Using a Nasal Rinse
Some tips for using a Neti pot or nasal rinsing bottle:
1. Make sure the water is lukewarm. It should be neither too cool nor too warm.
2. Use a saltwater solution, which is less irritating than plain tap water. Premixed power formulas are available. Dr. Smith recommends a combination of baking soda and sea or kosher salt. (The iodine in table salt may be irritating to some people.) Recipes on the Internet vary, but a basic recipe is 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of baking soda to 1 pint of water. A batch may be kept for up to a week.
3. While some people report using a Neti pot twice a day, that can be too irritating for many people's nasal membranes. Try once a day at first.
4. Breath through the mouth while water is going into the nostril.
5. Blow your nose gently when finished to help get all remaining water out.
MONROE - So, it's a little gross at first. But nasal irrigation really does seem to help, I found out.
After speaking with Dr. C. J. Smith from Monroe Clinic last week, I decided it was time to try a Neti pot, a small teapot-looking device designed to pour a saltwater solution up into the nostrils to rinse out the sinuses.
I first heard about Neti pots more than a year ago while watching a rerun of "Six Feet Under" on cable. In one episode, the character George gives a Neti pot as a gift. Bizarre, I thought, but intriguing.
Then I saw Dr. Oz touting the benefits of this strange little teapot on an episode of "Oprah" a while ago. Given the infrequency with which I watch "Oprah," I took it as a sign that I should find myself one of these miraculous little devices and reclaim my sinuses.
But like so many other things, it escaped by mind completely - that is, until last week when I spoke to Dr. Smith about the effectiveness of over-the-counter cold remedies.
Do Neti pots really work? I wondered.
Yes, they do, he said. They really can help alleviate symptoms and even prevent problems for those prone to sinus infections.
As luck would have it, I was headed for the ShopKo pharmacy later that day. And as luck would have it, ShopKo does sell a nasal rinsing device designed to do the same thing as a Neti pot. It's a small plastic squeeze bottle, similar to a water bottle that fits on a bicycle, that holds 8 ounces of water. It's not a Neti pot, but it's designed to do the same thing.
As a bonus, it works while you bend over slightly from the waist - no need to keep your head tilted to the side as with a Neti pot. And it was less than $5, complete with five packets of dry saline powder to mix with water to get started.
I admit I was a little hesitant to try it: Who likes getting water squirted up their nose? And who really wants to see what that water might flush out?
But I forged ahead. I had a cold and had been popping DayQuil for a few days, trying to get my head cleared out. What could it hurt?
Leaning over the bathroom sink, I gave a long, slow squeeze. The water went up one side and, after what seemed like an eternity as it filled up what is apparently a huge gaping hole in my head, returned out the other. After four ounces, I switched sides and repeated.
And it wasn't bad at all. There was a slight sensation of water filling up my head, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It didn't sting as it does when you get a noseful of chlorinated pool water.
In fact, it felt pretty good. Suddenly, my sinuses felt really, really clean - like your teeth feel after the dental hygienist cleans them. I came close to euphoria.
I stepped outside to check on the kids playing in the yard. A light snow was falling and I breathed deep. My sense of smell was keener than it's been in a long time.
The congestion returned later in the day, but heeding the ShopKo pharmacist's advice that rinsing twice in one day may be irritating, I waited until the next day to rinse again. This time, the water was a little cooler and it didn't feel quite as good. (Note to self: Make sure water is on the warm side.)
But it cleared the congestion up again. In fact, I believe just a few daily irrigations helped get me through the worst of the congestion far quicker and easier than normal.
It may not be for everyone. My husband blanched when I suggested he try it to help relieve a nasty cold he's had for the past week. "No thanks," he said rather coldly.
I doubt I'll be able to talk him into it. Too bad. It's really no different than showering, brushing teeth or any other hygiene practice we partake in to keep our bodies clean and healthy.
I, for one, am a believer. And so is my nose.
- Mary Jane Grenzow is features editor of The Monroe Times. She can be reached at mgrenzow@themonroetimes.com.
After speaking with Dr. C. J. Smith from Monroe Clinic last week, I decided it was time to try a Neti pot, a small teapot-looking device designed to pour a saltwater solution up into the nostrils to rinse out the sinuses.
I first heard about Neti pots more than a year ago while watching a rerun of "Six Feet Under" on cable. In one episode, the character George gives a Neti pot as a gift. Bizarre, I thought, but intriguing.
Then I saw Dr. Oz touting the benefits of this strange little teapot on an episode of "Oprah" a while ago. Given the infrequency with which I watch "Oprah," I took it as a sign that I should find myself one of these miraculous little devices and reclaim my sinuses.
But like so many other things, it escaped by mind completely - that is, until last week when I spoke to Dr. Smith about the effectiveness of over-the-counter cold remedies.
Do Neti pots really work? I wondered.
Yes, they do, he said. They really can help alleviate symptoms and even prevent problems for those prone to sinus infections.
As luck would have it, I was headed for the ShopKo pharmacy later that day. And as luck would have it, ShopKo does sell a nasal rinsing device designed to do the same thing as a Neti pot. It's a small plastic squeeze bottle, similar to a water bottle that fits on a bicycle, that holds 8 ounces of water. It's not a Neti pot, but it's designed to do the same thing.
As a bonus, it works while you bend over slightly from the waist - no need to keep your head tilted to the side as with a Neti pot. And it was less than $5, complete with five packets of dry saline powder to mix with water to get started.
I admit I was a little hesitant to try it: Who likes getting water squirted up their nose? And who really wants to see what that water might flush out?
But I forged ahead. I had a cold and had been popping DayQuil for a few days, trying to get my head cleared out. What could it hurt?
Leaning over the bathroom sink, I gave a long, slow squeeze. The water went up one side and, after what seemed like an eternity as it filled up what is apparently a huge gaping hole in my head, returned out the other. After four ounces, I switched sides and repeated.
And it wasn't bad at all. There was a slight sensation of water filling up my head, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It didn't sting as it does when you get a noseful of chlorinated pool water.
In fact, it felt pretty good. Suddenly, my sinuses felt really, really clean - like your teeth feel after the dental hygienist cleans them. I came close to euphoria.
I stepped outside to check on the kids playing in the yard. A light snow was falling and I breathed deep. My sense of smell was keener than it's been in a long time.
The congestion returned later in the day, but heeding the ShopKo pharmacist's advice that rinsing twice in one day may be irritating, I waited until the next day to rinse again. This time, the water was a little cooler and it didn't feel quite as good. (Note to self: Make sure water is on the warm side.)
But it cleared the congestion up again. In fact, I believe just a few daily irrigations helped get me through the worst of the congestion far quicker and easier than normal.
It may not be for everyone. My husband blanched when I suggested he try it to help relieve a nasty cold he's had for the past week. "No thanks," he said rather coldly.
I doubt I'll be able to talk him into it. Too bad. It's really no different than showering, brushing teeth or any other hygiene practice we partake in to keep our bodies clean and healthy.
I, for one, am a believer. And so is my nose.
- Mary Jane Grenzow is features editor of The Monroe Times. She can be reached at mgrenzow@themonroetimes.com.