What is the best pressure setting for the Hydro Pulse® for sinus irrigation?

The best pressure to use for sinus irrigation is to be gentle. That means that the stream is almost one inch high when it exits the nasal tip. That’s about the width of my thumb.

The Hydro Pulse® is not a hose you put into your nose that forces liquid out of your sinuses. It works by massaging the nasal cilia so they can perform their natural function of removing bacteria out of the nose and sinuses.

Instead of force, it works by a system of suction called Bernoulli’s Principle. When a steady stream goes past a narrow opening it creates a vacuum that suctions out the contents. Not only does the Hydro Pulse® provide a steady stream to remove sinus contents, but it also adds the pulse wave action that aids this action.

The reason why irrigation devices such as pots and squeeze bottles are not effective is that the streams are not steady; there is a significant change in pressure as the pot empties. With the squeeze bottles the pressure varies significantly and you get flowback. With flowback, as reported by University of Pennsylvania, you get contamination of these devices.

One common cause of poor cilia function is very thick mucus. Use of the pulsing stream is an ideal way to remove that thick mucus, as well as a means to restore cilia function.

The gentle massage you get when irrigating with a pulsing stream also acts like a massage of the nasal tissue. This moves stale fluids out of the tissue and brings in fresh circulation.

Some patients have reported that they prefer a much higher pressure than that obtained when the stream is about an inch high. I don’t recommend a higher pressure though. The inch high stream is just right for clearing most sinus conditions. It is also the best stream when medications are delivered into the sinuses.