonesnori]

Oh, that's encouraging! Good.

[belak]

Glad things are on the upswing!

We have sworn by saline sinus rinse kits (or neti pots) for many years. It takes some getting used to, but we have found it really helpful this time of year to prevent sinus infections and other gunk from building up.

[jonesnori]

I have read that it's safest to use distilled water (plus salt) with those, as our tap water is cleaned to drinking standards (i.e. heading to a highly acidic stomach), not nasal passage standards.

[belak]

Jonesnori

Yes, as is indicated on most saline nasal kits and neti pot kits, they usually suggest distilled water and the premeasured saline packets (not just home table salt!) for use. Our local water has had chlorine in it and is quite hard, which isn't good to use. Also, using local water has lead to PML a brain infection on rare occasions.

We usually have a jug of distilled water handy and add it to our saline rinse bottle, then warm it up in the microwave or on the stove in a heat safe bottle, then test to ensure it is safe for touching our sensitive sinus membranes (as one might with a baby's bottle) and then give it some time to drip out of our noses into the sink. Most "gunk" comes out in the first or second wave when using a squeeze bottle. It takes practice but we feel highly worthwhile.

[jonesnori]

Thank you - I had forgotten that the salt needs to be hygiene-safe as well. I have some packets somewhere - it's been a while since I used mine.