People seem to be suffering with sinus issues more and more. So, as we’re well into allergy season (a lot of tree pollens start to build from March), I’ve already stepped up my sinus care regime and found myself seeing friends and family following suit as they see the benefits I get.

As I have cystic fibrosis, both acute and chronic sinusitis are a real risk for me. That thick, sticky mucus that affects the lungs of people with CF? It affects the sinuses too. So, for me, sinus health is super important.

Ultimately, sinus issues for me can lead to permanent lung damage. So, as you can imagine, I’m more motivated than most people to find the best solution to the problem. And if I find a solution that works for me against the odds, you can bet it’ll be handy for everyone else too.

Over the last 20 years I’ve taken various antibiotics for sinus infections, committed to taking daily antihistamine tablets, tried numerous sprays and rinses, and been referred to a number of different ENT (Ear, Nose + Throat) specialists where I’ve had a variety of lights and cameras stuck up my nose. But, I had never found a long-term solution that I felt l could totally rely on. Until a couple of years ago.

Now, I swear by doing a thorough saline nasal rinse at least once a day. It’s really helped me. In the last few months I’ve seen both an allergy specialist and an ENT specialist who have both commented on how clear my sinuses appear (pretty impressive for someone with CF!) and how much they think that my vigilance with this contributes to my overall health. It feels so good to know that what I’m doing is working, and it makes me want to share.

So, what do you need to know about your sinuses? And what have I been doing to keep mine in such good condition against the odds?

What are your sinuses?

In case you have been lucky enough to never have to pay too much attention to your sinuses, here’s a recap of what and where they are…

“Your sinuses are air spaces in your skull and facial bones that make up the upper part of your respiratory tract from your nose into your throat. The sinuses are in your forehead (frontal sinuses), inside your cheekbones (maxillary sinuses), and behind the nose (ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses).”

Wondering why we have sinuses? Well, according to WebMD, experts don’t exactly know. “One theory is that they help humidify the air we breathe in. Another is that they enhance our voices.”

Symptoms of sinus issues: rhinitis + sinusitis

Rhinitis (rhin/rhino - referring to your nose) is when the inside of your nose becomes inflamed. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the lining inside the sinuses.

Sometimes the term rhinosinusitis may also be used, as rhinitis and sinusitis are linked to each other.

Often, the symptoms of sinus problems can seem pretty similar to those of a cold and you can find a full list of symptoms on the NHS website.

In particular, I know that my sinuses need some extra TLC when I feel pressure pain in my face (usually inner cheeks and around my eyes) and feel the need to cough and clear my throat more often. Sometimes I swear I can audibly notice the irritating ‘ticking’ sound of post-nasal drip.

Causes of sinus issues

Sinus issues are sometimes caused by infection and may need attention from a medical professional.

In other cases, sinus issues may be allergic. This could be seasonal in the case of hay fever (which is often referred to as allergic rhinitis/sinusitis) for people affected by pollens, or it could be persistent, which is likely if you are affected by some other form of irritant.

Other irritants could include, animals, mould, dust, and even food allergies. Allergic rhinosinusitis may be treated with antihistamines or nasal sprays.

Air pollution is a very real contributor to sinus issues, too. I even know of hairdressers and beauty therapists who suffer from sinus issues due to the chemicals in the dyes and hairsprays that they are surrounded with daily (these are all types of air pollution).

A simple solution? The low-down on nasal rinses

In the past, I’ve tried products such as the saline nasal spray from Sterimar but found it to be pretty ineffective. Because the bottle is only 100ml and yet supposedly contains 300 sprays, you’re never really using enough product to feel like it’s doing a lot to really clear your sinuses. With a spray from a pressurised bottle, you’ll get around 0.3ml - 0.5ml of product. Maybe enough to moisturise your nose and ease a little discomfort, but perhaps not even that.

What you need is a proper rinse.

For this, NeilMed products are my go-to. NeilMed specialise in large volume saline nasal irrigation devices, including the iconic Neti Pot. They are recommended by a lot of doctors and consultants worldwide, including my own.

Neilmed explain that ‘for an effective nasal rinse, you need to use a large volume (100-200 ml) of saline solution in each of the nasal passages, delivered with adequate positive pressure to displace the mucus, pollen and allergens from the nasal passages.’

It’s not a little spray as with pre-made solution. It’s a full rinse. Using a ‘microspray’ product would be the equivalent effectiveness of using a small spray bottle to clean sticky mud off a windscreen, compared with using a garden hose. Shout out to NeilMed for that great analogy.

It makes sense. It’s backed up by scientific research. And in 20 years of trying to find a solution, this is one technique that I’ve actually found to be worthwhile.

My personal favourite NeilMed product is the (affiliate link) Nasal Rinse bottle. It holds 240ml of water in the ‘easy-squeeze’ bottle, enough to give a decent squeeze through each nostril. I like that you have control of the pressure and the volume of solution as it enters into your nasal passages.

NeilMed Nasal Rinse Bottle: How do I use it?

Tip 1: Remember the sachet and ensure the solution is warm

First, a heads up. When you first do this, you may have the sensation that you’re doing a somersault underwater in a swimming pool without holding your nose (remember doing that as a child? Big mistake). It will feel like the water is reeeeally getting up there. But, that’s the whole point. And it’s honestly super easy to get used to. I now find it to be perfectly comfortable.

So long as you remember to empty a full sachet into the water and ensure that it’s slightly warm, it should actually feel pretty nice! To me, it feels really cleansing (physically and mentally!) and almost kind of soothing. Like taking a warm shower. But for your nose.

Tip 2: Time it right

I do it twice a day. Morning and night, usually. But there are other factors to timing it right.

Especially during allergy season, I tend to try and do a sinus rinse as soon as I can after coming in from outside.

In cold and flu season, I try and do it as soon as possible after being around other people.

Tip 3: Prep the water

It’s best to use sterilised water for a sinus rinse.

When I boil a kettle of water, I fill a (affiliate link) glass pyrex jug. I cover it over with something like a plastic tupperware lid, beeswax wrap or reusable stretch lid (in attempt to be more sustainable, I avoid things like cling film) and allow it to cool for when I need it.

When I’m ready to use it, I just pour the water from the jug into my cleaned bottle, add a sachet, and microwave it for about 30 seconds to bring it up to temperature.

All that said, an allergy consultant at my hospital advised me that if my choice is between using unsterilised water and not doing it at all, I’m going to be better off just doing it. In short, if the boiling, sterilising and re-warming is all a little bit too much for you, you might be better using warm tap water than not doing a rinse at all. Neilmed do not recommend this, however.

Tip 4: Clean the bottle

I clean my bottle after absolutely every use. Since I have to clean my nebulisers daily anyway, it feels like less of a burden to do it all at once.

I half fill the Neilmed bottle with warm water, add a squirt of washing up liquid, replace the lid, and - with a finger over the hole at the top - give it a good shake. I then squirt the soapy liquid through the nose piece, rubbing the tip, to empty it. I then unscrew the nose piece again to give both parts a thorough rinse under the tap to make sure that they are soap-free.

Occasionally, I also sterilise my Neilmed bottle by putting it in the microwave for a minute or so while still damp.

I recently read a 2012 research paper that looks at the bacteria that a sinus irrigation bottle might harbour. Microwave sterilisation was considered a good solution when done vigilently.

Neilmed advise keeping bottles for 3 months before disposing of them and getting a fresh one.

Tip 5: Alternate nostrils

When actually doing a sinus rinse, it’s important to alternate nostrils.

Often, I will rinse half of the saline solution through one nostril. Pause, blow my nose into a tissue, and then repeat on the other side until the bottle is empty.

Sometimes, I will alternate between them more often and without pausing in between. I feel like mixing up the angle of pressure can help any gunky stuff to dislodge.

It’s worth trying a few different techniques to figure out what works for you. The more you do it, the more self-aware you become, and the more you can find little nuances to technique that will work for you at different times.

Tip 6: You can do more than one!

So often I find that it’s only right at the end of my sinus rinse that I really feel (or see!) stuff starting to move. It’s not uncommon for me to quickly mix up another bottle and follow with a second full rinse.

It’s often in these scenarios that I manage to really clear some sticky stuff that’s been holding on and causing issues.

Tip 7: Consistency is key

As with most things, consistency is key. Especially if you have cystic fibrosis or suffer from allergies, it’s worth adding a sinus rinse to your daily checklist. Trust me - it’s not worth waiting until your sinuses (and possibly lungs) are having a flare up to do something about it. Prevention is the best cure and I can tell you that I - and my medical specialists! - have seen it to be truly worth the dedication.

I've experienced sinus rinses, at least initially, feeling really crap for some people. If it's uncomfortable, chances are you're the person who needs it the most. Stick at it and I promise it'll get better! Don't get stuck in the vicious cycle of bad sinuses meaning you don't do your rinse, leading to worse sinuses, etc.

If you've benefit from doing a sinus rinse regularly, let me (and others!) know in the comments or my sharing this on social media. I'd love to see more people find how good it feels!

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