"Gack"

[JohnF]

Often I feel as though my head and entire body is filled with gack, phlegm, mucus, what have you.  I feel this adds to my lightheadness or off-balance feeling.  Esprcially worse in the morning.  Sometimes it feels better as the day goes by.

[looneylane]

Congestion can throw your inner ear off so try a decongestant like drixoral see if it helps? If it is allergic try reactine fo a few days

[foxgrove]

I have the same issue and yeah, having an inner ear and sinus congestion can make you stumble around corners like a drunk sailor for sure.  It's a particularly unique and unwelcome sensation.  No worries.. that sort of thing can be dealt with.

I have to use a prescribed daily nasal steroid as well as antihistamines on a regular basis.  There is likely some combination of seasonal allergies involved as we're smack bang at the start of pollen season for the northern states.  You should check with your doctor, though, to make sure it isn't a sinus infection that requires medication to clear up.

One thing that a lot of people swear by is using a netti pot.  It's basically a way to use salt water to flush your sinuses.  It doesn't hurt though it does feel rather odd and you may end up with a bit of crackling in your ear but it does work.  There are a couple of configurations now, the traditional little pot as well as a bottle form that you squeeze to use.  I find the pressure from the bottle tends to clean them more thoroughly but you'll have to try them to see.  You can find them at health stores pretty much anywhere.

[Polarhug]

Just a cautionary tale from the Neti - a close friend always swore by using it. Until last winter somehow it messed with her inner ear and threw her into a tailspin of dizzyness, spinning, nausea and vomiting. For weeks. She couldn't even drive! It was a nightmare for her.

Good luck, my husband is congested all the time is seems. No fun.

[Lonesome George]

Here is the way NOT to use your netti pot.   Some coarse language, but really funny!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8BiD5e1L_w

[looneylane]

Bahahaha..

[foxgrove]

Polarhug.. That must have been a sucky experience.  I've experienced the same problem just not the same ending.. I consider myself fortunate.  Getting water into your eustachian tube is really common but getting an infection from it not so much.  Getting the water out again is normally quite simple; lay down with the blocked ear tube pointing up and wiggle your jaw for a few minutes.  Note that I said normally.. sometimes, especially if you have a cold, it can be quite a pain to get it out again.  In order to avoid water in the ear, I try like crazy not to swallow while I'm using my neti pot as that's the movement that opens the eustachian tubes.  Generally speaking, it works fairly well.

The really big danger starts when folks use tap water, like in our "instructions from hell" video, or improper use of boiled water (it's only good for 24 hours).  Of course, it's not the water that's the problem, it's what's IN the water, bacteria, hydras, amoebas, etc.  Folks have actually died from using tap water in neti pots!!  You don't even have to get water into your ear canal for it to be very dangerous.

It sounds like your friend got a middle ear infection which progressed to the swelling the vestibular nerve.. the one that controls balance.  That would explain the nausea, vomiting, dizziness, etc..  Very unfortunate!!  I hope that she was able to get help for it before it caused permanent damage.

I've often wondered if using a neti-pot when I have a cold is all that wise .  It occurs to me that there is always the possibility of transferring germs and viruses into your eustachian tube through flushing your sinuses, even more so when we're experiencing a cold or flu.  Plus, if you manage to get water in there, you can't get it out for love nor money!!  I think I'll refrain while my cold is still raging.

ps.. I hate having a cold!!  

pps.. why were those people in the video attempting to kill that old feller??  This is the ultimate "what not to do" Neti Pot video for sure!!

oh.. and a very very late ppp(no my keys aren't stuck.. it just took a while )ppps...  Here are some links on the proper and improper use of neti-pots:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/249460.php

http://www.neti-netti-pot.com/neti-pot-dangers.html

[DEL]

That video could cause nightmares...