Neti Pot!
January 22nd, 2007
Today I tried the Neti Pot my friend Alex gave me. What is a Neti Pot, you ask? Well, it looks like a gravy boat, except instead of gravy you use salt water and instead of a turkey you use your nostril.
You see, a Neti Pot is some sort of ancient (?) Hindu holistic medical device that is meant to cleanse your sinuses. I have terrifically poor sinuses, so I’m the perfect candidate for said pot.
You fill the pot with very hot water and 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt. You then tip your head to one side, shove the spout up a nostril and pour the contents of the Neti Pot directly into your nose. The salt water travels through your nasal passage and sinuses and back out the other nostril. The whole process is utterly bizarre.
Here is a picture of me and the Neti Pot:
The sensation of hot water passing through your head is a strange one but it’s one I’d recommend. I mean, I imagined it would sort of feel like drowning but I found it weirdly comforting—just me and the Neti Pot, alone at my bathroom sink on a Sunday afternoon.
Alex expects the pot back, so I’ll be cleaning it vigorously.
EDIT: category changed to “Products I Find Myself Using”
January 22nd, 2007 at 1:20 am
I think you’ve found your new blog-header picture!
January 22nd, 2007 at 1:21 am
this should be tagged “products i find myself using.” Or possibly, “dudes with attitudes.”
January 22nd, 2007 at 2:09 am
How did you take the picture? Both your hands are on the neti pot.
January 22nd, 2007 at 2:47 am
After doing the first nostril I thought, ‘I should blog about this.” So I set up a tripod.
January 22nd, 2007 at 6:49 am
splendid photograph, but what about your sinuses? how do they feel?
January 22nd, 2007 at 7:33 pm
Well, I’m not sure. A lot of snot emptied out of my nose—that was an interesting experience. A lot of my problems may be ear canal-related. Are your sinuses connected to your ear canals? I think the Neti (or Netti) Pot helped; I’m going to try it again.
January 22nd, 2007 at 8:11 pm
According to Wikipedia, there’s 3 yogic layers to neti use… maybe once you’re stage three, your ears open like a third eye.
January 22nd, 2007 at 10:32 pm
yeah, your sinuses are connected to your ear canals….
January 22nd, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Alex LENT you a neti pot? Gross.
My ex-roomate Josh was very pro-neti pot. He used salt and baking soda and hot water. I’m intrigued, as I am a snotty dude, but have yet to partake.
January 26th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
I wish I had video of you using the neti pot and the tripod set up, hitting the timed exposure button, then quickly ducking into frame to take the shot. I imagine it took a few tries to get the right shot?
Oh and how much is said neti pot on “the streets”?
January 31st, 2007 at 7:35 am
Afrin, my son, Afrin!
The middle ear drains through the Eustachian Tube which empties in the same area as the sinuses do.
Hope the neti pot helped. It does basically what saline sprays do but with much greater volume and style.
February 7th, 2007 at 2:31 am
I’m bored with Neti Pot, but do include it in your 30 Rock spec script
Look, your phone number is at the bottom of the page… do strangers call you?
February 28th, 2007 at 11:13 pm
I’ve been using it for a week now. Do your ears feel plugged after it? Mine do for like 20 minutes. It’s kind of annoying. I can’t figure out if this pot thing works for me. I do like your 2 hand approach. I use one. Like I’m pouring tea into my nose
March 25th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Both of my ears are plugged from using the neti pot, or feel that way anyway. I can’t hear as well now and it’s been a couple weeks since I used it. How do you fix this?
March 27th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
yeah, maybe it just pushes stuff into your ears. I don’t know. People swear by the Neti Pot, but I gave up on it.
April 29th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
Please tell me were I can buy a Nedi pot
June 16th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
My husband & I started using the NETI pot about a month ago. It was great but then all of a sudden we both experienced severe pressure on the top of our heads while “using”. It scared us to stop but we want to start up. Anyone else have this? What is the cause & what will stop it?
June 16th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
If Deborah hasn’t found one yet, you can buy a Neti Pot at any health food store.
June 21st, 2007 at 1:16 am
Just wait until you try using a neti pot when you have a cold. The crap that comes out is ridiculous. But it will clear up your sinuses and often prevent the cold from moving down into your chest. I got over my cold in a couple days after using it.
For those wanting to prevent the whole ‘ear thing.’ I find that is often caused by tipping my head too far when performing neti. You have to get the head tilt just enough that the water drains out the nose, and not so much that it runs into the ears. Also, the pressure of blowing your nose too hard after using neti can often push stuff into your ears. Most neti pots come with instructions for some Yoga poses after you neti. These seem to help immensely with draining the water out of the sinuses, because there’s usually some still up there after using it.
June 27th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
It is all in the TILT angle of your head (how it affects ears and throat).
Also, baking soda is only needed to tone down certain types of water, as in softened water. If your passages are burning… then you’ve got too much salt. Adjust 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. – if it’s still burning, then it’s the water you’re using… try a bit of baking soda.
Sometimes I’ve breathed in my hair dryer heat to ‘dry’ my passages. Not directly mind you!
August 5th, 2007 at 1:28 am
I want to buy a neti pot. Is this the neti pot that was on Oprah?
http://www.arnoldsupplements.com/Neti_Pot_p/him-001.htm
January 1st, 2008 at 7:15 pm
My dad just tried this method with a green water bottle. He said it worked. im kind of scared of putting a big nozzle in my nose. so yea
January 2nd, 2008 at 10:43 pm
I have been using mine for about a week, week in a half, I am
having dizzy sensations, like my equilibruim is off(inner ear stuff)
but my head doesn’t hurt. They sell a cheap version of the neti at good old Wally World and it comes with 50 pre-mix solutions. It seems to help with my allergies and such. I just sound like I have a cold all the time and I am dizzier than normal,ha ha
January 6th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
hi
it says everywhere – do not use HOT or COLD water, just lukewarm water with non-iodized salt. i saw you said u used hot water!
January 20th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Hey-i cant hear well after using it a few times….i can breathe which is great…but cant hear anything!
January 26th, 2008 at 11:53 am
NeilMed has the best ever designed netipot due to cap, aperture to control the flow, perfectly angled spout and available in Porcelain (better than ceramic) as well as plastic (HDPE). Comes with 50 premixed packets and available widely at WalMart, RiteAide, Longs and major drug chain stores. In addition it gives 90 days full money back guranty. Each purchaser also receives a free patented bottle, cap and tube device upon faxing the free item form in the netipot.
May 21st, 2008 at 9:53 am
i love this thing!!!!
June 27th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Use WARM water….as close as you can to body temp. Also add 1/4 tsp of baking soda and it makes the solution much much smoother. The most important part is to expell (blow out of your nose) the fluid. I use my Neti whenever i feel any sort of sinus pressure and it makes it go away.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:49 pm
It’s a better idea to use warm (body-temperature) water, 1/4 tsp salt (not iodized salt!) added to 1/2 cup of water. Very hot water is unnecessary and uncomfortable.
September 11th, 2008 at 5:17 am
Please help me! I have been so excited to use this Neti Pot as I can barely breathe through my nose most of the time, but tonight was a terrifying experience. First of all, my sinuses are not cleared up. I actually felt the water going to my ears while trying it and it scared the crap outta me. I thought I was going to die or blow an ear drum. If it didn’t go to my ears it went to my throat. I understand that this means I am tiliting my head wrong, but how do I tilt it right?! I tried many times even when my ear made this awful sqeal sound and felt awful. I just sat down, waited for my ear to feel better and tried again…but still the same problems! Now I feel like I have water in my ears and my nose is STILL stuffed! Please help on what to do, I tried many times to do it again, but each time I was SCARED.
I so want to use this correctly and clear my sinuses. I am keeping my chin IN and tilting my head. What am I doing wrong. Sometimes it didn’t go to my ears or my throat but no water was running through my nose either. But I could feel it start to either go to my ears or throat and I’d get scared.
Is there any possibilty to seriously injure yourself or ears by doing attemting this wrong? I’m scared.
October 6th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Its going to be ok, I am having the same experience Rhea. Mostly the water going into my my ears. I feel like I my ear drum is going to burst any minute and it is scary. I feel like I could have a ear infection from letting the water sit in there to long. So make sure you do your best to get the water out of each ear every time. I love the neti pot but the pressure going up my nostrils and into my ear is scary and uncomfortable. When you insert the neti pot & you tilt your head your suppose to apply gently pressure to blow the water out your nose. It sounds like you may be applying way too much pressure when you try and blow the saline solution back out. That was what I had done & it hurts down my ear and into my neck. I blew to hard & ended up going to doctor to get treatment for my ears. You have to blow gently and tilt your head slightly forward and sideways. After you blow gently and get all the saline out, then blow your nose gently with tissues while tilting your head from side to side to get the water out of your ear. Also try pinching your noses while titling your head & close your mouth and blow to get more water out of ears. If you go to the Neti Pot website they have a video on there on how to use it. It helped me alot. I am a new user for 5 weeks now, and I swear by it. If I didn’t use it I would still have a sinus infections.. It also made the swelling go down inside my nose. It keeps me off all the horrible sinus sprays, and sinus medications. If it goes into your throat then you spit it out. If you swollow it, it won’t hurt you. Use Distilled water, warmed up. Distilled water is soft water & will break through any hard tissue to expell infection & debree. Regular tap water will burn & feel very uncomfortable. Distilled is the only thing that works for me. It also saids to use distill on the salt packets. Goodluck I hope you feel better. Be sure to check out the Neti Pot Website for the Video On How To Do It.
October 13th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I am back, and I am still using the Netti Pot, I really want to keep using it because of the stuff I have seen that has came out is worth it. However I am still having trouble with the water going into my ears. NO matter how much pressure I use or how I tilt it still does it. It is very uncomfortable & causes me to be dizzy & my neck on one side to swell & feel very tight. I have been on 2 kinds of antibiotics to clear up the ear pain, but I still feel like there is water in there? I am doing exactly what the video shows but still getting water in my ear canal. I have a deviated septum I wonder if that has anything to do with where the water goes? I also notices that my throat is uncomfortable after doing the rinse. It gets Sore, & tight. I don’t know if I can continue using the Netti Pot due to the ear symptoms but I sure would like to keep using it. If anyone has suggestions on my question please reply. Thank you
November 1st, 2008 at 1:24 pm
The instructions on my pot say if your ear tube openings happen to be enlarged they may naturally catch too much water and you may not be able to use the neti pot because of ear complications. Don’t know if this is the case with you, but if you have to be on antibiotics because of your ears because you are trying to clear up your nose, it seems your are defeating the purpose. I got mine because of years of sinus infections, but seem to have the ear problem despite triple-checking my positioning and preperation and don’t think I can use it. : (
November 1st, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I had the ear thing too and my eyes water then I watched some videos on utube and they keep their forehead above their chin so I guess just tilt your head to the side but keep it about 45 degrees to the floor, just enough for the water to flow out.
After cleaning out the garage, the woodburner, the coalburner, dusty closets, etc. Amazing what comes out…insects, wings, yucky snotty stuff…I’ll keep using mine that’s for sure.
November 1st, 2008 at 6:14 pm
I just figure its like swimming in the ocean and getting dumped to the ocean bottom in a wave crash, you know, getting all that seawater up your nose can be good so neti pot probably the same thing
December 7th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
I have been doing the neti thing for about 1 month and absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! It’s amazing (and gross) as to what can come out of your nose! But it’s incredible with how you feal after….and it is so strangly relaxing.
January 5th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
I’ve been using a neti pot for well over a year and it works extremely well. You have to stick with it though. Use distilled, warm water, the neti salt, and I also use the Varcha Verda oils made for neti pot use. My sinuses have never been better after 36 years of sinus hell. Thank god for the neti pot!
February 6th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
This is absolutely bizarre. I don’t think I could stand the sensation of the liquid running through my sinuses!
February 13th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Just curious how many times can you use the neti pot if you have a cold or a sinus infection? Is there some limited amount of uses per day when you are sick?
March 8th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
The colors of your blog really go well with each other, did you design it Yourself?
March 9th, 2009 at 9:21 am
I am frantically searching the net for how to relieve this EAR PRESSURE! I’m going DEAF — somebody throw me a bone here! The neti was like an elucid miracle for a couple days, then I got a little overzealous in the shower with it, and my ears are completely clogged since yesterday. I mean — I am GOING DEAF. I have chronic sinus problems, esp. now that I’m pregnant, and now I am deaf too. This is special. PLEASE — someone tell me how to relieve the ear pressure. I had to skip work today!
March 29th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Hi there,
Where can we buy the Neti pot and the non-iodized solution here in China?
We are currently living in Wuxi and want to buy it here, but could not find it yet.
Can someone please help?
Regards
May 31st, 2009 at 2:16 pm
The best information I’ve found on Neti pot use is at the following link:
http://www.jalanetipot.com/index.html
It’s full of good information (written by someone who is not profiting from the website or selling pots, etc.).
September 8th, 2009 at 2:28 am
I had surgery for my deviated septum 3 months ago. I started using the neti pot a month ago and since then I’ve been having dizzy and off balance issues. I’ve also had pain in my neck on the left side. The first few times I blew my nose far to hard and felt it in my ear. The next day I nearlypassed out from the dizziness. It’s been off and on and I stopped using the neti pot for a week or so but the dizziness got worse. I’ve been using it again for the last week and the Dr gave me some pills for vertigo the last few days has been better but off and on still. I had my ears flushed as I thought that might be the problem but was still dizzy after that.
Any suggestions?
October 1st, 2009 at 8:55 am
My wife has used the pot for almost a year, and it has cleared up her ear and sinus problems. I bought one as well, but I was always scared to use it. Yesterday, I felt like I might be catching a cold, so I wanted to try it. (When my wife gets a cold and uses the neti pot, it’s always very minor, and she’s back to normal in a couple of days). I was impressed how easy it was to do. I think I might have blown a little too hard my first time. Also, I still had water draining out up to 15 minutes later (a LOT once when I bent over), so I’ve now learned on the web how to drain them better and dry them out. However, beginning about an hour after I did it, I feel dizzy… and still feel dizzy this morning. I’m debating on whether doing it again yet. I don’t feel like I’m catching a cold now, but I don’t want to end up with some type of chronic dizzy spell just from using a damn neti pot either!
October 1st, 2009 at 8:56 am
And by the way, my wife uses the neti pot twice per day, every day. She’s a cosmetologist, and it helps flush out all the chemicals from the salon she used to be allergic to.
October 21st, 2009 at 7:51 am
Learned lots about the neti, but I gotta say some of your art friends especially aaron, lisa and zlad are amazing
October 30th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Has anyone tried the Navage Nasal Hygiene System? It is the modern version of the neti pot.
December 14th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
LOL sometimes people make this seem like it’s so difficult but in truth its very simple to use and refreshing. Even my son uses it and he stated when he was 5yrs old. He is now 7… almost 8.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:06 am
the neti pot is best for nasal problem, with out medicen you will get wright, if you belif.
but in my i could not find it .and i am useing cattle, it works
February 8th, 2010 at 12:05 am
I have lived with this feeling of a blockage of something in my throat which made me constantly try to cough it up, suck up and then try to get this nagging feeling out of my throat I absolutely hated it, not to mention it was very unlady like. The first time I used the neti pot I went through out the day feeling as if a mircle took place!! The continuous runny nose, the nagging throat problem GONE- needless to say I have been very committed to using the neti pot daily, I try to do it early am & then again at bed time. So, I used it last night and then this morning I woke up this morning with the worst pain in my ear- when I gently blow my nose I hear it squeak- may I add, painfully squeak and it really hurts. What do I do to feel better? I have read the above comments and will try some of the correct methods of using the neti pot. First though I need to rid the pain from my ear.
Any suggestions??!!
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