blocked nose

[biggun]

help ,ive been on cpap for roughly 5yrs now ,my machine is a remstar auto ,my main problem seems to be im always congested,does anybody else have this problem and the best cure this year i cant remember a month where ive been congeston free ,ive read on another thread about olbas oil ,do you think by putting a bit on my filter on my machine would be ok ,any suggestions most welcome

[leswaller]

I had similar problems when I first started and the sleep clinic at the hospital recommended that I should get a prescription for a nasal spray from my GP and use it every night before going to bed. It did the trick

[James @ Intus]

Having worked with CPAP users for many years, we've kown for a long time that a blocked nose is the most common issue bothering these CPAP users. Often even more so than mask fitting and comfort.

Saline (salt-water) nasal sprays, or nasal irrigation basically, is the best remedy in our (patients') experience. Sprays like Sterimar and Emcur are good (we recommend avoiding drugs, steroids etc.) but we've found that pulsating sprays are by far the best (not just us, clinically proven).

For the ultimate in sinus cleansing, we've settled on the SinuPulse Elite. You can find it on Amazon too, where one user left a great testimonial.

Here's another review, just in, about to go online:

I had suffered from catarrh for eight months, after a cold in December 2007, which caused me sleepless nights due to coughing. Two days after using the SinuPulse Elite nasal/ sinus irrigation machine which you supplied, the coughing stopped and I have been able to sleep normally at night again. It has been a very significant recovery for me as a CT scan prior to this had shown that my sinuses were full. The Sinupulse has been the catalyst in helping to clear them. I had previously tried nasal sprays and antibiotics which had no effect.

Another patient of ours got one, he works as a car mechanic. He often breathes in tiny metal parts from the car he's working on (admitting he wears no protective gear/mask). It caused him headaches and blockages. This sinus irrigation machine took care of it in no time.

It's the pulsating part which is key as it helps the body's natural systems to move gunk along. Other sprays just wash it out, this washes it out and reminds the natural system how to move it out.

Yes, it's a sales pitch, but it simply is THE best for serious and chronic sinus issues.

An outdoors walk/excercise before bed often helps the situation too as it help move things along up there.

[biggun]

I had similar problems when I first started and the sleep clinic at the hospital recommended that I should get a prescription for a nasal spray from my GP and use it every night before going to bed. It did the trick

i have tried everything ,sprays ,tablets ,steam and nothing will shift it ,im so bunged up its unreal ,the Catarrh is awful and im even starting to wake up using my cpap which ive never done before and the headaches caused by the pressure of my sinuses being blocked are unbearable

[leswaller]

Have you tried a prescription nose spray from your doctor that contains a low dose steroid such as Flixonase. These are specifically designed to clear cattarh and blocked sinuses. In any case it sounds as if you need to get it checked out by your GP in case there is some other underlying problem

[PIPKIN]

Understanding the Jala neti method
For those who may not have much idea of the internal workings of the nasal cavities, it may seem stupid to pour warm salty water through one's nose. To help clear fears and misunderstandings, we have tried to explain the procedure with diagrams.

The first line of nasal defense is the tiny hair called “cilia” which should trap larger particles entering the nose. These cilia are usually cleansed by normal breathing and by blowing the nose, but sometimes, due to a gradual build up of dirt, they can become clogged and may require washing out. The entire nasal passage - from the nose tip to throat (and beyond) - is covered with a layer of mucus. This mucus is secreted from within the mucous lining, and its function is to trap smaller foreign particles and bacteria. The dirty mucus is normally blown out, snorted and coughed out or swallowed.

The sinus passages are an even finer mechanism of filtering which, if infected, secrete a runny mucus to evict the germs. This is generally called sinusitis and can be a short term symptom or a chronic condition.

In Stage 1, the water simply flows up one nostril to just above the bridge of the nose where the usual air flows meet, backwards into the middle cavity and then the water flows down and out the other side of the nose. In this route, it passes by the frontal and mid nasal sinuses. In Stage 1 there should be no flow of water back towards the throat or into the mouth. When done correctly, there is very little sensation as the water will be the same temperature as the blood, and the salinity will be the same salinity as the blood. As a result, the nose hardly notices the flow through.

In the more advanced of Stages 2 and 3, only attempted after mastery of Stage 1, the water flows fully through the whole nasal cavity, down the back of the naso-pharynx and comes out through the mouth. In this route, it passes by the post-nasal sinuses, cleansing all the nasal passages more strongly. In neither version is there any discomfort or damage to the nasal functions.

Ideally, at no stage, should any water actually go up into the sinus passages or the Eustachian tubes. However, this may happen if the practitioner breathes incorrectly or blows too strongly when drying. This causes only momentary discomfort and is not dangerous. In such an event, a few minutes of air-drying will usually clear out any stray water droplets.


The way in which Jala Neti rinses out the dirt and bacteria filled mucous lining would be obvious to most people as the warm water loosens and dissolves any internal build ups, and takes them outwards. But what may not be so obvious is that, due to gravity and a venturi-effect, the sinus passages are also drained by the vacuum pressure flow of the water. Whereas it would normally be impossible to drain a “dead end” cavity like the sinuses, Jala Neti achieves this ingeniously and simply.

For those with thick mucus conditions as well as those with running sinuses, the relief of sinus pressure can be felt within seconds. In a more detailed examination, it would also be seen, that through the effect of osmosis and capillary action, the blood vessels of the nose are stimulated to cleanse as well.

The nose is the “air conditioner” of the body. One of the many functions of the nose is to regulate the temperature and humidity of the incoming air. Some people have “dry noses” and suffer dry, crusty, nose bleed type problems. Others are “wets”, with the constantly running sinuses and the tissues always up their sleeve! Others have perpetual stuffy and blocked nostrils. Regular practice of Jala Neti helps to establish the correct working environment of temperature and humidity in the nose.

[biggun]

many thanks

thanks for the replys ,i have agreed with james@intnus to trial there sinupulse elite kindly supplied by james .i will keep a update going on the forum during my usage ,once again many thanks to james@intus

[Andysee]

Try one or two drops of olbas oil on a tissue placed under the air intake. Always works for me and a small bottle lasts ages.
Andy