Many factors can leave you with a stuffy nose, including colds, allergies and infections. Most people are eager to send stuffy noses on their way, which is one reason you can find so many medications designed to treat congestion at drug stores. Neti pots, a drug-free nasal irrigation system, are another option for treating congestion.
Identification
A Neti pot is a small pitcher that you can use to pour a mixture of salt and water into your nasal passages. Like the squirt bottle syringe--another nasal irrigation option--the Neti pot allows you to fill one side of your nose with water, which can then drain out the other side. Neti pots look like tiny teapots, and you can find them at drug and health food stores.
Significance
Melissa Pynnonen, M.D., co-director of the Michigan Sinus Center and an assistant professor in the University of Michigan Department of Otolaryngology, says that nasal irrigation--the kind you get with a Neti pot--is one of the most effective ways to relieve the discomfort caused by allergies, nasal congestion, post-nasal drip and stuffy noses. According to Pynnonen, nasal irrigation is a practical first line of defense for congestion problems and can be more effective than medication in some cases.
Benefits
The saline mixture in a Neti pot helps moisturize the nasal passages. When your nasal passages are dry, mucous stays stubbornly in place, and you may have nosebleeds, trouble sleeping because it is difficult to breathe and other discomforts. The moisture you get from a Neti pot makes it easier to drain unwanted mucous. It may also help prevent infection-causing bacteria from growing in your nasal passages, which can make infections worse.
Considerations
Neti pots may work best in combination with decongestants, according to Brown University Health Services (BUHS). While a Neti pot helps clear away mucous, decongestants help soothe the swelling in your nasal passages that make it difficult for mucous to drain. It's easy to find over-the-counter (OTC) decongestants. BUHS recommends nasal sprays or decongestant pills as good options to use with a Neti pot.
Risks
Though saline irrigation with a Neti pot can be useful during times when you're congested, using a Neti pot when you don't have congestion can increase your risk for future nasal infections. Michael J. Bergstein, M.D., senior attending physician at Northern Westchester Hospital Center in Mount Kisco, N.Y., reports on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' website that using saline irrigation when you don't have a stuffy nose can kill the good bacteria that fights infection and reduce your body's ability to heal itself.
