Saturday, October 30, 2010

Neti Knows Noses

Well, you can never assume; otherwise you make the first three letters of assume true about yourself. Yesterday, I assumed that everyone would be familiar with Neti Pots or Netipots, but that may not actually be the case. We don't all go to Oprah College after all.

It was Dr Oz on Oprah who first introduced me to Neti, and I could scarcely believe what I was seeing. In response to some sort of question about allergies or sinuses I (I think it was), he invited the lady to the stage. There he had her tilt her head over a basin and, using Dear Neti, pour water in one nostril so that it flowed out of the other nostril.

Who knew that such a concept for the cleaning of sinus cavities existed? Well, Dr Oz and a lot of other people knew, apparently, for it is not a new invention by any means.

Following are two excerpts from Wikipedia. Please visit Wiki for the whole article for links and references that I have eliminated from the these sections.

Nasal irrigation or nasal lavage or nose douche is the personal hygiene practice in which the nasal cavity is washed to flush out excess mucus and debris from the nose and sinuses. It has been practiced in India for centuries as one of the disciplines of yoga. Some clinical tests have shown that this practice is safe and beneficial with no significant side effects.[1][2] Nasal irrigation in a wider sense can also refer to the use of saline nasal spray or nebulizers to moisten the mucus membranes....

The simplest method, in that it does not require any equipment, is to snort water from cupped hands. The application of commercially available saline nasal spray is another simple alternative, but it is relatively inefficient for washing away debris although it may suffice for simple rehydration of mucous and tissues.[6]

A simple yet effective technique is to pour salt water solution into one nostril and let it run out through the other while the mouth is kept open to breathe, using gravity as an aid. This is an old Ayurvedic technique known as jala neti, and the container used to administer the saline is called a neti pot. (Neti is Sanskrit for "nasal cleansing". A second neti technique known as sutra neti uses a piece of string instead of water.)


Finally, here's one YouTube demonstration of a plethora of choices. I am surprised that there are so many examples as I, personally, wouldn't care to demonstrate Neti and me getting so close and personal. I'm appreciate, however, that others are not so disinclined to get their noses into it onstage. Or it into their noses, rather.

10 comments:

Diana said...

She left out one thing. Breathe through your mouth while doing this!
But she was much cuter about it than I would have been!
Love Di ♥

Anonymous said...

I just don't pour salt water ... I inhale it and then twirle my head upside down...but I still get my annual winter sinus infection that I get to go to my doctor for and pay him $60 for the office visit.
Geeze..Happy Halloween, my friend!
:) The Bach

Bernie said...

I'm not sure I could do this but I suppose I would soon learn if I had allergies or sinus problems.
Happy Halloweeen....:-) Hugs

Mara said...

I couldn't see the youtube thingy, but it sounds like I would choke even with my mouth open!

Lorna said...

Thanks for the explanation. I found it relatively clear but not attractive. I couldn't watch the video, but then I can't watch people put in their contacts either.

Anvilcloud said...

Some very funny people comment here. I like that.

Garnetrose said...

I have seen these. I don't need them but they would come in handy for allergies and such.

Diana said...

Oh Bernie, there's nothing to it! These are awesome little pots!! Right AC? We should start a Neti Pot club!
LOL!!! Love Di ♥

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

What's most amazing is that these simple contraptions actually work. Grenville starting using one a couple of winters ago and there's always one and packets of the saline solution in the bathroom now. I had an aversion to trying it at first, but now it's what I use too when allergies or a cold flare up.

Turtle Guy said...

I first heard of Netti pots not that long ago. My Dad used to "sniff water" from the tap each morning. When I tried it, I found it quite uncomfortable. Thankfully I'm not susceptible to sinus infections.