Nasal Irrigation! Nothing is happening! - Allergies Message Board

nickady · 10-11-2003, 10:37 PM

I just tried doing nasal irrigation with a syringe (rinsing my sinuses with a saline solution), but nothing is happening, it's not even going down my nostril. Am I doing something wrong?

n7ynk · 10-12-2003, 05:53 AM

I am guessing you have a seal around the nostril (60CC), this prevents water from leaking out. Just a syringe is not effective. If you are using it on the left side, after 3-4 few seconds water will pour out your right nostril. If you are all clogged, wait a half hour and try it again. Eventually you will get a couple of drops thru and then more and more.
The saline helps reduce swelling and allows passsages to open up. Each person is different, sometimes I do it twice or three times a day. If I am really stuffed up, I will do it again after about a half hour. I use nasaline, if you are not using that, it is harder to imagine what you are using with a syringe. There are alot of products, I imagine any would do the trick.

n7ynk · 10-13-2003, 11:20 AM

Opps! 60CC refers to the syringe size.

MrsLee · 10-14-2003, 01:50 PM

I have a question about this also. I plan to try nasal irrigation as you have described, but I need to find the syringe thing. My doctor gave me a sample of Simply Saline in the meatime, which has a nozzle and you squirt it up your nose.

I just tried it, and I can't tell where the liquid is going. I think most is going down my throat. What should I do?

n7ynk · 10-14-2003, 02:18 PM

I use nasaline, a 60cc syringe with a special silicon tip that seals around your nostril so no water will leak out. After 3-4 seconds, the water will come out the other nostril unless really snuffed up, you may have to try it a few times every hour to help break it up.