# Nasal Congestion - Sinus Buster



## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

Does anyone use this product? I read some reviews on other sites, but would rather hear from folks here what they think. Supposedly it doesn't have the rebound effects of the other commercial products. Ingredients are capsaicin and eucalyptus. Some reviews said it stings a little at first, but being an occasional hot pepper fanatic I believe I could live with that. 

Or hey, if someone has a _recipe_ that would be even better. When I visited the Doc, I told her I was having problems with nasal congestion and she checked and said I definitely had some serious inflammation/allergy issues. She prescribed a short round of 50mg Prednisone and then Nasonex. So even for those that don't use this product, what do you do for nasal congestion? I've tried salt water rinse, but that just doesn't open up the passages for very long.


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## MoonRiver (Sep 2, 2007)

Don't know anything about that product. I put Vick's on my nose and slightly inside my nostrils. Don't know if it is safe to do this or not, but it clears me up so I can fall asleep.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

We use Olbas Oil. Fantastic stuff, found on Amazon. A drop is all you need.


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## halfpint (Jan 24, 2005)

I use the NeilMed sinus rinse kit. This is not just a spray up your nose, it actually rinses you nasal passages out. At first I had to use a couple of times a day, but now only use once a day when I have problems. I will also use it as a preventative - if I've been in the chicken coop with the dust stirred up, when cleaning out the fireplace, cutting grass, raking leaves, or other situations that I know will clog me up.

Haven't tried the product you mentioned.

When I have a cold or allergies acting up, I take a home made concoction that I make up and take a couple times a day. If I don't have any made up, I take it with the solids still in it during the two week mixing period:
3 TBSP each:
Diced onion
Diced garlic
Grated ginger
Grated horseradish
Mustard seed
Black peppercorns
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup apple cider vinegar

Mix well and put in jar (do not use metal lid which will react with vinegar). Mix daily for 2 weeks. After two weeks, strain out solids (may wish to use cheesecloth so that they can be squeezed) and add 1/3 cup honey and mix well and refrigerate. Should keep for several months in refrigerator.
Dawn


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## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

I went ahead and picked up a bottle of the Sinus Buster tonight ($11.95). Just started on the Prednisone this afternoon. After several hours on the Prednisone, I couldn't notice any change with reduction in inflammation by feel or sight. Maybe it takes a day or two for that to kick in with reduction in inflammation, I suppose.

I shot a couple of bursts of the Sinus Buster up in there on each side about 10 minutes ago. I wouldn't say it stung, more like a very warm feeling. No sneezing from it and though my nose felt like it wanted to run at first, that quickly passed. The eucalyptus smell is very strong at first, but that tapers off pretty quickly as does the warmth from the capsaicin.

My sinuses were pretty stuffy before I used the nasal spray and I'd say as of right now it is twice as better. I checked with the flash light and even though it is still inflamed you can see where it shrank back and more of the passage is visible right now. I'm only on the high dose of Prednisone for 5 days so I guess I won't get a true account of how well this product is going to work until I'm off the Prednisone.


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## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

MoonRiver said:


> Don't know anything about that product. I put Vick's on my nose and slightly inside my nostrils. Don't know if it is safe to do this or not, but it clears me up so I can fall asleep.


That's one of the worst times for me, when I go to bed. I think I have some Vicks around here somewhere and may give that a try if this doesn't work out. When I was looking for the Sinus Buster tonight I'm pretty sure I saw several different Vicks brand nasal sprays on the same counter. I don't know what the difference in ingredients might be, but you might want to check that next time you pass through HBA if you're interested in knowing. I didn't even think to check the ingredients on the Vicks brand.


ETA- You would think as long as we've had this internet thing I'd know better - LOL. I just checked online and it looks like the Vicks nasal spray uses Oxymetazoline HCl which I think is the same chemical most of the other nasal sprays use. Oh well, I'm trying my best to stay away from that if I can.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

How Do I said:


> That's one of the worst times for me, when I go to bed.


Bedtime has an easy solution for people with sinus problems. You can take a few Benadryl capsules in the evening to dry up your nose. The fact that they cause drowsiness works in your favor, since you're headed to be anyway.

You can get generic Benadryl at Walmart for $4 for a bottle of 100. They're $10 everywhere else.


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## Sonshe (Jun 17, 2006)

I've had terrible sinus problems in the past. Even had surgery twice and was fearing I needed more surgery.

Started going to a new allergist who recommended I try rinsing my sinuses before opting for more surgery. What I use is a saline nasal rinse called "Ayr." You can find it in the drugstore and is inexpensive. 

It's simply a squirt bottle and comes with the saline solution in small packets. The allergist did an anylasis on the packets and found that the packets contined 1/2 and 1/2 solution of salt and baking soda so now I make my own solution.

He recommended starting out using 1/4 tsp of the solution as often as needed but I could also increase that to 1/2 tsp each time. Initially, I was using the rinse 3-4 times a day. Now it's once a day unless I've gone somewhere and gotten stuffed up. That's been two years ago and I still haven't had the recommended sinus surgery.


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## kendall j (Mar 30, 2007)

I like Sinus Buster. It works pretty well for me. I use my neti pot at night before I go to bed if I'm too stuffy. 

Vicks vapor rub works ok too. I don't use the spray, the rub doesn't have the ingredients that are in the sprays, it's basically just petroleum jelly and essential oils.


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## How Do I (Feb 11, 2008)

Nevada said:


> Bedtime has an easy solution for people with sinus problems. You can take a few Benadryl capsules in the evening to dry up your nose. The fact that they cause drowsiness works in your favor, since you're headed to be anyway.
> 
> You can get generic Benadryl at Walmart for $4 for a bottle of 100. They're $10 everywhere else.


The only problem with Benadryl is it gives me a serious hangover the next day after I take it.


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## bluhollow-lady (Oct 26, 2008)

I too have been struggling with major sinus problems. I found 2 things that really help. I don't use proscribed meds, unless I can no longer cope and only for certain reasons. I have found that most of them don't really help with the problem at hand, but make side affect problems. Anyway, 1) I use the old stand-by,, barely warm water/salt mix and syringe into each nostril. Let it work a few seconds and it loosens the mucous and soothes the membranes. (For me) But it is not a long term remedy. 2nd,) I use Silver Max (collodial silver) which I just recently discovered can help. Syringe some up each nostril, rub it around, let it work. It really does a great job for me..and it last for days (in my case) I also take Collodial Silver in my drinking water. 1/2 tsp. to a quart. It seems to help a lot. Until a real bad virus or flu comes along. So far this winter I have not got the flu nor a bad cold. *** Hope this may help you..Patsy


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## ryanthomas (Dec 10, 2009)

halfpint said:


> I use the NeilMed sinus rinse kit. This is not just a spray up your nose, it actually rinses you nasal passages out.


I have used that too, works well. If I have particularly bad symptoms I add 3-5 drops of tea tree oil to the saline solution. Tea tree is similar to eucalyptus. Have considered adding a couple drops of cayenne pepper juice, too.

I've been looking into trying nebulized ionic silver, not sure if I will use it or not. There haven't been many studies done on the safety.


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## caroline (Sep 29, 2009)

How Do I said:


> I went ahead and picked up a bottle of the Sinus Buster tonight ($11.95). Just started on the Prednisone this afternoon. After several hours on the Prednisone, I couldn't notice any change with reduction in inflammation by feel or sight. Maybe it takes a day or two for that to kick in with reduction in inflammation, I suppose.
> 
> I shot a couple of bursts of the Sinus Buster up in there on each side about 10 minutes ago. I wouldn't say it stung, more like a very warm feeling. No sneezing from it and though my nose felt like it wanted to run at first, that quickly passed. The eucalyptus smell is very strong at first, but that tapers off pretty quickly as does the warmth from the capsaicin.
> 
> My sinuses were pretty stuffy before I used the nasal spray and I'd say as of right now it is twice as better. I checked with the flash light and even though it is still inflamed you can see where it shrank back and more of the passage is visible right now. I'm only on the high dose of Prednisone for 5 days so I guess I won't get a true account of how well this product is going to work until I'm off the Prednisone.





Sonshe said:


> I've had terrible sinus problems in the past. Even had surgery twice and was fearing I needed more surgery.
> 
> Started going to a new allergist who recommended I try rinsing my sinuses before opting for more surgery. What I use is a saline nasal rinse called "Ayr." You can find it in the drugstore and is inexpensive.
> 
> ...




use a Neti Pot,----use a saline solution already premixed in the sspray bottle. It's inexpensive and comes in all brands...also, be careful of the nasal sprays that have chemials in them. there can be a rebound effect with them if used too long. One day you will need more and then more and then they stop working....not fun.


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## therunbunch (Oct 5, 2009)

I was also going to recommend a lavage (Neti Pot). Lavage can be so soothing and you can always use different recipes for different results/problems.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Allegra just went off prescription a few weeks ago on March 4. For my symptoms I haven't found anything better than 180 mg each morning.


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