NETI SOLUTIONS for a Better Season

pressure, improving breathing and limiting congestion, and improving symptoms without the side effects from over-the-counter medication, such as stimulation or drowsiness. Always check with your healthcare provider before introducing a new treatment into your regimen. Children should use a neti pot only with the direct supervision of an adult. It is also vital that you use the neti pot correctly. With careless use, a neti pot or nasal wash can leave you with more problems than you started with!

When getting started with a neti pot, you must consider a few essential things. You can choose a neti pot from the selection found at your local health food store. Often you can find beautiful handmade glazed ceramic options, but a more budget-friendly option like a plastic pot is just as effective. Traditional neti pots most often look like small teapots and use gravity to assist the flow of water through the nasal passages. They have an open top, a handle, and a long spout. Check to ensure you get a smooth neti pot with no rough edges, especially at the tip of the spout, as this part will be placed inside your nostril. You can also find a squeeze-bottle type of nasal cleansing device, but these require finesse when using. Otherwise, it may be an uncomfortable and messy experience!

To clean the neti pot and free any debris or dust, wash it thoroughly before usage. The water you use inside the neti pot must be either distilled, filtered, boiled at room temperature, or bottled. NEVER use tap water in a neti pot. Plain, unboiled tap water can cause nasal infections. It’s also crucial to use room-temperature water. If you use a prescription nasal solution, that must also be at room temperature. Water that is too hot or too cold will make using your neti pot unpleasant or possibly painful.

Once you’re ready to go with clean water, it’s time to make a saline solution. Conveniently, you can buy pure salt at your health food store. When you purchase your neti pot, look for the salt on the shelf nearby. The nasal cleansing salt explicitly created for use in a neti pot is finer than table salt, iodine free, and free from impurities. You’ll find it in canisters and single-serve packets. The correct ratio is ¼ teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of your clean lukewarm water. In your health food store, you may also see some neti wash “boosters.” These may contain specific essential oils and herbs to make your wash more soothing and moisturizing. Feel free to ask questions of the sales associate at your store for more information and guidance.

You will find directions for making the saline solution and using your neti pot on the packaging, but the basic process is straightforward. Wash your hands and fill the neti pot with your prepared saline solution. Lean over a sink or basin, and tilt your head to one side. Breathe through your mouth, insert the neti pot’s spout into your upper nostril, and gently raise the pot by the handle so gravity pulls the solution through your sinus cavity and out the lower nostril. After completion, exhale gently through the nose to clear your nasal passage. Reverse sides and repeat the steps through your other nostril. For your last step, clean and dry your neti pot.

Generally safe and side-effect free, neti pots deliver quick results if used properly. After getting the hang of the process and becoming used to the sensation of the water rinse, many people find the practice soothing and an integral part of their connection with their bodies and seasonal wellness practice. +