by Alexa Steele

Created on: July 04, 2009   Last Updated: July 05, 2009

"What the @&$!" That was my initial reaction to nasal irrigation. I was watching an episode of the Oprah Winfrey show in which she and Dr. Oz were discussing something called the Neti pot. Apparently this thing is all the rage with allergy and Chronic Sinusitis sufferers.

For those of you who don't know, the Neti pot is a container that looks like a love child conceived by Beauty and the Beast's Mrs. Pots and Aladdin's lamp. The idea is to fill the pot with a saline solution and irrigate your sinuses with it by pouring the solution in one nostril and letting it drain out the other. This supposedly thins the mucus and clears out infections and allergens.

I was skeptical, but also intrigued. Could pouring water up my nose really relieve my seasonal allergies? I looked it up on WebMD.com and the information there seemed to support the claims. I then asked my doctor what he thought and to my surprise he was rather enthusiastic. So I went ahead and spent $16 on a generic brand of Neti pot at my local pharmacy.

The instructions on the Neti pot were as follows:

1) Empty the contents of the saline dry ingredients packet into the pot. First time users should start with packet.

2) Fill the pot with lukewarm tap water. This makes cup of solution.

3) Stir thoroughly until dry ingredients have dissolved.

4) Lean over the sink with your head bent down so you are looking directly into the basin. Holding the pot in your right hand, gently insert the spout into your right nostril so that it forms a comfortable seal. Breathe with your mouth open. Rotate your head so that the right nostril is directly above the left. Raise the handle of the pot so that the solution enters the right nostril, it will drain out the left.

I mixed up the saline solution, took a deep breath (did I really want to do this?), and poured the rinse into my right nostril. If you have ever gotten water up your nose while swimming you know the initial sensation I experienced using the Neti pot. But that actually passed rather quickly. Next, I became aware that the solution was trickling down the back of my throat and into my mouth. Apparently I must have been holding my breath because according to the instructions this shouldn't happen if you breathe continuously through your mouth. Finally, the water began to drain successfully out my left nostril and into the sink.

Once the Neti pot had been drained I put it down and I blew my nose as per the instructions. I had expected that this would expel any excess water from my nose. What I discovered was that a rather large amount of mucus had been loosed up and was now exiting my nostrils (gross!). I also experienced my ears popping uncomfortably, but apparently this was the result of blowing too hard.

Once I had completed the entire procedure on both sides of my nose I found that I could, in fact, breathe! My sinuses really did feel open and clean. That night I slept better and I have been sneezing less ever since I began using the Neti pot.

Now, I would not recommend the Neti pot as a replacement for anti-histimines for allergies or anti-biotics for a sinus infection. But I can say that it is an effective way to clear out congestion and improve your breathing. Personally I'm hooked. I will likely make nasal irrigation part of my daily routine, right along with brushing my teeth and combing my hair (at least during allergy season). For anyone considering a Neti pot for nasal irrigation, I would highly recommend it!

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