A neti pot is a device used to self-administer nasal lavage, which gently cleans your sinuses without use of irritating chemicals or medications. It is used for sinus infection, stuffy "allergy nose" and stopped-up sinuses associated with the common cold. It may take a while to get the hang of using a neti pot. Using the correct head position and relaxed inspiratory cycle are key to effective sinus cleansing.
About the Neti Pot
A neti pot is an attractive ceramic, plastic or stainless steel container with a long body and "spout" that resembles a genie's lamp. You can find them at many health food markets and pharmacies, according to Dr. James. T. Li, an asthma and allergy specialist at the Mayo Clinic, and they are typically priced at about $20. Stainless steel neti pots may be a bit more expensive. Some people choose to purchase a nonprescription saline rinse or buffered neti pot solution, although you can also make your own saline solution at home, says Li.
Neti Pot Solution
You don't need to purchase solution for your neti pot, when a homemade saline rinse is easy to make at home--and just as effective, according to Li. If you're using tap water, boil it first then let it cool; otherwise, use distilled or purified water. Add 1/8 plain table salt to 8 oz. of warm water, Li says. Pour it in the neti pot, and you're ready to cleanse your sinus passages.
How to Use
Proper positioning and breathing while you use your neti pot prevent the unpleasant experience of inhaling saline solution rather than allowing it to simply wash over the sinuses. First position yourself over a sink, states the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. Bend over and place the tip of the neti pot "spout" into your nostril. Tilt your head to the opposite side. For example, if you're cleansing the right nostril, the left side of your head would be tilted in the direction of the basin. The saline solution then washes through your sinuses, after which it dribbles into the sink. Don't inhale sharply or try to "sniff" the saline. Breathe through your mouth. Repeat this process using the neti pot on your other nostril.
When to Use
You can use a neti pot for nasal and sinus congestion, allergies and sinus pain associated with infections--sinusitis. Integrative physician Dr. Andrew Weil recommends nasal lavage two to four times daily if your sinus infection is active. According to Li, avid neti pot users claim that nasal lavage is better at reducing symptoms of allergies than nonprescription allergy medications.
Other Sinus Solutions
If you don't own a neti pot, Weil suggests using a small cup or a rubber-tipped syringe in a similar manner. Applying hot, damp compresses on your sinus area can help your sinuses drain, he says. Weil suggests using as much heat as you can tolerate and keeping the compress on for 10-minute intervals several times daily. Inhaling steam infused with eucalyptus oil may may also get rid of stuffy sinuses.
