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The yogic practice of nasal irrigation using a neti pot can bring swift relief from stuffy noses and sinus pressure.
When I first heard of it, I was pretty skeptical. I mean, pouring salt water through your nose just sounded weird to me.
And then one day I got the father of all head colds. My head was so stuffy that I couldn’t breathe out of my nose, and my sinuses just ached from the pressure. I was desperate for relief.
Sure, I had already tried a humidifier. But I’m a natural guy, and I don’t take over the counter medications at all, but I was ready to that day.
So I went out and bought the neti pot and some sea salt, went home, and dutifully followed the simple instructions that came with it.
- Fill it with warm water.
- Mix in a small amount (1/4 teaspoon) of salt.
- Lean over the sink and and look to the right.
- Put the tip of the neti pot in your right nostril.
- Tilt the pot so that water pours in, letting it flow freely out of your other nostril.
- Switch sides halfway through, so that you are looking to your left and pouring it in your left nostril.
- Repeat several times a day.
After using the neti, I also gargled with warm salt water repeatedly, which helps to clear mucus from the throat and eustachian tubes.
I slept so soundly that night. My head didn’t hurt and I could breathe through my nose.
I was still sick in the morning, but using the neti pot again cleared out all of the mucus from during the night. I continued to use it even after getting well (although not several times a day).
Taking a hot shower and putting your face in the water has a similar effect, but a neti pot is a lot quicker… You don’t have to buy a neti pot, either. You can use a small gravy boat or squeeze bottle (peri bottle) instead. If you do use a squeeze bottle, just let gravity do the work – don’t squeeze it.
It takes some getting used to, but I think it’s helpful for almost any nasal or sinus condition. I use mine regularly, especially if I feel a cold coming on.
Now if I can just convince my daughter, who would rather sniff repeatedly until we freak out than go blow her nose, to use it…
Image: Okko Pyykkö at Flickr under Creative Commons License
I have one, and I use it every time I’m sick. It works like magic.
Tara @ Feels like homes last blog post..Il Divo: The Christmas Collection
I love that you wrote about this! The Neti pot is AWESOME. I have many friends that have received many more health benefits from it other than clearing a stuffy cold nose.
The key is to use the right kind of salt though so double check with your local health store. I have used sea salt for years but now I am told a little iodized salt is better. I usually make a point of avoiding the iodized so have you heard of this?
Monicas last blog post..HGM On A More Personal Note
Nasal irrigation is one of the best things for relieving a stuffy nose and preventing sinus infections. Thanks for mentioning this!
Lainie Petersens last blog post..December Tea Book Giveaway!
Hmm I’ve never heard of this before, but I HATE being stuffed up so it’s definitely something I may look into since you and your readers seem to have had some success with it. I rarely find any successful remedies for clearing out mucus and keeping it out for longer than maybe 5 minutes, so I’ll definitely have to give this a try.
Mike Wiltons last blog post..I Just Became A Statistic In A Social Experiment
My husband and son use the Neti pot on a regular basis. I was skeptical too until I saw the affect it had. It works amazingly well. We also got my SIL hooked on using it to. Glad to hear that others are using it too.
Lenas last blog post..Act2 Tote Bag Review
i want to try it so bad but can’t bring myself to pour salt water in my nose. it makes me cringe thinking about it. i think of the ocean when the wave tumbles you and you get all that water up your nose and it stings and your miserable for the next 1/2 hr. is it like that? does the water go all the way into your head? sorry for the silly questions. my family is going on week 3 of that sinus cold and i my dd and i can’t breathe cuz we are so stuffed and the pressure is painful. this is probably what we need but i can’t get that ocean out of my head. somebody give me some more detail please? thansk!