I've been sitting on the side lines here... keeping my mouth mostly shut.

I think nasal irrigation is creepy. I would never do it, just because.

It is not so expensive to buy STERILE irrigating solutions. Distilled means nothing. It means that there are no minerals in the water. But the collecting containers with regular distilled water are NOT sterile. Who knows the factory conditions present in preparing distilled water?

Sterile Sod Chloride for irrigation or Sterile water for irrigation seems to me
to be a safer alternative. Both require Rxs from doctors.

I consider excessive or careless sinus irrigation similar to cleansing colonics or enemas.
Nature intended certain orifices of our body to be ONE way only. Introducing liquids backwards, defies the normal functions, IMO.

So I am a bit relieved to read Cyclelops' posts.

The olfactory bulbs in the nasal passages are a conduit for drugs/bacteria and viruses right into the brain.

I'm struggling over this one. I think that high volume irrigation makes no sense when one is well, but from what I know of what I've had, there have been times when I've bdeen filled with pus, and high volume irrigation cleared it out.

But I don't do "high volume" irrigation all the time, and see reasons people wouldn't want to.

My sinus/nasal mucosa, my doctor says, is abnormally dry. He says that the dryness is a problem; that the cells lining it are unable to do their normal job of washing out bacteria, and that light irrigation, with a spray bottle, is important during the day. When I'm feeling well, I never do this. I just don't have the discipline.

I think maybe Cathie has dry mucosa from sjogren's and her doctor may have the same fears as my doctor. Also, I think she's currently infected.

On the other hand, I've never been prescribed sterile saline, and I'd sure like to have it. I don't recall why I haven't been prescribed it. I'm going to ask.

In Australia we have a product called FESS which is a non-medicated sterile buffered isotonic saline solution in a nasal spray form. The solution is buffered to a pH of between 7.8 and 8.3. A prescription is not needed and it is recommended after sinus surgery but can be used by infants through to adults as advised by a medical practitioner or pharmacist.

I'm sure you would have something similar in pharmacies where you are.

The FESS website is: www.fess.com.au

Well, I am doing better now. LizaJane is correct though, in that I have dry everything... The Pulmonary Doc at the school so nicely pointed this out and then asked me if I picked my nose... Some bedside manner... Guess he has not seen too many Sjogren's patients...

I found out something interesting about Sjogren's yesterday. The dentist said that the reason I have so much plaque around my teeth, which I am religious about flossing, brushing, rinsing, is because with Sjogren's, there is not enough saliva... I knew there wasn't enough saliva, but I sure did not know it caused plaque buildup.

Sure did not mean to stir up a controversial subject here.

Cathie

Can't some of the dryness be due to meds too? Also in combo of the illness? Glad your feeling better.

Perhaps Daniella, but dry mouth, eyes and mucous membranes go along with Sjogren's, so I am not surprised...

A Baylor Periodontist involved in Sjogren's research, told me that they are just now beginning to realize the extent to which Sjogren's can affect various body systems. Some doctors still are operating under the assumption that it is only about dry mouth and dry eyes, and this is simply not true.

It looks like this may include my Internist... I need to find something to take him to read on more current findings...

Cathie

Cathie,
Take him this: http://www.agingeye.net/dryeyes/sjogren.php and I have many more if you need them. I've educated my neuro and my rheumatolgist/intern by taking them articles. There are many of pub-med and other medical publishing sites. And if you go to the Sjogren's Forum, and go down to Useful Links section it is full of real eye openers on Sjogrens and the deadly effects on the body.

Billye

Wanted to throw one more opinion into the mix. Was out of town so sorry it's late. I too have Sjogren's and am experiencing my third bout of bronchitis in a year.

The problem with Sjogren's is that you actually can do too much of a thing that is supposed to be good for you, like drinking water. Sipping water frequently during the day keeps you hydrated. But gulping gallons of it will actually end up aggravating the dryness, I think because you are washing away things your body needs (sorry this is so vague, but I am very brain-fogged right now).

I suspect the same thing could apply to the sinus irrigation. Gentle rinsing up to twice a day with something that is not pressurized, like a neti pot, will help you keep hydrated without irritating your sensitive nasal passages. I am using a USP grade mixture of sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate which has no preservatives or iodine and is isotonic and pH balanced, and it does not burn.

But I personally would steer away from high pressure devices like water piks. You don't want to blast away all the mucosa. And I imagine that rinsing too many times a day would start to sting after awhile.

I did the Zithromax for this latest bout of bronchitis/bacterial infection. Happily, the mucus is no longer green and my sinuses seem fine now (I used the neti pot once or twice a day too, and it helped). But the thick mucus plugs in my chest are still present and my cough has not cleared up.

In the past, my cough has always been the last to go away, sometimes persisting for a couple of months. I can't tolerate products like Mucinex or anything containing guaifenisen, so it is a challenge to clear up the congestion. My primary care doc believes the mucus plugs are a feature of Sjogren's, and she warned me that it is possible they won't completely go away.

Also, don't know if this is helpful or not, but I go through bouts of chronic fungal infections of the sinuses, mouth, throat. Gross, I know, but the ENT I had in Denver told me it was a product of the Sjogren's too. Those things would take months to clear up.

fanfaire

Fanfaire,
I've read posts from others on the Sjogren's forum that support what you are saying. When the dryness comes from within, it's hard to hydrate. I have found that drinking the miniumum required amount of water with my meals, (I have to in order to wash food down) will help with the overall dryness. But you have to let the mouth and nose have a certain amount of mucus or all the membranes dry out too much.

Billye