Sinus Relief: My Approach

Quick off-topic post about allergy relief...

I've been plagued by allergies since childhood: trees, cats, dogs, ragweed, you name it. I've been on every drug on the list. I can remember being sick every Easter and every birthday (end of September) for...well ever. A few years ago, I consulted an allergist who ran me through a series of tests, determined my exact allergies, and gave me some solid guidance.

Following my allergist's advice, I've not been 100% allergy/cold-free but I've noticed a significant improvement. His recommendations:

1. Exam from an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor. I have a slightly deviated septum and some nasal dollops but otherwise, nothing horrid. He checked my jaw, my hearing...all kinds of stuff. Fortunately, nothing major is/was wrong. He did recommend I wear a mouth guard at night to prevent teeth grinding (which may cause eustachian tube clogging).
   
2. Take a daily Loratadine (generic Claritin).
   
3. Daily Fluticasone steroid nasal spray (generic Flonase).
4. NeilMed Sinus Rinse in the morning and before bed.
5. (I think I came up with this one but...) Wear a particulate mask (just one of the cheap ones) when mowing the lawn. I'm sure the neighbors think I look like a weirdo but [without scientific evidence] it helps keep the dust and particles from getting into my sinuses...and causing infections.
   

The NeilMed Sinus Rinse is the big one for me. I'd done the other drugs for a while with limited success. The sinus rinse is similar to a neti pot...if you've heard of that. Essentially, it's a saline rinse for your sinuses. It's awkward at first but the benefits are tremendous--significantly fewer sinus infections!

I hope you find relief from your allergies. Looks like this spring will be rough.