Should You Wash Out Your Nose?

We have eight sinus cavities and when one of those gets blocked, it creates the perfect breeding ground for an infection!

Think of your sinuses as a series of lakes and streams. Normally the streams are flowing gently from one lake to the next. If a beaver were to dam one of these streams, it would stop the flow and allow algae or other unwanted vegetation. 

In this analogy, the lakes are our sinus cavities, and the streams are the passageways that connect them. When something from our environment dams up the flow of mucous between sinus cavities, several different types of organisms can take hold.

In this article, we set out to tackle the utility of nasal irrigation. 

We’ll go over the general anatomy of our sinuses, things that can cause sinus blockages, the Ayurvedic and modern history of nasal washes, how nasal washes work, as well as things you can add to your nasal wash.

Sinus Set Up

Most people aren’t aware of what actually makes up their sinuses. You actually have 4 pairs of sinuses symmetrically located across your head. It’s not just one thing. Your sinuses are designed to regulate the temperature and filter the air we breathe. (1) As a result, your sinuses come into direct contact with everything you breathe from the environment.

Frontal sinuses are situated just above your eyes along your brow line within your frontal bone. Maxillary sinuses are the largest and sit under your eyes within the maxillary bone. The ethmoid sinuses are considerably smaller and are between your nose and eye. Your sphenoid sinuses are tucked a little further back behind your eyes within the sphenoid bone. (1)

This should help you understand why when you’re congested you may feel pressure in forehead, eyes, and even teeth.

Which Came First, Congestion or Infection?

This is really the age-old question of the chicken or the egg. Without a doubt, sinus congestion can create the perfect breeding ground for an infection just like in our stream analogy. The reverse is also true: sinus infections will assuredly result in congestion as well.

The next thing to ask is: What else can cause sinus congestion?

Some of the main contributors to sinus congestion include (2):

• Allergies

• Bacteria

• Viruses

• Mold

• Chemicals

The main underlying theme here is inflammation. Allergies, bacteria, viruses, mold, and chemicals can all irritate the thin epithelial cell lining in the sinus cavities. It doesn’t take much inflammation to close off these narrow cavities either.

As an interesting side note, a 1999 Mayo Clinic study found the overwhelming majority (97%) of sinus infections were due to mold! (3) Until this publication, it was previously thought bacteria was the primary cause of debilitating sinus infections. This partially explains why the standard of care of antibiotics and topical steroids don’t help everyone.

What Can You Do About Congested Sinuses?

If you struggle with sinus pressure and congestion, blowing your nose or taking over-the-counter drugs (like Mucinex) provide no relief. 

This is because you don’t have a mucous problem, you have an inflammation problem.

If you can reduce that inflammation in your sinuses and eliminate those irritants all your problems should be solved.

Washing Out Your Nose

You’ve probably seen those little neti pots on the shelves at your local drug store. They started to go mainstream just before 2010 when Dr. Oz and Oprah talked about them on their shows. (2)

But, neti pots were invented long before that time. They’re a part of traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Some of the earliest references to nasal irrigation and washing your nose out dates back nearly 5,000 years in Hindu scriptures.

At that time, yogis would wash out their noses with something as simple as water to something as extreme as milk or ghee. The idea was cleansing out their nasal canals would prepare them for meditation.

Reasons to Wash OuT Your Nose

It wasn’t until 1902 when the first mention of nasal irrigation was made in the Lancet. (2)

Since that time thousands of articles have been written on nasal washing. This research strongly supports the use of washing out your nose for: (2)

• Allergies

• Bacterial Infections

• Viral Infections

• Fungal Infections

• And general inflammation
  

How to Wash Out Your Nose

To be honest, scientists can’t quite explain why nasal washes are so beneficial. The prevailing theory is straightforward.

Nasal washes simply flush out the allergens, toxins, and pathogens that are causing the inflammation that is blocking off the normal sinus flow.

Regular washes have been shown to help reduce the symptoms and severity of sinusitis. (2)

My preferred nasal rinse is the NeilMed system and I use distilled water I buy in gallon jugs. Using tap water risks adding additional infection. You can find the NeilMed wash kit on Amazon and at local drugstores.

Helpful Additions

Your sinus cavities can become a breeding ground for anything you encounter in the air you breathe. When you don’t have time for a rinse, consider using regular saline nasal spray or a silver nasal spray.

What does colloidal silver nasal spray do? 

If you’re not too familiar with the benefits of colloidal silver nasal spray, you can get up to speed with our previous blog here.

Typically, 2 sprays in each nostril is all you need. Inhaling this silver hydrosol nasal spray boosts immune response in your nose and can break down viruses and bacteria.

It’s great as a general wellness colloidal silver nasal spray and allergy nasal spray.

This has quickly become one of our fastest sellers!

We also recommend adding 10 drops of Biocidin liquid to your bottle of ACS nasal spray for known infections like MARCoNS.

Immune Essentials Kit

In the climate of COVID, you want to keep your immunity strong when you’re out and about. I designed the Immune Essentials Kit to give you essential daily nutrients like:

• Zinc

• Vitamin A

• Magnesium

• Omega 3 

to support your immune system and the power of:

• Colloidal silver

• Biocidin’s multi-herbal formula

to provide direct immune protection in the vulnerable areas of the throat and nose.

The Immune Essentials Kit is 10% off as a subscription which lasts you a month. The kit also qualifies you for free shipping. Adjust your subscription at any time as needed. As flu season gets into full swing, you’ll feel more confident using this kit!

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Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and HormoneDetoxShop.com.

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