Has anyone used a neti pot? I want to know if it should feel like you brain is clogging up? I only used pure salt and not baking soda.
Shirley from Inverness Scotland
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
I use one when I am feeling sinus congestion. I use either plain salt (not iodized, I use kosher salt) or salt and baking soda. I don't really have a preference. (Right now I am using the packets that came with my pot--they have both.) 8 oz. warm water to 1/8 teaspoon of salt [and 1/8 tsp. soda if you wish]
I am not sure what you mean by the feeling your brain is clogging up. Are you leaning over the sink, with your mouth higher than your nose, one ear up? The solution goes in the upper nostril. I usually pour through four ounces on one side, then turn my head and send the remaining four ounces through the other. Afterward, I blow my nose gently, repeatedly. DO NOT blow your nose hard, and do not block one nostril to try to clear the other; that is part of the problem in the first place.
If my nose is clogged on one side before I begin, I don't begin until I clear it somewhat. (If one nostril is completely blocked, the water won't get through, and it will just end up in your mouth, and that's an obnoxious feeling.)
There have been times when I repeated the process up to two more times, because I just kept getting more out when I would blow my nose after irrigating. The relief from pressure can be remarkable.
Keep trying, if you were feeling uncomfortable enough to try a neti pot in the first place, you should end up appreciating it.
Years ago, on the advice of our ENT specialist, my husband and I have been using neti pots for decades. At first we mixed distilled water with kosher salt; then we switched to premeasured packets (sold at Costco in big quantities). These packets come with neti bottles (manufacturer recommends disposing of the bottles after several weeks). Squeeze bottles work better than the pots, as you can use the bottle to push water upwards and out of nasal cavities. Before I start, I always add a tiny drop of tea tree oil and a tiny drop of baby shampoo to the mix with two premeasured saline packets (I make 16 oz of mixture at a time in a larger container than the bottle).
I second the squeeze bottle over the neti pot. I just had sinus surgery and I had to rinse 4-5 times a day at first. It took a little bit of practice to get used to it but now, it is a snap. I had tried to use the neti pot in the past but I never could get the hang of the right angle and it just seemed like a hassle.
I use distilled water sometimes but more often, I will just boil water in my electric kettle and add it to the bottle. It takes about an hour to cool down to the point where it is comfortable. I just saw my doctor yesterday and she said either option was safe.
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
