Neti pot users?

bassteban · #1 12-22-2010, 12:26 PM

Searched; nothin. A friend suggested one of these deals, a small teapot-like vessel for directing steam/vapors up the schnoz, to clear sinus cavities.
Can I hear from the *voice of experience*?

R. Laevinus · #2 12-22-2010, 12:32 PM

Mixerman apparently swears by 'em. I occaisionally will flush my sinuses with good, old-fashioned tap water (usually when I'm trying to listen to a new mix after smoking 15+ Marlies while doing the mixing), and I think it helps quite a bit - but I don't see why I should spend money on a gadget that can't do anything I can't already do with a faucet and my hands.

taquitos43 · #3 12-22-2010, 12:34 PM

My fiance uses one almost everyday. She swears by it!

relwof · #4 12-22-2010, 12:50 PM

voice of experience : meh, so so. Helps a little. Pro : very gentle, not likely to cause any tissue damage (using a mild solution - don't pour acid up your schnoz...) Con : very gentle, doesn't do so well for deep cleaning...

OTOH, I've been using various nasal irrigation tips with Waterpiks for years. Very effective, sometimes scarily so (THAT came outa my NOSE????!!!!!). You might want to talk to an ENT specialist before using one (I started based on "doctor's orders"...). But it's fairly simple - make your own saline solution with salt and pure (filtered, not tap) warm water and go to it. Start with very low pressure settings, gradually add more as you get used to it. And always rinse your system (reservoir/pump/etc) thoroughly (just run straight warm water through it - NO SALT) when you're done, as leaving saltwater in it can mess up your waterpik.

And FWIW, even with a neti pot I would recommend avoiding tap-water - chlorine and various other goodies might help keep the bugs out, but they also can irritate sensitive sinus linings (so can too much salt in the solution).

trainwrecker · #5 12-22-2010, 12:51 PM

you can find them in the drug/ear/nose/eye care section of any large store like Target or WalMart. There is one called netimed and it comes with the salt-solutions that you mix with heated distilled water and rinse your sinus canals. It kills bacteria and germs that cause problems when you get sick with colds. They work well, but takes some getting use to. Not the most attractive thing to talk about I guess

bassteban · #6 12-22-2010, 12:57 PM

Excellent- thanks all. I spent a few years in cabinetmaking, and would snort hot water in the shower, hold it for a few seconds & blow it out to dislodge excess sawdust, so I don't(or at least didn't, 15+yrs ago)have a problem w/stuff up my nose.
If I can find a cheap one I might try it- I've had a very annoying, very snotty cold for a couple of days & would love not to wake up needing to blow a quart of green, slow-setting superglue out my trunk.

warwick.hoy · #7 12-22-2010, 12:58 PM

The wife and I have one and it just collects dust.

My understanding is you actually pour the saline solution into your nose and it is supposed to drain out the other side. Don't quote me on that since I've never actually used it.

Maybe I'll try it out after some research and report back to you.

SonicBlueJoe · #8 12-22-2010, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

My understanding is you actually pour the saline solution into your nose and it is supposed to drain out the other side. Don't quote me on that since I've never actually used it.

That's right. My wife uses regularly; me only when I have a cold. I find it helpful; provides some relief from congestion and I think it helps alleviate cold symptoms a little quicker.

hover · #9 12-22-2010, 08:03 PM

I have used neti-pots in the past, and they work somewhat decently for me, now I am using a nasal steroid as my eustacian tube is not draining correctly and have been having ear / oral problems...in effort to dilate / drain the sinuses. Soon as that clears up (if ever), I'm back to the neti pot.

bongomania · #10 12-22-2010, 08:04 PM

I used to use a neti pot, and liked it OK, but mixing up the right saline solution recipe was always kind of a PITA. And using plain tap water will tend to cause a bad burning sensation in your sinuses... fine if you're a feel-no-pain macho man, but no fun for the rest of us.

I recently went to a nose doc and she recommended a product called Neil Med, which is a plastic squeeze bottle with a nostril-fitted tip, that comes with a bunch of pre-weighed doses of the perfect saline powder. Just fill the squeeze bottle with tepid water, pour in a dose packet, and go. The thing about the squeeze bottle is it forces the saline all the way up into the back of your sinuses and even back into your throat a little bit, whereas the neti pot only works by gravity, so it doesn't clean out the whole works. Also the squeeze bottle puts out higher pressure, so it is like a power sprayer compared to the gentle wash of the neti pot's gravity flow.

I dig it! It's super effective, and much less hassle and discomfort compared to a neti pot. Costco has a big package of Neil Med for a pretty cheap price, too.

**Mark Wilson** · #11 12-22-2010, 08:23 PM

I don't use the pot, but I use the alternative to it, which is just a pump thing that pushes water with some mix in it, into your nasal cavity, and out the other nostril.

At first... meh. You see some OBVIOUS junk pouring out of your face, but I didn't find myself to be able to be breathe better... until I kept up with it every day for a while.

If you keep up with it, it'll do wonders, IMO.

**Pacman** · #12 12-22-2010, 08:57 PM

I use mine all the time. I love it

Tim Cole · #13 12-22-2010, 10:10 PM

As directed, highly recommended.

KsPiNeSh · #14 12-23-2010, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Wilson

I don't use the pot, but I use the alternative to it, which is just a pump thing that pushes water with some mix in it, into your nasal cavity, and out the other nostril.

At first... meh. You see some OBVIOUS junk pouring out of your face, but I didn't find myself to be able to be breathe better... until I kept up with it every day for a while.

If you keep up with it, it'll do wonders, IMO.

Yeah, I strongly prefer the squeezable ones too. Regular neti pots are alright, but I like getting some oomph behind it

beelzelboss · #15 12-23-2010, 04:39 PM

I use something that is very similar, but instead of letting it drain into my noise, I squeeze a bottle and force the water up in there.

They are *amazing* Whenever I get sick as far as a cold or a runny nose, that thing clears it up within a few hours.

WickedPissah · #16 12-23-2010, 06:01 PM

In my experience, these things are pretty phenomenal.

**line6man** · #17 12-23-2010, 06:09 PM

I've never heard of a Neti Pot, but I just googled. So it's like a nose enema?

SystemsCreation · #18 12-23-2010, 06:17 PM

I've used one and it helped, until I had to use it everyday the last few weeks.

Turns out I had a bad sinus infection so the doc put me on amoxycillin. Just make sure nothing else is going on in your body that might need medical attention.

coreyfyfe · #19 12-23-2010, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warwick.hoy

My understanding is you actually pour the saline solution into your nose and it is supposed to drain out the other side. Don't quote me on that since I've never actually used it.

That's the basic premise but it won't work the first time around without some pushing. The wife and I got one because my mom swears by it for her sinus trouble and we used it like twice. It helps for about 20 minutes then all the snot comes back.

Bevo1995 · #20 12-23-2010, 08:00 PM

I prefer Guaifenesin and Kleenex.