Washing out your nose with a mild salt solution can rinse away pollen, dust and accumulated mucus, according to the University of Michigan Health System website. Whether you use a bulb syringe, a neti pot or a nasal irrigation attachment for your Waterpik, you can mix your own irrigation solution with water, salt and a little baking soda.
Function
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a base that neutralizes acid. Mixed with water and salt, baking soda makes the solution less acidic and less likely to irritate your nasal passages as you rinse them with the solution. You can also purchase pre-made nasal irrigation solutions, or packets you mix with water. Some of these solutions may say they are buffered. The buffering agent is often some form of baking soda.
Solution
To make the nasal irrigation solution, Dr. Terence Davidson of the University of California San Diego's Otolarygology Division recommends mixing 1 to 2 tsp. of table salt with a pint of water. Add 1/4 to ½ tsp. baking soda. The baking soda is not absolutely necessary. Some recipes call for no baking soda at all, but many people find that they tolerate the solution better with the addition of baking soda.
Process
Fill a syringe, a neti pot or the reservoir of the Waterpik with this solution. Insert the tip of the Waterpik attachment, syringe or neti pot into one nostril. Lean over the sink and pour, squirt or administer the irrigation solution into the nostril until it runs out the opposite nostril. Use all the solution. When you're done, blow your nose into a tissue. You can repeat this process 2 to 3 times a day.
Benefits
When Dr. Scott Graham and Dr. Christopher Brown of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Department of Otolarygology --- Head and Neck Surgery reviewed research on the efficacy of nasal irrigation in treating a variety of sinus ailments, they found that patients who used nasal irrigation reported fewer symptoms and less reliance on prescription medication.
Considerations
The only side effects noted by Drs. Graham and Brown were itching and temporary irritation of the nasal passages. Some patients report more irritation with plain salt water solutions; adding baking soda can lessen this irritation. The method of delivering the nasal irrigation solution did not seem to matter; all proved effective.
