Neti Pot Nose Nuisance

December 11, 2006 7:38 PM

Neti pot users- what am I doing wrong?

I got a neti pot a few days ago. I am primarily using it for nasal irritation due to the heating in my building, and general cold weather nose crappiness that happens to me. I am not stuffed up, per se, so I am not backing the water up into my sinuses.

Although I sort of have the technique down (at least I think I do- I did use one a few years ago in my yoga class, but that was once), I am getting that "snarfed too much pool water" feeling, and it has not really gone away. I do lean forward pretty far, and tilt my head so one nostril is above the other. I do the whoofing afterwards to clear out the water, and then a minute or so later, touch my toes.

I am using an even 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt in 8 oz. of warmed water. Is this just a process that my nasal passages will get used to? If not, what am I doing wrong?

posted by oflinkey to Health & Fitness (12 answers total)

Have you tried using water that doesn't have chlorine in it? Distilled water is pretty cheap, and feels very different to me.
posted by dilettante at 7:42 PM on December 11, 2006

I also use baking soda in my water. The ratio's about 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp baking soda to 8 oz water. Might help. (As for distilled, I don't, but I generally boil it and then let it cool.)
posted by cobaltnine at 7:46 PM on December 11, 2006

Try using more salt. I usually get that feeling when the packet had too little salt in it, oddly enough - you'd think it was the opposite. You could try using less, too, I guess if that doesn't work, but I bet it's either the salt you're using or the quantity of it.
posted by kcm at 7:53 PM on December 11, 2006

You're not tilting your head right. It should just drain out your nose on both sides, and you should only get that snarfing feeling if you swallow while you're doing it. The best way to approximate this is to lean over the sink and put your forehead on the top of the basin, then turning so that your nose is parallel to the counter top. From this point, tilt the top of your head down and your chin up very slowly as you're pouring into the top nostril.
It takes some practice, but it's worth it. I no longer need to have a real neti pot, I can even use an empty evian bottle if I'm in a bind.
posted by lilithim at 8:03 PM on December 11, 2006

Kosher salt still has additives that may be irritating you. Try pickling salt, or go to a store that sells neti pots and get salt from them
posted by Dipsomaniac at 8:31 PM on December 11, 2006

Seconding the baking soda! My naturopath/acupuncturist recommended it to me.

I mix 1 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp baking soda with the water I need for BOTH nostrils.
posted by jaruwaan at 12:43 AM on December 12, 2006

I second getting the pre-measured neti salt things. I know it seems like you should be able to use just plain kosher salt, and maybe some people are able to, but it just baffles and escapes me. Thirding or whatever using not-tap water - the "pool water" effect sounds like chlorine to me.
posted by Medieval Maven at 3:35 AM on December 12, 2006

I'd agree with too little salt. You are looking to match sea water. A litttle baking soda is nice. Make sure the H20 is warm. Cold water can be painful.
posted by Classic Diner at 5:13 AM on December 12, 2006

I'd use a BIT more salt. I use a slightly heaped teaspoon in my 15oz. stainless steel neti pot. We use morton's NON IODIZED salt, works just fine, no stinging. A 1/4tsp baking soda is thrown in during the winter (when my nasal passages are more sensitive).

If you're getting an "I just inhaled water through my nose" burning feeling, you're probably not using enough salt. Normal tap water, with the correct amount of salt, shouldn't feel like anything but warm fluid running through your nose.
posted by Merdryn at 8:03 AM on December 12, 2006

Incidentally, it's not likely that much, if any, water gets into your sinuses (have you seen a 3D model of your sinuses?). Neti is good for clearing our your nasal passages, and in some cases, the vortex created by water moving past the entrance to your sinuses may help dissolve blockages there.

Some people swear by pulsatile irrigation, and it does have a higher chance of flushing water through your sinuses
posted by Merdryn at 8:21 AM on December 12, 2006

I don't lean my head forward too much. I lean over the sink, look straight at the mirror in front of me, and tilt my head either left or right. I've noticed though that if I tilt my head too far over, I sometimes get water in my ear canal.

Agreed also on the fact that you must have the salt mixture right. Too much or too little makes it burn.

You might also check out this or this (Gah. Cheesey.).
posted by MrToad at 11:31 AM on December 12, 2006

i tried this in the past and found it too much trouble. luckily i read somewhere that the point was simply to introduce a small amount of saline + water into the nasal passages for cleansing (they recommended emptying an ordinary nasal-spray bottle and refilling with saline solution, but this proved problematic). pouring water from a neti-pot was just the only method available to ancient yogis.

now i use simply saline...you can control the amount so you shouldn't have the problem of clogging or retention; i find a couple of blasts twice a day works great.
posted by jjsonp at 3:20 PM on December 12, 2006