Nasal Cleansing with the Neti Pot

Just the other day, someone at work asked me about a non-medication remedy for nasal stuffiness and nasal congestion. I proceeded to explain to her about nasal cleansing with a Neti pot. Prone to seasonal allergies, I found the practice very useful in clearing the nasal passages to breath better. I had some difficulty demonstrating the procedure until I went online and noticed that You Tube had several videos on how to use the Neti pot.

A few years ago, when I began my yoga practice, my yoga teacher sent me a Neti pot to use as part of a daily cleansing ritual. Jala Neti is an ancient tradition in the Eastern Indian culture of cleansing the nasal passages. It entails three stages but the first stage is what is commonly practiced and can be readily learned while the next two stages should be practiced with guidance as there is the risk of liquid going into the lungs. Breathing exercises called Pranayama is an essential limb of yoga practice and nasal cleansing facilitates breathing practice.

The Neti pot is a small porcelain pot shaped like Aladin's lamp with a spout that fits snugly into the nostril. It is filled with normal saline solution ( 0.9% saline made by adding about 1 1/2 teaspoons of non-iodized salt to one liter of warm water.) The water should only be warm to the touch and not hot to avoid burning. Bending over a sink and tilting the head to one side, the spout is inserted into one nostril and water is allowed to flow through the other nostril. This is repeated on the opposite nostril. The process may be repeated as needed. Mucus and other blockages are usually irrigated out and breathing becomes easier. (Check out http://www.youtube.com for instruction videos.)

A review of literature in the July 2003 issue of the Canadian Family Physician showed that practitioners of nasal cleansing reported improvement of nasal allergies compared to placebo. Anecdotal accounts abound of the effectiveness of nasal cleansing in improving breathing.

Caution should be taken and probably avoided altogether by persons with nasal septal deviation, broken nose, and other structural obstruction to avoid the solution going into the lungs or ears. The saline solution should just be lukewarm and not contain too much salt as it can cause discomfort akin to inhaling in swimming pool water. Local pharmacies carry variations of the Neti pot with premixed powders for the solution.

For nasal allergy sufferers, this is worth a try.