Hey, don’t put cream in my neti pot!
Neti pots are small pitchers that look like a cross between a gravy boat and a cream dispenser. They are used in nasal irrigation (or nasal wash), a process that lately has drawn a mix of bemusement and accolades from millions of Americans.
Neti pots originated over 5 thousand years ago in India. In many Eastern cultures, they are a personal grooming staple, much like tooth brushes to Americans. Neti pots were introduced in the United States in the 1970s, but didn’t go main-stream until they were featured in a Dr. Oz segment on The Oprah Winfrey Show in spring 2007. Since then, millions have adopted neti pots as an alternative method of relieving nasal congestion from allergies, common colds and sinus infections.
History of Neti Pots:
Jala neti, which means nasal cleansing with water in Sanskrit, is an Ayurvedic medical technique that has been practiced by yogis for thousands of years. In yoga, it is important to keep the sinus passages open to facilitate deep breathing; therefore jala neti was, and still is, a daily ritual among yoga practitioners. Furthermore, nasal irrigation is now a widely-accepted treatment for chronic sinus conditions even among traditional medical practitioners. Neti pots are just one nasal wash tool— alternative devices include bulb syringes, squeeze bottles and cupped hands from which warm water is snorted.
A typical neti pot holds 15 oz (425 ml) of water and has 2 holes: 1 at the top of the container and 1 at the end of the spout. The spout opening is small enough to fit snuggly inside a person’s nostril. The basic premise is to fill the neti pot with warm salt water, insert the spout into one nostril, then pour the water so that it comes out of the other nostril. Correct head position is extremely important, so before you try this at home, be sure to read through the following:
Step-by-Step Instructions for Using a Neti Pot:
- Before you begin, rinse the inside of your neti pot with water to remove any dust or lint.
- Fill the pot with warm water—make sure it’s not too hot or too cold. Distilled or purified water is recommended; however, tap water is okay as long as it’s drinkable.
- Mix in 1 level teaspoon of salt. Finely ground sea salt is recommended because it lacks additives like sodium, iodine and aluminum; however, if you don’t have sea salt, cooking salt also works, the finer the better.
- Insert the end of the spout into your right nostril, no more than 1 inch.
- Lean over the sink and position your head so that the tip of your nose is pointed towards the bottom of the sink.
- Now, tilt your head to the left so that the left nostril is pointed towards the bottom of the sink.
- Begin pouring the water through the right nostril. Breathe through your open mouth. In a few seconds, the water will begin to flow out of the left nostril. Continue for 20 to 30 seconds, until you’ve emptied half the pot.
- Remove the pot and stand up straight.
- Before changing sides, gently blow your nose a few times on each side to remove any remaining water and loosed mucous. Do not blow hard, as this could force water into your ears and sinuses.
- Insert the spout into the left nostril and repeat steps 5-9, but with head tilted to the right.
The University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine studied the effects of nasal irrigation between 1999 and 2008 among 76 participants with a history of sinus disease. Conclusions: “Nasal irrigation is an effective adjunctive therapy for chronic sinus symptoms. It may also be effective as adjunctive therapy for symptoms of other upper respiratory conditions that are risk factors for chronic sinus symptoms including acute upper respiratory infection (common cold), acute sinusitis, and allergic rhinitis.”
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