A few months back, I saw Dr. Oz explain what a neti pot is and demonstrate how to use it. As a life-long allergy sufferer, I was intrigued. I watched as Dr. Oz instructed a young woman to lift, what looked like a mini tea pot, up to her nostril, tilt her head, and allow lukewarm salt water to drip down the other side of her nostril. He explained that the water would go up into her nose, clean out the pollen, dust, and anything else that was inflaming her sinuses, and come out the other nostril. The lady then repeated the same process for the other nostril, blew her nose, and exclaimed that she was immediately relieved.
My curiosity had been peaked, but I chickened out of using a neti pot for a couple of months. First, I hate the sensation of water going up my nose. Second, I had always had problems with nasal sprays so I assumed that I would have similar issues with a neti pot. Finally, I didn’t know where to buy one, and the first two reasons stopped me from looking.
Then, about a month ago my mother calls me and asks if I have ever heard of a neti pot. I tell her that I had seen one on Oprah. She rather excitedly tells me that someone that she works with has been using one, and apparently this woman has allergy problems like I do and the neti pot has helped her a lot. My mom then informs me that she has already purchased a neti pot for me.
I have to admit, despite my reservations, I was excited. My mom’s enthusiasm and faith in the product was contagious. The day that my mom presented me with this new gift, I brought it to my home and tried it that night.
The particular brand that I have is the SinuCleanse Neti Pot. I opened the box and read the instructions, which couldn’t have been simpler.
Step 1: Empty the contents of the saline dry packet into the neti pot.
Step 2: Fill pot to the top of the SinuCleanse logo with lukewarm tap water. (I remember Dr. Oz explaining that the water should be as close to your body temperature as possible.)
Step 3: Stir thoroughly until dry ingredients (saline) have completely dissolved.
Step 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. Your forehead should remain higher than your chin. Raise the handle of the pot so that the solution enters the right nostril. In a few seconds, the solution will begin to drain out the left nostril into the sink. Don’t snort the solution through your nose; keep breathing through your mouth.
Step 5: Repeat the procedure on the other side.
Step 6: When the pot is empty, exhale through both nostrils to clear them of excess mucus and solution. Gently blow your nose into a tissue.
Step 7: Thoroughly clean the neti pot after each use. The SinuCleanse Neti Pot is top-rack dishwasher safe.
I followed the instructions and gave the neti pot a try. I admit, the first time the water solution went up my nose, it felt intense. However, after using it in both nostrils and then blowing my nose, I immediately felt better. I felt more relief than any allergy pill, prescription or over-the-counter, had provided me. I felt good. I could breathe easily through my nose; which is something that I don’t usually enjoy during the spring and summer months.
That very first night of using the neti pot, I noticed that I slept better. The next morning, I had more energy and I could still breathe easily through my nose. I decided that I wasn’t going to take my prescription allergy medicine to see how I would do without it. I felt pretty great throughout the day. I noticed that at the end of the day, I was starting to feel stuffy again. Still, I wasn’t miserable like I had been before. So, at the end of the day, I used my neti pot again.
I first began using the SinuCleanse Neti Pot about a month ago. In the first days, I used it every day to clean the pollen and dust out of my nostrils. Currently, I find that I only need to use it about every other day. However, if my allergies flared up in a bad way again, I would just increase the frequency of neti pot usage. It is an all natural solution to my allergy problem, so I can use my neti pot as often as I feel that I need to.
My allergy symptoms don’t plague me like they once did. I haven’t taken any allergy medication, prescription or over-the-counter, since the day I began using my neti pot. Personally, I like the fact that I no longer feel the need to put a pill in my body each day. Plus, it has saved me money.
With the neti pot, I feel clearer than I ever did with allergy medication. The neti pot actually clears the allergens (pollen, dust, etc.) out of your nose. The medications were only helping me live with my allergy symptoms. They did nothing to flush the pollen out of my body, so I was in perpetual agony.
Overall, I am thrilled with the SinuCleanse Neti Pot. I highly recommend it to anyone who has allergy or sinus irritation. The SinuCleanse Neti Pot that I own costs $14.99 and is available at Kroger. To be completely honest, I own two. Since I was so happy with the one that my mother bought for me, I went out and bought another one to have on stand-by…just in case.
