Neti Pot And Now Tinnitus

[BRUMI1968]

Hi all.

I have realized lately that my nose is often clogged up - not to the point where I can't breathe, but to the point where it is taking me a lot of effort to breathe. This does not seem good. So I decided to use the Neti Pot (except mine is not a neti pot per se but called Nasaline which is like a huge syringe with a rubber stopper). As you probably know if you're reading this, the neti pot pushes or pours salt water up your nostril, perhaps falling down the other nostril, rinsing out debris, allergins, etc.

So I did this one week ago and within an hour or less noticed tinnitus in my ear. It is still there. Unabated. I have not used the neti pot since (as you might imagine). Now I dont know what to do with my tinnitus. During the day it is not big deal because it is not loud enough to bother me, but at night it does bother me. And it bothers me to know that it is happening, especially as I've had vertigo problems in the past.

Any thoughts anyone?

[ravenwoodglass]

The ears and the sinus both drain into the same area. I wonder if perhaps some of the solution may have gone up into the 'ear tubes' somehow? Don't know for sure just a guess. You may want to see an ENT doctor and have them check things out.

[tarnalberry]

This is one area where a real neti pot is better than a syringe or anything else that you can squeeze. I found I was able to create pressure in the eustacian tubes (they drain the ears) if my sinuses were fairly swollen and I tried to get water up there anyway. If you try a sinus rinse again, I highly recommend a real neti pot (something open to the air).

It seems unlikely to be connected, since - a week later - it's still a problem, but it could be. If it continues, I'd see your doc about it (make sure you don't end up with an ear infection). Ditto on the sinuses, though - it could be allergies, chronic sinus infection, etc.

[rachel-gf]

For a neti pot, I'd recommend the blue plastic "teapot" looking contraption from NeilMed. It's lightweight, available from drugstores, or drugstore.com. It has enough capacity and therefore I find it easier to use than Sinucleanse.

[bridgetm]

I've been having similar sinus problems for the last few weeks. I start to feel all clogged up, but have to avoid blowing my nose because that typically causes a nosebleed. Anti-congestion meds haven't seemed to help so I gave up. I've had the on-off runny nose and congestion issues for months, but tend to attribute it to seasonal allergies and asthma. Every time I look at this forum, I find a new symptom I can relate to.

[Ellette]

See your ENT now please! I have had Tinnitus in both ears since Nov 28th 1999 and the past year or so it has been getting worse and worse so that now I have to sleep with my fan on high right at my head (which means I have to have a heating pad and 4 blankets), my celiac disease player playing an ocean celiac disease at a volume of 22, and my iPod playing a "noise machine" sound on high. I am now having to take Trazodone in order to sleep too. I have seen 3 specialists who told me there was nothing they could do for me and I was the only person they'd ever heard of who had it start with epilepsy and to get used to it. Trust me, you do NOT want to end up with Tinnitus for any longer than you have to have it. Please, please, please, go see your ENT. I had 1 to 1 1/2 hours of sleep for over 10 nights and at the end of that time (at which point my doctor gave me the sleeping medication) I was going a bit insane, was suicidal and had started cutting myself. I don't wish that for anyone.

[Ellette]

Sorry, just noticed when this was posted. I hope you got help.