How to Do a Sinus Irrigation

A sinus irrigation is used to relieve the pressure, pain and congestion associated with sinus infections. To do a sinus irrigation, you'll need a few basic tools and an understanding of the simple process.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Non-iodized salt
• Bottled or purified water
• Baking soda
• Measuring spoons
• Neti pot
• Nasal bulb syringe

Perform a Sinus Irrigation With a Bulb Syringe

1. Measure 1/2 tsp. of salt. Use any form of non-iodized salt, including sea salt or kosher salt.

2. Pour 8 oz. of water into a cup. Use purified or bottled water. Make sure the water is at room temperature.

3. Add 1/2 tsp. of baking soda.

4. Mix all three ingredients together.

5. Draw the mixture into a bulb syringe.

6. Insert the open end of the bulb syringe into one nostril. Make sure your head is tilted downward to prevent the mixture from flowing incorrectly.

7. Gently squeeze the bulb syringe, spraying the fluid mixture into your sinuses. The fluid will drain from your other nostril, along with a stream of mucous. This mucous has collected in the sinus cavities over time.

8. Repeat the process of flushing your sinuses until no more mucous is produced.

9. Switch to the other nostril. Use the bulb syringe to spray cleansing fluid into your other nostril. Continue until the flow of mucous has stopped.

10. Gargle water to rinse away fluid that has collected in the back of your throat or sinuses.

Perform a Sinus Irrigation With a Neti Pot

11. Combine the salt, water and backing soda to create a cleansing solution. Use it to fill the neti pot. A neti pot can be purchased at most healthcare supply stores.

12. Lean your head to one side and insert the neti pot's spout into one nostril.

13. Tilt the neti pot to the side so that the cleansing solution flows into your nostril. A mixture of fluid and mucous from within your sinuses should drain.

14. Repeat the process until the flow of mucous has stopped.

Tips & Warnings

• The process of performing a sinus irrigation can be messy. For this reason, you should do a sinus irrigation over your bathroom sink. Keep some bath towels handy to clean any unseemly messes.
• Talk to your doctor before committing to do a sinus irrigation. You may suffer from a medical condition that could inhibit the sinus irrigation's effectiveness.
• A sinus irrigation can cause temporary coughing fits as fluid and mucous drains backward into the throat. This can be irritating, but it's not harmful.
• If you're suffering from an acute sinus infection, you might want to wait until the infection has cleared before administering a sinus irrigation. While you may be able to flush away some collected mucous, you'll risk spreading the bacteria that's causing the infection.
• Stop your sinus irrigation if you experience any inner ear pain or gagging. This happens when you're administering the cleansing solution with too much force. Take a break and resume the irrigation system later, but make sure to diminish the flow of fluid through your sinuses.

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