Sinus rinse packets
Sinus infections are a painful consequence of colds or allergies. If you’ve ever had one, you’d probably like to avoid one at all cost. Why? Think severe headache with throbbing pressure and off-the-charts pain around the nose, eyes, cheekbones and teeth, along with fever, stuffy nose, severe cough and other unpleasant discomforts.
I have managed to stay clear of sinus infections for nearly a decade. That’s pretty impressive for me as I used to experience four or more a year. Unfortunately, a worse-than-normal allergy season and wildfire pollution in my valley hit me with a sinus infection once again this fall.
Yes, it was just as painful as the ones I’d experienced in the past. But this time, I knew that antibiotics were not the way to go as they have been found ineffective in medical studies. Antibiotics actually kill off healthy flora, which can cause fungal sinusitis and produce an endless sinus infection cycle.
From past experience, I knew an effective tool for curing my sinus infection would be nasal rinsing. I have used the SinuPulse Elite (think WaterPik for the nose) for years twice daily. For a sinus infection, I increased nasal rinsing to four times a day.
I have used homemade salt mixtures (sea salt and baking soda) for years for nasal rinsing. By chance, I came across a few packets of NeilMed sinus rinse that I have taken on trips.
I quickly became a convert to these premade sinus rinse packets. I started getting greater relief within a few days of using the packets rather than my homemade mixture. What makes them better?
The NeilMed packets are pH balanced, isotonic and/or hypertonic, and contain USP grade sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate. In contrast, homemade mixtures may have incorrect concentrations, leading to less relief. Store-bought table salt and baking soda also are not pharmaceutical grade compounds for medical use.
One premade packet can be used with 8 ounces of distilled water to make an isotonic solution or two packets in 8 ounces of distilled water produce a hypertonic solution.
I have managed to stay clear of sinus infections for nearly a decade. That’s pretty impressive for me as I used to experience four or more a year. Unfortunately, a worse-than-normal allergy season and wildfire pollution in my valley hit me with a sinus infection once again this fall.
Yes, it was just as painful as the ones I’d experienced in the past. But this time, I knew that antibiotics were not the way to go as they have been found ineffective in medical studies. Antibiotics actually kill off healthy flora, which can cause fungal sinusitis and produce an endless sinus infection cycle.
From past experience, I knew an effective tool for curing my sinus infection would be nasal rinsing. I have used the SinuPulse Elite (think WaterPik for the nose) for years twice daily. For a sinus infection, I increased nasal rinsing to four times a day.
I have used homemade salt mixtures (sea salt and baking soda) for years for nasal rinsing. By chance, I came across a few packets of NeilMed sinus rinse that I have taken on trips.
I quickly became a convert to these premade sinus rinse packets. I started getting greater relief within a few days of using the packets rather than my homemade mixture. What makes them better?
The NeilMed packets are pH balanced, isotonic and/or hypertonic, and contain USP grade sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate. In contrast, homemade mixtures may have incorrect concentrations, leading to less relief. Store-bought table salt and baking soda also are not pharmaceutical grade compounds for medical use.
One premade packet can be used with 8 ounces of distilled water to make an isotonic solution or two packets in 8 ounces of distilled water produce a hypertonic solution.
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