Neti Pots: Gross or Genius?
By Jenny Everett, SELF magazine
With cold and flu season here, we're praying that we can make it through the winter without getting one of those oh-so-fun sinus infections that make us feel like our heads are going to explode.
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In terms of preventing sinus grief, we're heard a lot of buzz about neti pots lately. Even Bobby from "Cougar Town" mastered it (check out the funny clip here!)
The idea of pouring a saline solution in one nostril and out the other doesn't sound like much fun, but after talking to Linda Dahl, MD, a New York City-based otolaryngologist (ear and throat doc), we're convinced that A) It doesn't have to make you feel like you snarfed a swimming pool, and B) It can be as easy and necessary as brushing your teeth.
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"When your nose swells up and air can't get through, your sinuses turn into a swamp and bacteria grows," explains Dahl. "The lining of your sinuses is a filter. Whatever is in the air that's not going into your lungs is going in your nose. If you clean out that filter, it's going to function better."
According to Dahl, there are three categories of people to whom she would recommend a neti pot: Anyone who gets chronic sinus infections or has bad allergies, those who tend to get (and stay) sick throughout the winter, and people who wake up acutely congested.
"The worst time to use it is when you already have a sinus infection and your sinuses are completely clogged," says Dahl. "At that point it can be uncomfortable and ineffective. If that's the case, take a decongestant first to open up the sinuses, then use the neti pot."
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While the neti pots of old were tricky to use, new designs such as the $14.99 Waterpik SinuSense Neti Pot (shown above) let you control the flow of water to prevent spills.
The other two keys to successfully executing the neti pot are to make sure the solution is correct (you must add salt -- but not too much or it will burn), and that the pot is at a 45 degree angle as you pour. Although many pots come with saline packets, if you're mixing your own solution, make sure it's 16 ounces of warm water to a quarter teaspoon of kosher or sea salt (not table salt!).
As long as you're using the right solution and form, you can safely use a neti pot several times a day, according to Dahl. And, in fact, you'll likely become a regular nose cleaner.
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"Once people get over their fear of it and realize it doesn't have to be uncomfortable, most of my patients who start using it love it."
We're sold.
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Photo Credit: amazon.com
