I decided to quit smoking about a year ago because of breathing difficulties. I have been using an electronic cigarette but recently it is making my chest feel tight. So, i decided to give Snuff a try. I have been using snuff for a month now & i am very impressed with the nicotine you can receive from such a small amount of pleasant smelling tobacco. Only problem is, four days ago my sinuses sealed themselves shut. I had carried on using snuff (with great difficulty) until 12 hours ago i realised it is exaserbating the problem. I am feeling a little better now, i am not going to have any more snuff till my infection is gone. I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this and could discuss it to put my mind at rest. I have been a little worried that i have damaged my sinuses

I will have an occasional day where my sinuses lock up. I think it is largely due to allergies. When that happens I lay off snuff and reach for snus.

I would love to try snus but i understand it is difficult to get in the UK.

Yeah sounds like allergies. Is there a reason you think it’s an infect beyond being closed up. I find that certain snuffs clog me up others do not. Poschel snuffs can make my sinus feel like they’ve got concrete in them and I can’t snuff at all. I’ve noticed that unscented snuffs and a few others don’t lock up my nose at all. Also being a former smoker you’re respiratory system is damaged and will be overly sensitive. This should pass and not be as much of an issue with time. (and yes depending on how long you smoked the damage may not have healed yet). Try diffrent snuffs and see what agrees with you the most. There are plenty of snuffs I like the smell of but my nose sinuses don’t like. So yeah it’s happened to me, and I have some of the worst allergies of anyone I know so it’s really happened to me. It actualy is almost not an issue now and my allergies are almost not an issue now (I blame snuff for that). Don’t worry you’ve not done any harm by using snuff. Additionaly as you get better at snuffing and get less snuff in your sinuses (don’t worry you’re sinuses can clean themselves out, that’s one of the things they’re there for anyways) they’ll react less.

I agree with @bob. I would also note that at least for me, unfortunately, most things with menthol will tend to initially make me feel the full size and volume of my sinuses, which is awesome…then they will swell shut and stay for hours… So for me, I have had to initially just avoid menthols, and can now, as I have become more experienced, experiment, and just go slow. On the other hand, I have no trouble with most anything that does not have the wonderful, yet abominal menthol bugaboo. Wishing you the very best of your new found ‘hobby/addiction’ (in a good way) @snuffmeister

Menthols don’t clear me up at all, i just like the sensation. Something like HDT or Shot of Rum clear me up great after a few minutes. I recently went a little while without snuffing recently, and I ended up with a raging sinus infection that lasted almost two months. I started snuffing regularly again and it’s gone. It still sounds counter-intuitive to me, but it seems to work with the way my sinuses are built.

Very common, but if it has just happened where before you were snuffing without any problems a visit to the doc might be a good idea.

Grind up some horse radish root in vinegar and have it on some roast beef, if your sinus don’t clear within the first three bites go see a doctor you have a problem.

I havent had any snuff now for about 30 hours & i feel a lot better. I believe my trouble started through overuse of Menthol snuffs and the fact i have been constantly snorting & blowing my nose for a month. Im going to lay off the Menthol for now & stick with SP’s.

Try flushing out your sinuses every few days with a neti pot.

@howdydave Just got one today, works a treat. Never heard of them before i started snuffing!

Every now and then my sinuses will clog badly after a heavy day of snuffing (just happened actually). When this happens, I find that 6 Photo Natural with clove added (flavored to taste) reduces the swelling and allows me to breathe more easily. I discovered this quite by accident and it may only work for me… might not hurt to give it a try.

What if you get a lingering dry, hot, burning situation in a nostril? I’m just curious, I showed it to my doc, who said that it looked a bit redder than the other, then more or less said to just give it time. Have any of you experienced this? I remember reading a book about Ayurveda which mentioned using herb-infused oils in the nose, anybody know how it’s done?

Got URTI for 4 days and now my doc tells I get sinusitis. Nose clogged and runs. So because it is an infection at the sinuses, it must be cured by antibacterial spray and pills for 5 to 10 days. Previously I thought that my nose runs and clog due to snuff, so I hope that after treatment it’ll be ok to take snuff without need to blow every time after sniff. I hate sniff Also, HDT, quit, irish high toast dry my nose inside pretty good.

I used to have chronic sinus infections due to my left nostril not being able to drain properly. Snuff seems to get up in there and suck up the moisture or something. If I snuff regularly I don’t have infections. I took a break from snuffing for about a month and my sinus infection returned within a week. I’ve even stopped using my Sinus Rinse. Nothing against them, it just doesn’t seem necessary

@Mr.O – There are all sorts of herbs that you can put into the water in your neti pot to flush through your nose. The ones that I currently have on hand are: Valarian, Brahmi, Sandalwood powder, Tulsi, ground ginger and ground sage. Go to an Aurvedic medicine site and find out what can be used and the benefits of each additive. I got my ginger and sage from the spice rack at the supermarket, the rest I got from the Aurvedic section of an Indian store. If you are currently taking any medications, check with your pharmicist first.

Sesame seed oil is recommended for the nose and sinuses especially after a netti rinse. A general method of application would be to drop in while tilting the head back. I have shmalzed a Scotch with sesame oil with good results.

I stopped snuffing for quite a while, 3 months I think (because I started smoking again) Now I am back on the snuff and am cigarette free again. But I think I had the same problem you are having. Upon returning to snuff, maybe a week or less into it, I got a nasty sinus infection. I gave it a rest for a couple days and then started snuffing again and now i’m good. I think it is a concept similar to like if you are exposed to somthing then you develop immunity, like how kids get chicken pox once and then they are good for life or at least a long time.

Thank’s HowdyDave and Juxtaposer! I don’t have a neti pot as of yet, it would be easier, I was thinking, in my situation to make a batch of herbalized oil and to keep it in the fridge than to prepare a neti every day. It’s complicated to explain, but it would just be much easier in my situation to do that and to use a saline spray bottle for irrigation. I was thinking to add to the oil mild herbs perhaps such as: mint, chamomile, sandalwood, lavender, maybe Gotu Kola if it would infuse well. I think I just need ones with cooling and soothing properties. I’m wondering how the infusion is done, does one just heat up the oil and pour it over the herbs in a jar then let it sit for a certain length of time? Or is it a long infusion at room temp or done in the fridge? Must go buy some sesame oil and do some research online here then. Also thinking maybe a paste made from slippery elm powder? Thank’s again folks!

I use powdered gotu kola as an herb snuff base. It’s nice stuff. I also have an echinacea and goldenseal mix I use to clear up the sinus infections that I will sometimes get due to the volcano ash that comes around when the trade winds get cut off by weather events.

I should try the Gotu Kola in that form then- I used to love it made into a very strong infusion. The goldenseal sounds like a good idea too, does the foliage have a colder property than the root? Thinking of using the Chinese skullcap root as well, remember that being a good bitter-cold detoxifier which I think my system could use these days. You’re in Hawaii aren’t you? The weather and scenery must make everything else worth it huh?

I have some immune system problems, particularly chronic allergies and their attendant sinus issues. The only viable solution I’ve found thus far to my problems is an anti-inflammatory diet. I haven’t taken, or needed, allergy medications since I started this regimen. I’m guessing something this draconian wouldn’t be necessary for somebody without my health issues. But what you might want to consider doing, at least until your sinus issues clear up, is abstaining from dairy, yeast, and wheat products; and instead make a point to eat ginger, garlic, onions, and peppers of all kinds (though the hot ones work best), either raw or cooked. Fresh apples and pineapple also work wonders provided the offending foods mentioned aren’t consumed. Since I noticed a dramatic improvement after my first meal on this regimen, I would recommend following this regimen until the sinus problems are completely gone, which should be within a few days. If you do wish to take the pharmaceutical route, I would recommend ephedrine (at least if you aren’t an American; Big Brother has made ephedrine illegal here) or in the absence of this, pseudo-ephedrine, which is commonly called Sudafed. I was lucky as ephedra navidensis, the plant from which both of these alkaloids were originally synthesized, grows wild in my area. If you live in an arid area, you may be able to access this plant as well.

Been snuffing successfully for about 2 years when the sinuses clogged. An antibiotic and other meds cleared it up, but they immediately clogged again. Tried all different types of snuff. Does not make sense how this began after 2 years of successful sniffing? Could technique perhaps help?

@CPeak – Did you change the snuff you were using? I can’t use any of the oiled snuffs, German or Indian. They all close my nose up hard. But I can pinch English (and non-oiled Indian) snuff all day without any trouble.

Nothing oiled. I had been using a lot of Am. scotch for the first time when it felt like someone had poured concrete in my in my nose. I’ve had clogging before, but this was total blockage - would not open even with decongestant spray. I thought Scotch was supposed to open your nose? But, it is so fine, maybe too much gets in the sinuses?

Scotch and toast tend to dry the nose out. Generally they form a concrete-like plating on the inside of my nose. Without regular cleaning, I could see this causing clogging. I know for a fact they reduce the effectiveness of incoming snuff, since they block all the surface area.

@snuffmeister if it happens again, i will send you a tin of my special sneezing blend, it will clear out anything! got a call from the DoD and they are looking to use it as a projectile firing enhansor!

I have had sinus infections several times a year most of my life. I thought that the menthol would help clear and cool my sinus passages. Perhaps I am wrong.

Against sinusitis as well as other laryngeal and pharyngel problems I would reommend rinsing your nose and gargling with a salt water solution. Use a neti pot or similar devices you can find at your local chemist. As for the salt, I can recommend most anti-catarrh salts. If available try Emser Salt (a Swiss salt mixture). Rise vigourously … I use my voice semi-professionally (classical concert singer, gregorian chant) and can really recommend using these salts even when not afflicted. The will also clean and repair your throat if you get too much snuff draining down the back of your nose … which can be most unpleasant and detrimental to your voice. Patrick B. Ludwig

I have a dodgy left sinus (right one is usually ok) and I find if even a few grains of snuff get on it, esp if it’s a menthol one, it shuts up tighter than a gnat’s…well, you know. This can last for 30 mins to a couple of days and is why I gave up snuffing for a long time. However I find the following beginner’s method works ok, even with menthols: 1. Take a pinch of snuff about the size of half a pea for each nostril. 2. Rub (don’t sniff) gently on the inside of the nostrils just in the front area. Don’t breath in or out. 3. Take hanky and blow nose very lightly to remove any excess 4. Sniff very lightly and gently so that none goes past the sinuses 5. Each time you take snuff, you can increase the amount taken and the strength of the sniff until you find a comfortable level.

OK, I have a somewhat related question. My nasal irritation turned out to be the less dangerous form of Staph. Must have gotten it from minor damage to the membrane I’d guess. So if I somehow got it from snuffing during such a situation (just a possibility-not for sure), I’m wondering (if/for how long) such microbials(sp?) can survive or remain viable in snuff. I might just trash the snuff I was mainly using at the time, but I can’t remember which others I was using then.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve found that using “Honest Scotch” snuff made by American Smokeless clears out my nose amazingly well. Might be worth a shot.

@Mr_O , It’s a coincidence IMO. If it happens again I might be a little concerned but as I profess, snuffers become more “aware” of their noses. I would speculate that if you were not a snuffer you probably would not even seen the doctor regarding that irritation. It is more likely having nothing to do with snuff. One point of view mind you, please form your own opinion based on the evidence. Cheers!

My favorite test to know if I have an infection or not is to treat myself to some shrimp egg rolls, open the top and pour the whole packet of mustard in each one. If my sinus’s don’t open, I have an infection

if my snot is neon then infection.

if my snot is neon then infection.

Ditto

@Mr_O , It’s a coincidence IMO. If it happens again I might be a little concerned but as I profess, snuffers become more “aware” of their noses. I would speculate that if you were not a snuffer you probably would not even seen the doctor regarding that irritation. It is more likely having nothing to do with snuff. One point of view mind you, please form your own opinion based on the evidence. Cheers!

Thank’s for he input mr J! It’s been a crazy trip with this stuff- and a pain in the ass- aaaargh! A while ago I finished a course of antibiotics specific for the strain of the staph, then my doc sez “well, it’s not an infection issue then”…fast forward to seeing an ENT, the results in a nutshell: “I don’t see any sores or inflammation, it must just be irritation, and it looks like it’s on the way out”… a month or more later it still bothers me. I’m thinking of seeing an herbalist for some appropriate yin-cooling herbs sometime soon. Maybe some goldenseal, if not contraindicated w/my prescriptions… life can be a hassle… sorry if I wandered into the venting realm- I’m just frustrated these days… Anyways, I should mention that I’m considering your opinion/theory- it did begin when I started a heavier, more constant, snuffing practice…

@Mr_O I might suggest pressing the doctor a little bit and say that you want to know what’s wrong and that something is very wrong. Also could be allergies which can be much more serious then people think. What’s your gut say is the issue?

Thank’s for asking! Hmm, I could ask the doc again. I tend to feel that it’s maybe something not necessarily recognized so much by Western medicine. In a nutshell something that a Chinese herbalist may call excessive heat and dryness or something to that effect. It doesn’t tend to seem dangerous to me, like it’s just something considered to be nothing but an annoyance. The doc said it’s not MRSA, after doing a culture. I have to go to the doc’s office once a month for a B12 shot anyways, I could extend the appointment, or set up another with the ENT, but I felt confident after the ENT found no red flags, and it usually seems much better than at first- it’s just that last 10% that doesn’t want to go away. I’ll sleep on it I suppose… I forgot to mention that I only get the feeling now and then, which I wonder if that’s a sign that it’s not an infection, or some substance causing it by getting at the membranes. Maybe that’s not a sound theory. Maybe it’s related to my chronic headaches, which my neurologist said could be migraines. Who knows, but I’ll try to be proactive about it and see what info I can get…

@Mr_O Do you find your headaches coinciding with sinuses sealing shut? Maybe latent adenoid problems? I had frequent adenoid problems as a little girl… When they’d act up i couldn’t breathe through my nose and I’d get so frustrated. It continued through my 20’s. My mom used an old Filipino remedy that helped a little… She heated damp “Sambong” leaves over the stove burner and put the warm leaves over my nose and cheeks, and i could almost feel my sinuses slowly “popping” open with an odd “creaking” sound. She called the leaves “alcamfor” too, but i asked her after reading of your problem anf she doesnt know what the Western name of the herb would be.

I don’t know if its just me but I find that eating some Ritz crackers helps to get my nose wet after it started to feel a little closed. Not sure if its the munching or salt

@TobaccyLassy “alcamfor” sounds like camphor. Could it be the Camphor Laurel leaves? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinnamomum\\_camphora

Sambong is blumea balsamifera.

Thank’s for the input people! What I find kind of funny about my situation is that when this began, my passages became less restricted- I can breathe through my nose easier and more consistently than before. It’s just this weird moderate burning/hot sensation that occurs a few times a day. The antibiotics, both topical and oral didn’t wipe it out, but the passages are not as dry as they were. I’ve experimented a bit with dietary modification, idk. Hopefully I can afford the help of a TCM herbalist(I’m more comfortable with herbs than acupuncture), or perhaps an Ayurvedic practitioner- I’m curious if a medicated oil might do the trick.