I have mentioned how sinus play an intricate part with cystic fibrosis. The sinus are very important to keep clean and clear. What seems to be in the sinus eventually ends up draining to the lungs which can cause a infection. Some CF patients require a little more involvement when it comes to their sinus. Sinus surgery is sometimes an option to get the clogged thick mucus out the the sinuses. Good maintenance is very important and there are different methods. For instance a nasal wash like a neti pot or what I use a nasal wash bottle. I fill the bottle with warm distilled water and mix in a powdered solution. The lean over a sink and squeeze. For me, I like the bottle better because I can control some pressure. Sometimes I need that extra pressure to get things flowing. My neighbor who suffers from severe allergies, he uses the bottle too, we joke and call it the “nasal enema”!

Another method is having my ENT (ear, nose, and throat doctor) use a scope (a device with a very bright light to see into the sinus) and squirt an antibiotic solution in to the deeper areas of my sinuses that I cannot reach on my own. I call these my “nose squirts”.  It does not hurt but does taste a little like a band-aid. The purpose it to keep any infections in my sinuses at bay so they don’t drain into my lungs. It varies between patients how often this procedure is done. For myself, I have an appointment every three weeks. Here is a quick video if you would like to watch me getting my “nose squirts”.