Please come in if you netti pot or nasal flush regularly

[Deleted]

Tell me about it. I hate, hate, hate, putting stuff (especially liquids) up my nose, but I swear I'm getting more sinus issues with the super crappy air here.

H keeps telling me to do sinus flushes, but the thought of it makes me queasy.

So tell me on a scale of 1 to waterboarding how bad is it? When do you do it? How often? Do you really think it helps? Calm my fears please.

[mkate710]

I've done it a few times and probably should do it more often. I also HATE water up my nose and I hate doing this. It makes me gaggy. But it really really does help and when I do it I'm always happy with how much better I feel.

[MrsPotatohead]

I also hate water up my nose (confession: I still have to hold my nose if I jump in water...), but to me this feels totally different. I use it a lot when I have a cold, but not otherwise. When you're stuffy it's the BEST. It just feels so good to clean it all out and you can breath so much better. My tips:

- buy the neti pot and the salt packs, I've never gotten the salt concentration right without the little pre-measured packets and the pot has fill lines so it's fool proof.

- you have to lean over and get your head as upside down as possible almost, this prevents the drowning feeling and having it go the wrong way (like down your throat). When you do it right, it's a very passive thing - you put it up to one nostril, pour and it comes out the other one.

- I do the right side, blow your nose, then the left side, blow your nose... back and forth until you finish the pot. Sometimes you think you're done early, but keep going because often there's still more!

*I have no idea how this works if you do it on a regular basis and aren't stuffy

ALSO fun fact, I guess there was a study done that says the Neti Pot is just as effective at getting rid of sinus infections as antibiotics! I haven't taken antibiotics for a sinus infection in years (which my body appreciates because it messes me up anyway).

[alias]

I don't do it regularly b/c I don't like doing it, but it works great and I have constant sinus issues. I should put in my big girl panties and do it more often.

[Deleted]

I'll be honest, the first time or two I did it, I had a little panic but fought it down. Watch youtube videos a bunch and practice the head tilt without the water a few times. But really, it helps soooo much!! I'll do it when I have bad sinus pain but am not really clogged as its soothes the inflamed sinus passages and the relief is sooo good.

[Deleted]

Oh, *ALWAYS* use distilled water!! Or if not, boil the hell out of water first and then let it cool down enough to use. DO NOT use straight from a tap and just heat in the microwave or whatever.

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2014 13:24:43 GMT -5 @ksta said:

Oh, *ALWAYS* use distilled water!! Or if not, boil the hell out of water first and then let it cool down enough to use. DO NOT use straight from a tap and just heat in the microwave or whatever.

Sorry, this is really dumb, but is distilled water like brita water? Bottled water? Other special water?

[MrsPotatohead]

Dec 10, 2014 13:34:52 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

Dec 10, 2014 13:24:43 GMT -5 @ksta said:

Oh, *ALWAYS* use distilled water!! Or if not, boil the hell out of water first and then let it cool down enough to use. DO NOT use straight from a tap and just heat in the microwave or whatever.

Sorry, this is really dumb, but is distilled water like brita water? Bottled water? Other special water?

I think filtered or boiled is ok - I will just boil it, add it to dissolve the salt and let it cool off (or if I'm in a hurry I'll mix in filtered water from the fridge)

Basically, it's because there is this one parasite that can go in your brain HOWEVER it is extremely uncommon, especially here - it needs to grow in warm water (I think most cases are related to swimming) etc and cases are very rare.  My mom started rinsing her sinuses 25 years ago (the old fashioned way by sucking it up her nose and spitting out her mouth, eww - old neighbor lady taught her how) and never filtered it.  Not to say you shouldn't take every precaution, just wanted to say you shouldn't worry too much about it.

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2014 13:38:46 GMT -5 MrsPotatohead said:

Dec 10, 2014 13:34:52 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

Sorry, this is really dumb, but is distilled water like brita water? Bottled water? Other special water?

I think filtered or boiled is ok - I will just boil it, add it to dissolve the salt and let it cool off (or if I'm in a hurry I'll mix in filtered water from the fridge)

Basically, it's because there is this one parasite that can go in your brain HOWEVER it is extremely uncommon, especially here - it needs to grow in warm water (I think most cases are related to swimming) etc and cases are very rare.  My mom started rinsing her sinuses 25 years ago (the old fashioned way by sucking it up her nose and spitting out her mouth, eww - old neighbor lady taught her how) and never filtered it.  Not to say you shouldn't take every precaution, just wanted to say you shouldn't worry too much about it.

0_o

*insert the nope, nope, nope octopus gif here*

[MrsPotatohead]

Dec 10, 2014 13:42:52 GMT -5 @uwhuskygirl said:

Dec 10, 2014 13:38:46 GMT -5 MrsPotatohead said:

I think filtered or boiled is ok - I will just boil it, add it to dissolve the salt and let it cool off (or if I'm in a hurry I'll mix in filtered water from the fridge)

Basically, it's because there is this one parasite that can go in your brain HOWEVER it is extremely uncommon, especially here - it needs to grow in warm water (I think most cases are related to swimming) etc and cases are very rare.  My mom started rinsing her sinuses 25 years ago (the old fashioned way by sucking it up her nose and spitting out her mouth, eww - old neighbor lady taught her how) and never filtered it.  Not to say you shouldn't take every precaution, just wanted to say you shouldn't worry too much about it.

0_o

*insert the nope, nope, nope octopus gif here*

I know, I know.  You'll be fine if you use water that was boiled (sometimes I'll use the water from my kettle that I boiled the day before), or bottled water or filtered water.  You can also just buy saline solution, but you do want it to be warm because it will feel a lot better.

[Deleted]

Yeah, just use bottled, filtered or boiled.

Oh yes, you DEFINITELY want it warm, like try to get it body temp or a little higher. The colder water hurt me a bit.

[ilovebed]

It's really not bad at all. I find that if I just relax and breath through my mouth it's very comfortable.

[Deleted]

Dec 10, 2014 14:12:15 GMT -5 ilovebed said:

It's really not bad at all. I find that if I just relax and breath through my mouth it's very comfortable.

Are we still talking about netti pots?

[mrslefty]

It doesn't hurt at all but I can't keep it out of my ears and always give myself an ear infection. But I get ear infections a lot anyways.