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have any of you gals used a neti pot?? i have terrible congestion right now, and no amount of drugs are working! i have had a neti pot for years, tried it a few times, but always freak out/panic when the water is about to hit my nose. im FREAKING out but i really want to try it because people swear by it!
anybody try this before? any advice??
I use it, it is kind of like snorkeling, breathe with your mouth. I love it and it has made a really big difference, I get over sinus issues faster. Just do it, the first time is the hardest, but it is really easy, maybe look for a video of someone doing it on you tube. I saw Dr Oz have an audience member do it and it made it look so easy that I just did it.
I don't have a neti-pot but my homeopath suggested using a dropper. I found a medicine dropper in my first aid kit, and used salt water. I just tilted my head to the side and slowly released until it was gone. Supposedly salt water can rinse away up to 90% of the germs that are causing a sinus infection.
I have one. I don't feel all that comfortable when I use it, and afterwards, I feel exactly like I did when I was a kid and got water up my nose while swimming. However, I have friends who swear by the neti pot. I do hear that you're supposed to use it routinely to get the best benefit, and only using it every once in a while when you are really congested doesn't really help all that much.
I have chronic sinusitis. This results in the most horrific recurring sinus infections that will take me out for at least a week. The only thing that has EVER helped is a netipot. I 100% recommend them. I use it the moment I feel my sinuses closing or after I am around something I am allergic to (perfume, bleach, etc.). I use it preventatively whenever I feel a reaction in my sinus. Staying ahead of the game is my key. But yes, they are a little awkward, but completely worth it.
I have no connection to making any money from this-but this is the best stuff that Ihave found for sinus congestion, ALKALOL. It is a soothing nasal wash, (dissolves mucus-sorry TMI, ) works great!! You can also use it for gargle. I order it at the pharmacy and it come in a day or two. I try to never run out!! I started getting chronic sinus infections but I haven't had a sinus infection since I started using it over 10 years ago. It is a god-send!!! It was $6.00 for a 16 oz fluid bottle-and it lasts for a very l-o-n-g time. If I don't want to use it neti-pot way, I put a little bit in a plastic yogurt cup and put it in the microwave for a few seconds, and then cup my hands around the cup and bring it up to my nose to breath it in. AMAZING STUFF!!!
I LOVE my neti pot. I use it for seasonal allergies and it works just as good as allergy medicine, without any side effects. Yes, the first few times are a little awkward, but you do get used to it. Now I could do it in my sleep. Just breathe out your mouth and be sure that the salt to water ratio is correct, as well as the water temperature. Warm, but not hot. It really does help allergies and sinus problems and colds!!!
i just tried using it in the shower since i thought since my face would already be wet from the shower, it would be less scary. i still couldnt do it! i filled it up, put it to my nose, but couldnt get myself to tilt the water into my nose.
i feel like such a failure and i want so badly for this congestion to go away, but i'm too much of a wimp to use this neti! its getting such rave reviews but i cant get my courage up to do it :( my SO was in the shower with me too, he tried using it and it was fine. but i still couldn't bring myself to use it
Aghhhhh.. *ashamed*
@sugarcube: I vote to try using it. I was against using the one my mom got me for a few years until I had major conjestion. It worked wonders. I use it all the time now when I feel stuffed up.
would it work if i'm really congested right now? or does the congestion block the path of the water?
i'm waiting for someone to get out of the bathroom so i can give it another go.. eek!
@sugarcube: Sometimes if you are too congested, the water will not flow through. That is a bummer. Also, I had the genie pot kind which was ok, but then I got the squirt bottle kind and it is better and easier. Sometimes I felt like I was drowning with the genie bottle kind...like self inflicted water boarding. Not cool.
This is the one I use! http://www.neilmed.com/usa/sinusrinse.php Seriously, its changed my life...no more sinus infections, hooray!
My mom has and she loves it. I just can't bring myself to put fluid UP my nose. Usually when that happens it is pretty painful so the idea of doing it on purpose (even if it isnt going to hurt) is just more than I can handle.
@Ms Hedgehog: that is exactly how i feel! before i tilt the pot up, i can just imagine that terrible drowning/choking on water feeling, then i freak out and put the pot down. haha :)
@magic: oh, poop. i'm really congested on one side, and not the other. i just tried it again, and it *kind of* worked, but that could be because 1. im too congested or 2. im too big of a wimp to give it a real go. i have the same brand! but i have the flowerpot looking one
ETA: i just tried it again! and it worked! I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF :D it did feel like i was about to choke on water, but not actually choking.. if that makes any sense. just a weird watery-pressure up there. it did clear up my congestion for about 10 minutes, then it started creeping back.. now i'm back to the beginning again. is this normal? do i just need to use it more? i have congestion due to the cold, not to allergies.. or does this pot only work to prevent infections? eep.
Yay!! I remember the first time I was nervous, too! I think since your congestion is so bad right now, the lasting effect won't be as long, but I would do it 1-2 times a day and I bet within a day or two you should find relief. Also, as others mentioned above, the next time you have the start of some congestion, use it right away and that should help nip it in the bud. But good job! It only gets easier from here. As I said before, the first few times were awkward, but now it's a cinch. Hope it helps you after a few more times!
thanks for all the support! it really helped me get over my fears. i wanted to do it so bad so i could come back here and say 'i did it!' :)
i did it once more at night. i can only get myself to do it for a 10 second rinse per side, but hey.. its a start! i panicked a bit the last time though, and think i got some water in my ear. ick. hope that clears up soon...
i'm going to keep at this! i am determined.. hopefully i can come back here in a day or two and say that i'm over my cold. the effects only lasted about 10 minutes again, then my nose actually seemed MORE stuffy afterwards. ergh. i'm hoping i'll work up the nerve tomorrow to do it two more times!
@Jenn23: what does it feel like for you? i always feel a slight water-chokey-feeling with the water up there in my nose.. but those i've talked to say its supposed to feel "flowy" and soothing. it does NOT feel like that at all! did this happen for you in the beginning? or maybe i'm doing it wrong?
I get the water up your nose from swimming feeling every once in a while, but usually bc I want to look in the mirror and pull my head up too much. If your head is at the right angel, it just flows and doesn't feel like you got water up your nose. keep practicing, I am super impressed that you did it! It will clear me up for a while, but if I'm sick it takes a few days to clear it all out. I think that it is a preventative thing too, I can kind of tell when I'm about to get sick and will start using it then.
@sugarcube: Is the water temperature warm enough? I know it stings a bit if the water is too cold. I don't feel a "choking" sensation, though. It really feels just fine (no pain or weird feelings) when I do it. I would just keep at it! Keep trying. I really love mine!
thanks everyone!
i just did it two more times today :)
it's definitely getting a lot less scary! before, i would pick up the pot, put it down. pick it up, put it down.. til i built up the courage to actually TIP the pot! but now i think i've cut down that "prep" period to about 2 minutes - its an improvement from 3 hours, lol
there's no stinging when it goes through (thank goodness, i dont think i could handle pain AND drown-y feelings). but sometimes, i still feel like i'm drowning, especially in the opposite nostril i'm putting the water through. like the top of the opposite nostril feels like i just snorted some water, ick. i wonder what i'm doing wrong! but i'm a little too nervous to really re-angle my head significantly when the water is flowing to figure out a better position. the last time i did that, i swallowed a whole bunch of salt water. i'm too preoccupied remembering to breathe and not freak out and inhale through my nose to do much else, haha
i'm hoping i figure out the real way to do it soon, or i just get used to this chokey feeling. any tips on head positioning would be GREATLY appreciaited! i did a quick google search and they just had generic "lean over sink. turn head sideways." type deal - no answers to "i still feel like im drowning in half my face" :(
sudafed + neti seems to be battling the congestion though! yay for that!!
@Jenn23:i'm so jealous that it feels fine when you do it! i have to mentally prepare myself for that weird drowny feeling when i do mine. water still goes through fine, no stinging, but i still feel like i'm drowning (usually from the opposite nostril). any pro tips would be very very welcome!
YES!! But don't get the tea pot version. That's child's play. Get the one that looks like a squirt bottle. Careful not to use it when you're VERY stopped up, though. Sometimes it can make it worse. The neti pot is a miracle worker!
Oh--And breathe through your mouth everyone!! Remember to do that and the weird drowny feeling will be much improved!!
i'm so determined to do this right!! i am partly congested year-round due to dust allergies, so i think that if i continue to neti after i get over this nasty cold, i'll be a muc happier breather :)
i just tried it again - still the darn drowning feeling up in my nose! i watched a few youtube videos on how to do it, but its hard to tell what angle theyre leaning over sometimes since they usually film straight-on, in the mirror. i do remember to breathe out of my mouth the entire time, and nothing gets in my ears or throat. so at least i'm doing it partly right.. i'm hoping to get rid of the drowning sensation though.
can anyone please please tell me what head angle/tilt (in detail, please!) works for them? so i can avoid this drowny feeling?? i tried googling it, but all i got was that its not supposed to feel like you're drowning .. sigh.
love the neti love in here! hehe
@MissHoneyBun:i've heard some people really prefer the squirt bottle version! i'm snowed in at the moment, but i'd definitely be willing to go and get one soon if it reduces the drowning sensation (besides the fact i'm plain old doing it wrong, lol). why do you like the squirt bottle better? more water pressure? less tilting? it looks scarier to me!
@sugarcube: There's more pressure to clear out the crap better. When I tried the tea pot it was just this tiny trickle that did nothing.
I also like the NeilMed squirt bottle type. For me it is much easier to use and it works good.
@sugarcube: I know I'm a bit late in the game here, but I work for a sinus surgeon and we get pretty much all of our patients to use the squirt bottle. We prefer the Sinus Rinse because the cap is easy to get a good seal with. Like MissHoneyBun said, you get a better result from positive pressure irrigation than with the neti pot, because it can more effectively displace the mucus.
Also, if you use a squirt bottle it's over faster!
I know it's intimidating when you first start doing it, but once you get the hang of it, it really makes things feel better :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezPwORqlMwo ehehehe
This has already been said, but breathing through your mouth, or even holding your breath, will stop the water from going down the back of your nose. The goal is to get most of the irrigated solution out the other nostril so make sure you keep your head tilted down in the sink!
If you use a decongestant spray for a few days in conjunction with irrigation (not sure if Drixine is sold in the US), it might help to open your nose back up.
PS>. not a doctor, not medical advice, if you're dying go to hospital, yada yada. :)
Oh, and also, you might be able to get rid of the drowny sensation if you sort of do a big honk after the water washes out... kind of like what surfers do when they're dumped by a wave. I know if I'm a bit blocking and do a wash, I need to do a pretty big blow to clear my head.
And one more thing, definitely keep using it once every couple of days after your cold clears up! The saline rinse can really help with the allergy stuff if you get itchy and runny nose.
@so_said_ellie:i'll go out and get that squirt bottle when the snow clears up! it might take me another 3-hour prep period to psych myself up to use this new type of sinus rinse, though haha
@MissHoneyBun: I second this. The teapot ones are lame... I'd say for maintenance or something. When I had a sinus infection, I had the squirt bottle one and my lord... what came out of my nose nearly made me gag.
I still find them kind of uncomfortable/awkward, but swear by them. If you do a big nose-blow after, be careful. When I blow mine hard after using, my ears pop really bad. Owch.
i just tried it again (teapot version). still feel like i have pool water up my nose, but at least.. i'm getting used to that sensation? i'm really really hoping that i can figure out how to do it right. haha, i feel like this thread is a neti pot saga~!
i'm a little sick of that drowny feeling though. oh, and being sick too :(
thanks for all the advice ladies!
@sugarcube: Sorry you didn't have any luck with the neti pot. Hey, at least you tried! Hopefully, this squirt bottle will work. I just started using my neti pot again this morning. I have bad seasonal allergies and they are just starting to act up. I'll use it 2x a day for the next few months. I hope you are feeling better!
i've heard great things, but i am terrified of using one... i just can't do it. the drowning feeling would make me freak. out.
LOVE THE NETI POT!!!
Seriously. Love it. I just used it the first time this winter when I had a terrible cold and sinus infection. I used it twice a day for 3 or 4 days and it helped SO much. love love loe
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