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?

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.

Opps! 60CC refers to the syringe size.

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?

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.

Do you realy have to use distilled water? why is that? I too have been doing nasal irrigation for a while now and haven't seen any improvements in my allergies. I actualy feel STUFFIER within 5 minutes after I do it.

I use regular tap water filtered thru one of those water filters you attach to the faucet. Then, I boil it and cool for use that day. I do it to save money on buying bottled water and I boil it to make sure all of the bacteria is neutralized. Just trying to tweak the process to a more healthier state.
Nasal irrigation totally clears up my sinuses. Getting a physical the other day and the Doc could not beleive how clear my chest was. That made me feel good, as I feel good. No drugs since May 03.
I am trying a 100CC and 140CC syringe that I just bought. I currently use a 60CC syringe. Also, some syringes have a plunger seal, others have a far better seal called a silicon "O" ring. It is suppose to last longer.

This might sound like a stupid question, but where can you buy syringes. Or do you have to ask a doctor?

Try nasaline irrigator. Search for replacement syringes using monojet syringe with a silicon "O" ring. Good luck

You can irrigate sinuses without using special syringes.

Lie on your back across bed with head hanging off. Put 3 or 4 squirts of saline solution in each nostril. turn head side to side to allow solution to travel around in lower sinuses also. Quicly turn over facind down and allow solution to travel around the eyes in the sinuses.

Say the letter KKKKKKKKK while getting up to keep solution from running down throat. In a few minutes you will feel a need to blow nose.

Saline solution will release some mucous shortly after using but later on it will release more.

Saline solution is healing as well as cleansing.

I mix a solution of 1 cup boiled/strained water with 1/2 teaspoon plain salt and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
Keep in clean nasal spray bottles. Use spray bottle as applicator for squiring solution into nostrils.

This helps keep allergens washed out of the sinuses.

If necessary, use a decojestant nasal spray prior to doing the irriation. Sometimes swelling is so bad solution will not have passage space to get into sinuses.

Differnet strokes for diff' folks. I now use a 140CC syringe. Moving that much salt water thru your sinuses really cleans them out.
I started with regular salt, but they say your body may become allergic to the iodine, and that would not be good. I now use natural "Redmond" salt. Has no iodine in it and all natural. Most table salt has dextrose (sugar) added and other ingredients to stop salt form caking. Also, refined...bleached & heated. I have had great results with the all natural stuff. Seems to break up the gunk better.
No meds since May 03.

Okay, so I tried nasal irrigation today....not sure I'm doing it right :-(. I was using an ear syringe (?) and I squirted some up my nostril (with head tilted to the side) over the sink. I didn't feel it get into my throat or the other nostril.....just felt like a stuffy head. I'm kind of squeamish about doing stuff to my body, so maybe I didn't use enough? Enough "force"? Am I supposed to be inhaling at the same time, holding my breath, expelling, or what? Thanks for any suggestions!
Tabby

Try nasaline around $23. It has a special adapter to mold around your nostril to prevent leakage. I use a 60CC syringe and irrigate with 2 cups of salt water. The key is to get all that fluid from one side of the nostril to the other. Instructions come with the kit. There are alot of products so shop around.
I just bought a 140CC syringe & like that. But, always trying different stuff.
Things I have learned with irrigating.
1. Close your mouth while you irrigate, it helps to stop water from getting into your ear canal.
2. Filter the water to remove hard minerals. I now boil the wter to kill all bacteria
3. Use sea salt noniodized.
4. I mix 1\2 tsp of sea salt (Redmond) with 1\4 tsp of baking soda in those pill boxes that you can buy labeled Monday thru Friday. It makes it easy to dump the dry mix into your cup.
Once you check out the instructions the whole process is so easy, & you will look forward to it.

Thanks for your suggestions.

I can't remember whether or not I held my mouth open, but I definitely feel like I got water in one ear....head feels a little "stuffy" and nasal passages still congested.

Am I supposed to be trying to inhale the solution? Am I supposed to be holding my breath, or what? I haven't a clue! And, I don't want to do any damage--know what I mean?

Thank you!
Tabby

The force you apply to the syringe plunger regulates the amount of flow there is. No inhaling required. It takes 8-10 seconds to push 60CC's thru, I am sure I take a few breaths during it, whatever makes me comfortable. Once you get the right tool, you will be able to break thru to the other side. It will not be over night, but once you break thru the salt will help open the passages. Using it regularly is very important. The baking soda helps in breaking up the phlem, allegist recommended.

What is the difference between using a saline nasal spray and irragating??? I have post nasal drip... and started using Breathe right last week. I use it approx 3 times a day, and it seems to help. My post nasal drip isn't gone... but there isn't as much mucous in my throat as there was. I am definetly getting relief. The ingredients seem to be the same as what you are using for the irrigation... and the great thing is it isn't habit forming... and it is all natural!!
C.

http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/dance.gif My definition of irrigating is flushing salt water from one side of the nose, left nosril to the other side side, right nostril. I use 2 cups of salt water doing this alternating between each side.
Nasal sprays moisten inside of the nose and even may help break some mucous up, but does not give you the flushing of allergens out of your nose.
I use 1/2 tsp of noniodized sea salt and 1/4 tsp of fresh baking soda to 2 cups of filtered/boiled water. I cool the boiled water and keep it in a tea kettle on the stove. I then, heat the 2 cups for 40 seconds, temperature should ideally be 95-100 degrees, but whatever is most comfortable to you.
The BREATHE RIGHT has "BENZALKONIUM CHLORIDE" in it as an additive. What I have read is this additive destroys the cilia in your nose. I have stopped using anying with this additive. The only stuff I found so far that does not have this additive is an aerosol saline spray by Ensol.
To me irrigating is fantastice. If I used only saline sprays I would hardly care about it. The magic is irrigating your nose. I have had great results. And others too.