My Neti Pot Experience

I finally brought myself to try it.  It just seemed so .. I don't know .. icky.  However, I got tired of feeling bad so I stuck that little mini tea pot looking thing up to my nose and poured. Yeah.  Can you believe it?  Truth is neti pots have grown in popularity partly due to the crazy thing being featured on the Oprah Show.  I didn't see it but heard about it months later.  " 'Dr. Oz says the device can help clear mucus from your sinuses using warm saltwater. 'It's actually filling up those little nooks and crannies that you have and allowing your body to evacuate that stuff so you can actually begin to function normally.' "  Hmm... "filling up those little nooks and crannies" ... with saltwater?  

Why in the world would anyone do this?  Here.. check out this demo: neti pot. Looks pretty crazy, doesn't it?  Well, I've had a lot of sinus headaches this summer. Headaches and facial puffiness.  After I researched all the benefits I had to give it a try. I've flushed my sinuses every day since ... well ... it's only been a little over a week but so far so good! 

There are many benefits for this kind of practice.  To list it all here will make this post too long.  Suffice it to say that sinus flushing or nasal irrigation can be a natural, inexpensive healing solution for sinus/allergy issues.  And it can help fight off colds and flues.  I read many testimonies that support this.  

(I'll be posting links for more information including benefits shortly.)

As for testimonies, the thing I couldn't find is what people experienced when they first started ... cause I had some crazy things go on.  I searched to see if my experiences were normal.  I found nothing.  So I'm sharing in case someone else experiences the same thing and wants to know if it's normal ... well... I don't know if it was all normal but it was my experience.

First of all, it doesn't hurt like getting water up your nose when you swim.  It's a bit curious when you start pouring and the solution doesn't come out right away.  It takes a few seconds for the "nooks and crannies" to fill.  Once they do then out it comes the other side.

Then, all I can share with you is that I could sure tell I had crud up in my sinuses cause it certainly stirred it up.  I sneezed and coughed (no, I didn't choke!).  My throat and inner ear tickled (I make an absurd noise to take care of that :) ).  It felt like allergies kicking up a bit.  I'd get a short term headache.  Sometimes I'd feel like I was on the edge of catching a cold.  I wondered if I had a dormant virus that I also kicked up.  I don't know but it went away.  It was just crazy the first couple of days.  Since I couldn't find information about my experience I decided that I would just keep going. I want to give it a good 30 days.

Now don't be gettin' all discouraged or scared to try nasal flushing.  It really isn't that bad and, once you get the hang of it, it does feel good.  I've only being at this for just a little over a week and those crazy symptoms have greatly subsided.  I can breath so clean and clearly through my nose. It feels fabulous.  I don't have the facial puffiness as much as I did.  My sinus headaches are already less.  All I can say is that so far I'm a believer.  

For more reading: Nasal Irrigation Can Help Fight Spring Allergies

                              Neti Pot Starter Kit

                              Why Nasal Wash

P.S.  This is not to replace medical care.  If you need to see the doc... do it!