Rinsing your nasal passages with only plain water without this mixture will result in a severe burning sensation as plain water is not good for your nasal lining. Plain water also can cause your tissue to swell, giving the feeling of more congestion.
This may due to too much or too little salt in the saline solution. 5 It is also possible that the irrigation may actually cause nasal congestion, but this will typically resolve on its own.
The most common issues resulting from a nasal rinse are a burning or stinging sensation in the nose and mild irritation in the nasal passages. To make your nasal rinse more comfortable, make sure to use a saline solution instead of plain water, which can aggravate the inside of your nose.
Remember: Using a nasal decongestant spray for more than three days can actually worsen your congestion.
Participants used a neti pot, which delivers the irrigation fluid to the lower part of the nasal cavity. However, the openings of the sphenoid, ethmoid and frontal sinuses are located at the top of the nasal cavity. Irrigation can only reach these openings when the head is positioned upside down.
Determining how long your sinus infection will last is dependent on what type you are experiencing. Acute sinusitis lasts for less than four weeks. Chronic sinusitis can last for more than 12 weeks. The majority of sinus infection sufferers will see their symptoms start to resolve after about 10 days.
Sinus rinsing can remove dust, pollen and other debris, as well as help to loosen thick mucus. It can also help relieve nasal symptoms of sinus infections, allergies, colds and flu.
If you've been using decongestant nasal sprays, here's how you can tell if you have rebound congestion: Your nasal spray isn't helping. If your nasal spray doesn't seem to work anymore or you need it more often, you've probably developed rebound congestion. You feel more stuffy as time goes on.
Saline will reduce the thick mucus secretions in the sinuses and nose and help wash away particles, allergens, and germs. Saline sprays are not habit forming and can be used multiple times a day to aid in the healing process and to alleviate symptoms especially if you are prone to chronic sinus infections.
Saltwater washes (saline lavage or irrigation) help keep the nasal passages open by washing out thick or dried mucus. They can also help improve the function of cilia that help clear the sinuses . This can help stop an infection from spreading to the other sinuses and reduce post-nasal drip .
More specifically, post-nasal drip causes mucus to accumulate at the back of your nose, which then drips down into your throat and creates a raw soreness. This extra mucus drains down into your stomach, which can cause nausea and vomiting in some patients.
For people with chronic sinus inflammation, Dr. Patel recommends rinsing twice per day — morning and evening. For those with milder symptoms, daily rinsing may be enough.
Cold and flu symptoms such as a blocked nose or cough usually subside after 7-10 days and the absence of these things is quite an obvious indication that you are on the mend.
Use a nasal rinse as often as you need, whether it be a few days or once a week. When your allergies are bad, you can use a neti pot or nasal rinse one to two times per day. Many sinus surgery patients may need a sinus rinse up to six times a day for a short time.
Decongestants are available in the form of both nasal sprays and pills, but the nasal sprays should not be used for more than three days at a time. Otherwise, you may experience rebound effects and end up more congested than when you started.
Congestion tends to be worse at night because it is harder for the nose and sinuses to drain. This means that mucus pools in the head, making it harder to breathe and potentially causing a sinus headache in the morning. Try elevating the head on a few pillows to help the sinuses drain more easily.
Rhinitis medicamentosa (RM), also known as 'rebound congestion' is inflammation of the nasal mucosa caused by the overuse of topical nasal decongestants. It classifies as a subset of drug-induced rhinitis.
Antihistamines and decongestants may dry out the mucous membranes in your nose and sinuses and slow the movement of the cilia (the tiny hairs that line the nose, sinuses, and the air passages inside the lungs and that remove irritants). This can make mucus thicker, adding to drainage problems.
Rebound congestion can develop from using a nasal decongestant more times in one day or more days than the label says. As the medicine wears off, sinus membranes swell, causing congestion, and a person may respond by using a higher dose of decongestant.
Symptoms of Sinus Drainage
Symptoms that are closely related to sinus drainage are most commonly thick drainage from the nose or down the throat. This drainage is typically yellow or green. You may also feel congested and have difficulty breathing through your nose.
The frontal sinus has the most complex and variable drainage of any paranasal sinus.