Sinus Infection

[ospreysup]

Been sick for days (and we have swell on the east coast) after negative covid tests, I decided to go to the Drs.  Sinus infection is the diagnosis. I am 58 and this infection has really gotten the best of me. The funny thing is the surf session I got the infection was small and I only went in the drink once but once was enough. Started wearing earplugs in the winter several years ago after an ear infection. I am not wearing nose plugs but this has been awful. The Neti Pot will be part of my post-surf routine. Just thought I'd share.

[PonoBill]

Check with your doc to see if you should use one. If your sinuses are obstructed by polyps or are just narrow you can push any infection deeper and leave it there. Lots of folks use them without problems, but there are some horror stories--including infection with lovely brain-eating amoebas. Google "can neti pots be dangerous".

[dietlin]

If your Dr. tells you that you have the worst polyps he/she has ever seen and that he/she can surgically remove them for you, run.

Neti pots are perfectly safe if you use boiled water. 

Get a spray bottle of saline.  Convenient to use when you can't use netti pot, especially if you work in a building with forced hot air. 

[sflinux]

Started wearing earplugs in the winter several years ago after an ear infection.

Just curious as to what type of ear plugs you are wearing.  We have a freshwater kitesurf spot where ear infections are common.
In the ocean, I believe ear infections are more likely to happen after a lot of rain as the sewar system gets overhwhelmed and drains directly to the ocean.
I have tried a lot of ear plugs over the years and have settled on this design:
https://www.tyr.com/silicone-molded-ear-plugs.html
It is designed for diving, so with high speed impact, the ear plug does not go deeper into the ear canal (a fault of other designs).  This design also has the benefit that you can hear talking (a fault of other designs).  I also like the fact that you don't feel like you are in a bubble with this design (atmospheric pressure).
In addition to the ear plugs (temperature permitting) I wear a hood and helmet.  Keeping your ears warm helps prevent bone growth in the ear canal (surfer's ear) which over time will lead to more ear infections.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfer%27s_ear]
A buddy had his ear bone growth drilled out and highly recommended prevention.  He rinses his ears out with a mixture of vinegar and rubbing alcohol after every session.
https://hearinghealthmatters.org/hearinprivatepractice/2013/the-alcohol-vinegar-earwash/

Some people have food allergies that can lead to sinus congestion.  A congested nose was normal for me and bloody noses was not uncommon.  Eliminating dairy products cleared that problem for me.  [Skin allergy tests or allergy shots was not helpful for me]  The elimination diet over a week is one way to test if you are sensitive to an allergen.  For me, I could feel a difference after 3 days (no sooner).  Be sure to read the ingredients on food labels to be thorough.

[Caribsurf]

I have sinus infections a lot and I just met with an ear nose and throat dr.  I have a deviated septum.  Smoke and bad air from dirty air conditioner filters in hotels usually trigger my infections.  Surfing did too, but now that I SUP and foil more I don’t get much water in my head.

I am possibly having an”balloon sinuplasty “ procedure  in which they inflate a ballon in your nose opening up the nasal passage to help drain and prevent infections.  It’s permanent , an easy in office procedure and back to work in a day and surfing in a week.
If this works it will be a dream come true as I have battled painful sinus infections for too long.

[LBsup]

Hey Jeff, sorry to hear your dealing with the ear infection.  Good your wearing ear plugs I had ear surgery in both ears several years ago, had about 80-90% bone growth.  I’m your age but surfing since 1980 and and rarely wore ear plugs.

My wife has chronic sinus issues, it seems every time the barometric pressure changes she suffers.  She just went to a ent doc he is sending her for a cat scan.

Hope you feel better, sorry we didn’t hookup on the last swell hopefully soon. Take care.

[ospreysup]

I like the saline spray idea. Only the second sinus infection I can remember having. Being laid up a bit, I have done my share of Googling. Sinus infection and surfing are not uncommon. There is a pretty good consensus on getting any water and gunk out of your nose. Saline spray just before getting in the car is where I am leaning.

Hard to come to a conclusion where a Neti Pot is worse than ocean water. I will need to look at that more.

I wear Doc's Pro Plugs leashed and vented earplugs. I like that they were fitted. (they provide how to measure). I hate the leash but it makes sure I don't lose one by accident.

[PonoBill]

Hard to come to a conclusion where a Neti Pot is worse than ocean water. I will need to look at that more.

Most of the microorganisms that could do you harm dehydrate quickly in seawater because the water inside the little buggers is normal saline (0.9% salt) and typical ocean water is about 3.5% salt. Osmosis pulls the water out of the cells until the salt content equalizes with the sea water and most of the bacteria die quickly. Sure, there's stuff in ocean water that can do you harm, and even e. coli can survive a little while, but contaminated fresh water is much nastier because the organisms that live in it are those that evolved to infect warm-blooded animals like us. People can fill Neti pots with anything they like, and while they might use boiled water or distilled water at first, sooner or later most just fill them with warm tap water. If you do that you are introducing fecal coliform, other bacteria, amoebas, and other critters to your sinuses. Your mileage, once you do that, may vary. You're better off with saline irrigation prepared commercially--much less likely to be contaminated.

It's also something you can do at the beach as soon as you get out of the water. I carry a bottle in my funmobile and use it whenever I remember to--one bottle lasts a very long time since I rarely remember, though any time I surf or foil in Kahalui Harbor I'm more likely to hose my nose.

Dietlin, polyp surgery is all about the doctor. I've had it done twice--the alternative was completely losing my sense of smell and most of my sense of taste. The first time was brutal, a doctor I believe was a sadist. I should indeed have run from that. The second time, when my sinuses were filled nearly solid with polyps and I sounded like I was talking underwater was with an ENT who was so gentle he apologized when he was carefully scoping the inside of my nose--I could barely feel him doing it. The surgery worked perfectly, the recovery was nearly painless, I didn't have a bedsheet worth of packing stuffed up my nose, and the regrowth has been minimal over a much longer span of time than that between the first and second surgery. The doctor also fixed a deviated septum and narrowed sinus throats that he couldn't believe the sadist had ignored. It's all about the doc.

LB--dollars to donuts your wife has sinuses full of polyps. If she needs to have them removed vet the doctor carefully. As mentioned above, it can be a brutal experience or no big deal.

[jondrums]

There is a natural way to avoid sinus infections after watersports that I learned from an old-timer windsurfer in the gorge.  Ever since, I've never had surfer's nose, nor any sinus or ear infections mild or otherwise.  And I go in the water after rainstorms to get my solo sessions when everyone else stays away.

Right after you get out of the water, bend over at the waist so your head is upside down and expel air through your nose with velocity.  Sometimes it helps to hold one nostril closed at a time.  Do this a for a minute or so or as long as water drains out of your sinus.  You'll be quite surprised just how much water comes pouring out!

[PonoBill]

Probably most surfers have had their sinuses suddenly drain hours after surfing, generally with dramatic volume.

Many years ago I was having dinner at Jacques restaurant (long gone) in Paia. The waitresses were all surfer girls and quite lovely. I think Jacque had a specific hiring policy. I ordered the spectacular Crispy Poulet, and when it was placed in front of me I looked down and flooded it with about a quart of sinus water. Mmm, delicious. The waitress, being a fine longboarder herself, understood and whisked the drowned chicken away without a word. A few minutes later she brought me a fresh chicken. I think if that happened in front of any server other than a fellow surfer I would have been on my own.

[Caribsurf]

Learned about balloon sinuplasty procedure from this video about big wave surfer.....I imagine he gets quite a lot of water in his head after wipe outs.  Problem with a deviated septum like mine, the water  won’t drain out leading to infection.
https://youtu.be/criOk-C3z-E

[eastbound]

use the saline rinse that comes in pressurized cans -- pressure insures contents remain sterile -- the squeeze bottles risk pulling back the stuff youre rinsing out of your nose, or other crap, and then providing germ growth medium til the next time you use

i dont get infections, but have bad allergies -- when im affected, i rinse a couple of times a day and provides comfort if nothing real