If you don’t know about it, or haven’t tried it, it can sound weird, difficult, or gross.
But those who have tried it will tell you: it’s worth doing every day.
A sinus rinse or sinus flood clears mucus, allergens, and any other debris from your nose and sinus cavities. Whether you’re stopped up, runny, or trying to prevent allergies, it’s a multipurpose health trick!
Sinus rinsing vs. sinus flooding? Generally we refer to sinus rinsing and sinus flooding almost interchangeably. Sinus rinsing is more likely to be done daily, usually with a neti pot, to keep mucus out of sinus cavities. It’s a tool of prevention for the health conscious, and a way to ensure a better performance for singers and actors. A sinus rinse is just a quick rinse, usually standing over your sink.
Sinus flooding is a little more intense, and offers a deeper cleanse. It’s like letting your dishes soak overnight rather than giving them a regular wash. When you do a sinus flood, you fill your sinus cavity with liquid, head hanging upside down off a couch or bed, let it “soak” what’s in there, then let it out (usually into a towel). Sinus flooding works well for all needs, and better for congestion!
Sinus rinses and floods are an essential part of everyone’s health, because there’s so many reasons you could need them!
Minor complaints are one reason people rinse their sinus cavities daily. You want to speak more clearly (at work, on stage, etc.?). You want to do what you can to prevent illness after traveling? Fight against allergens? Do a quick sinus rinse!
When you have a sinus infection, cold, head cold, flu, or other respiratory ailment, a runny nose is often one of the first signs. But that mucus is spreading bacteria, and if it gets down your throat, it will (at the least) irritate your throat and give you a stomach ache, and could spread germs—leading to a sore throat, bronchitis, or pneumonia. A sinus rinse can be great upkeep, but a sinus flood will really knock things out.
For severe cases—a sinus infection caused by a fungus, for instance, it might take a few sinus floods to loosen things, but what you get out will be worth it—and you will have cleared a bunch of stuff away your body won’t have, making less work for your immune system to do to get you better!
One huge caveat—NEVER put tap water in your sinuses. You’re giving pathogens—like the brain eating amoeba that’s been more prevalent the last few years—direct access to very sensitive areas.
You can use purified water, boiled then cooled water, or MesoSilver. Whichever one you use will be more comfortable if you add salt (water) or Xylitol (MesoSilver). We’ve got a great sinus flooding kit to get you started. It’s got MesoSilver, Xylitol, and your own nose bulb, with a print out of directions.
What do you use sinus rinses for?
