neti redux

[arguchik]

hmmmm. i used the neti last night. i didn't use it the night before. this morning i woke abruptly at 6am with a nosebleed. i didn't have a nosebleed yesterday morning. previously, i used the neti on sunday (first time) and monday, and i had nosebleeds on monday and tuesday.

i think i need to stop using it for a little bit, and let my sinuses fully heal from the flu/cold i had a couple of weeks ago. i'm still dealing with low-grade snot, which i'm sure is causing inflammation and dryness in my nasal passages and sinuses. i don't know why the mild saline solution rinsing through my nasal passages would cause further irritation and even bleeding, but the correlation seems pretty strong to me, so i'm going to operate on the assumption that the relationship is causal, even if only partially. (i'm sure that neti irrigation wouldn't "cause" nosebleeds if my nasal passages weren't already irritated.)

i hasten to add that these were minor nosebleeds that ended quickly. none of them lasted more than 10-15 minutes. (i used to get really bad ones when i was a kid, so i know what that's like.)

maybe i'm running a little low on iron or something.

Comments

[alice-at-night.livejournal.com]

having never even heard of a Neti, and not exactly sure what it is or why . . . I have to say I'm more than a little weirded out by what I'm gathering is the concept. Let alone the details of your experiences.

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

heh--yeah, it strikes western sensibilities as a little strange, but it has been practiced in india for centuries. it's a very simple concept--just irrigation of the nasal cavities with a weak saline solution. most people i know who do it find it extremely beneficial, as it washes pollen, dust, mucus, and other nasty things out of your nasal cavities, thereby improving the symptoms of allergies, colds, or whatever. i've never heard anyone but me complain of nosebleeds...

[rojonoir.livejournal.com]

malafrena had a couple minor nosebleeds, I think, but only when combined with her cocktail of nose drugs. Um. That didn't sound quite like what I meant...

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

hee! i'll have to come visit more often. ;-)

[alice-at-night.livejournal.com]

so like douching for your nose?

dunno.

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

exactly! except...it actually benefits one's nose.

[malafrena.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear about the nosebleeds . . . does sound like a good reason to stop the neti for now!

Monday I get my CT scan and allergy testing. Quite curious to hear the results.

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

hey, what ever happened with this? did you post about it? i'll have to take a look at your journal tomorrow... i'm thinking about you, hoping everything turns out OK.

my nosebleeds have stopped, and the last bits of gunk from the flu/cold i had are almost completely gone. today was the first day i didn't have to blow my nose once! i'll probably try using the neti pot again in a few days.

[malafrena.livejournal.com]

BTW, we are getting our lives back after this weekend (Rojonoir is in Utah and my mom, from Boise, is here). Would love to get together to catch you up on BSG . . .

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

sounds good--when looks good for you? i think chris and i have something going this saturday, but i'll have to double-check...