Thread: Neti pots. Seriously.

When my doctor first suggested I try one of these for chronic sinus infections I thought it was one of the more disgusting things I'd heard of. "You want me to WHAT?" "Pour saline solution up my freakin' nose and out the other nostril?" I was sure he was kidding. However, I was desperate and at the point where I would try just about anything. It turned out to be just as creepy as I suspected it would be. Probably the most unpleasant thing I'd ever done to myself on purpose. Nevertheless, I kept doing it and like so many other things in life, it turned out to be less unpleasant each time. Eventually I began so understand why so many people sang the praises of this strange contraption. Now I use it on occasion just because it leaves my sinuses and nasal passages feeling so clean and refreshed. I'll not go on record as proselytizing for Neti pots, I'm just relating my personal experience with one. I can quit any time I want to. Really. Honest, I can.

I've used them too. I agree they are strange at first and I am not really sure whether or not I ever really got used to it. My uncle informed me when I got one that they become addictive. Now I'm not sure about that, but I know it did work for me.

You might not proselytize, but I might. I neti pot every night now. Back in the desert it helped with the change of seasons and allergies from time to time, but now that I live in New York and see how filthy the air is here, I consider it daily maintenance just to keep my head clear. When I skip a day it's no big deal but the longer I go the more my nose "whistles" if you know what I mean.
3 small spoons of kosher salt in medium warm water and I have enough for both nostrils and a good mouth rinse.
If you're weirded out by it, I don't know what to say. But if you've ever done an ear candle and been mystified by what came out of your ear, you'll get a kick out of the neti pot.
For what it's worth, salt is salt. Just make sure it's dissolved first!

This is one of those things that you will never look cool using.

I use one in the spring to help with allergies. Seems to work for me.

i just dissolve some salt in some water and snort it from my palm works great .

A few singer friends recommended that technique in a pinch, and it works for sure, but the snorting is too forceful. Dem membranes is sensitive

Originally Posted by dnjrboy

This is one of those things that you will never look cool using.

Definitely not something you let her see you do on the first date. Or the second. Maybe not ever.

Originally Posted by bassguy

If you're weirded out by it, I don't know what to say. But if you've ever done an ear candle and been mystified by what came out of your ear, you'll get a kick out of the neti pot.
For what it's worth, salt is salt. Just make sure it's dissolved first!

I think it would be better to use salt that doesn't have the silicon anti-caking agent in it. The purpose of the salt is the electrolyte/de-salinization prevention of the vulnerable mucous membranes. Kosher is good (without anti-caking agents) but so is real sea salt, which has the full spectrum of minerals (as long as it isn't from contaminated waters..).

Even more important: the ear candling is one of those trendy, new-age, hair-brained, overpriced schemes to deplete your money and give you an ineffective, possibly injurious product. It's a high candidate for bogus home remedy. The wax you find at the bottom may be the candle's, not yours.

Try a half-and-half solution of warm water and hydrogen peroxide to loosen and foam up the impacted wax deposits, tilting your head the other direction and shaking to allow to drain. It's a very cheap solution so you can do it several times. Then you can really clean it out with carbamide peroxide solution (available at most pharmacies). Or reverse order, I don't know which is better or if it matters. I tend to pick it out after a shower but those two are quite good at cleaning the ears. The hydrogen peroxide is very nice because it foams and bubbles, you can feel it working to dislodge the wax, so you know it's legit.

I like the neti pot, too. I haven't used it much but I do it over the kitchen sink. Just remember, people who scrape hairs off their face directly with extremely sharp objects are also not thought to be engaging in "normal" behavior. Neti pots are grade-school crazy compared to crazy str8 users.

My nose is for air, not for water.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

My nose is for air, not for water.

That is funny right there. Although, i do have questions. I suffer from chronic stuffy nose. Would it help this? And how do you get it to go out the other side?