Using a Neti Pot to Alleviate and Relieve Nasal Congestion

I personally suffer from constant congestion and mucous in my nose & throat. It is absolutely unbearable, uncomfortable, and both prescription and OTC medications of all kinda offer little to no relief. The only thing I have found to help alleviate and reduce my congestion and get rid of the mucous is a neti pot!

A neti pot is a nasal irrigator that looks like a tea pot. It is a natural way to reduce, eliminate, and alleviate congestion. Nasal irrigation has been around for thousands of years and is a natural, non-medicinal way to eliminate congestion.

You fill the neti pot with saline solution, pour it through one nostril, it comes out the other nostril, and forces out all mucus, dust, and pollen inside your nasal cavities.

Using a neti pot can alleviate the following:

--Allergies
--Sinusitis
--Cold/Flu Congestion
--Rhinitis of Pregnancy
--Asthma
--Nasal Polyposis
--Any Other Forms of Congestion

Step 1:
A neti pot is a form of nasal irrigation in which you pour saline solution into one nostril and it comes out the other. This may seem "gross" but anyone who suffers from severe congestion knows how gross that is and this is a great & effective solution.

You can obtain a neti pot at most drugstores and pharmacies. A popular brand is SinuCleanse, but CVS even has store-brand neti pots. You will find them in a box in the allergy/cold section.

Step 2:
Your neti pot should come with saline solution packages. Pour one of these packages into the neti pot and fill the neti pot with warm water.

NOTE: You want the water to be as close to body temperature as possible, anything that is too hot or too cold will be incredibly uncomfortable. I have also found that too cold sometimes is not as effective at nasal irrigation either.

Step 3:
Stir the contents of the neti pot with a spoon (one should have come with your neti pot) to ensure that all of the saline solution has disolved.

NOTE: The salt from the solution can sting if everything isn't fully dissolved.

Step 4:
You want your head to be above either a sink or a bath tub and tilt it to the side. You then put the spout of the neti pot on the top nostril and begin to pour the saline solution into your nose. The solution should then pour out of your other nostril and into the sink, bringing any mucous, phlegm, dust, pollen, and germs that may have been trapped in your nasal cavities with it.

NOTE: Make sure to keep your mouth open and breathing while doing this. If you don't keep your mouth open and breath some of the saline solution may trickle down your throat which can be uncomfortable.

Step 5:
Repeat steps 2-4 using your other nostril.

Step 6:
Once you have finished, you want to get any remaining liquid out of your nasal cavities. Do this by blowing out of your nose without holding either of your nostrils closed--that will cause the liquid to be forced up into parts of your nasal cavity that it is difficult to get it out of and difficult to dry.

You may also want to bend down and shake your head around to get some of the remaining liquid out.

Step 7:
You can use your neti pot anytime you are congested to push all of the mucus out. It's also recommended to use nasal irrigation twice a day (morning & night--when you brush your teeth) to prevent congestion and remove dust and pollen from your nasal cavaties.

Step 8:
You should rinse your neti pot after each use and run it through the dishwasher about once a week to make sure that it remains clean. You should also store it away in a cabinet so that it does not get dust, etc... inside of it.

One last tip:
Sometimes I am so congested that saline solution from the neti pot won't run through my nasal cavities right away. If you're patient and allow gravity to do its job, most times it will eventually push through all that yucky mucus up inside your nose. Sometimes you have to switch sides to the other nostril and force it from the other direction. Some other times it is so bad that the force of the gravity isn't enough--for that I've found an electronic nasal irrigator, but it's pricey. If you're new to nasal irrigation and nasal lavage, I suggest starting out with the low priced neti pot. It's certainly worth it. After the very first time I used it, I was amazed at how easier I could breathe & that I had been spending so much of my life without being able to fully breathe.