Product Review: The Neti Pot

"You have got to be kidding me!" This was my initial reaction to the Neti pot. There, on my television screen, was a woman pouring water in one nostril and letting it drain out the other side. It was the strangest product I'd seen advertised in a loooong time. And yet the claim intrigued me. Could this strange procedure actually help with my seasonal allergies?

For those of you who don't know, the Neti pot is a contraption that looks like a love child conceived by Beauty and the Beast's Mrs. Pots and Aladdin's lamp. Also called a nasal irrigator, the Neti pot is designed to flush out the sinus cavities using a saline rinse. Advertisers claim the Neti pot "cleanses, refreshes, and protects the nasal passages." It supposed to be therapeutic for allergy and sinus infection sufferers.

I was skeptical; could pouring water up my nose really be a good idea? I looked it up on WebMD.com and the information there seemed to support the advertiser's claims. I then asked my own doctor about it and to my surprise he was quite enthusiastic. He informed me that this was an old therapy that has seen a resurgence thanks appearances on shows like Oprah.

That day I spent $16 to buy a Neti pot at the local pharmacy. At first I hesitated-did I really want do this? But soon thereafter I came down with a head cold. I couldn't breath, I couldn't smell, I couldn't taste, and I couldn't talk properly. So I decided to go for it.

The instructions on my Neti pot read as follows:

1) Empty the contents of the saline dry ingredients packet into the pot. First time users should start with ½ packet.

2) Fill the pot with lukewarm tap water. This makes ½ cup of solution.

3) Stir thoroughly until dry ingredients have dissolved.

4) Lean over the sink with your head bent down so you are looking directly into the basin. Holding the pot in your right hand, gently insert the spout into your right nostril so that it forms a comfortable seal. Breathe with your mouth open. Rotate your head so that the right nostril is directly above the left. Raise the handle of the pot so that the solution enters the right nostril, it will drain out the left.

The initial sensation I experienced using the Neti pot was not unexpected. I'd experienced that same feeling every time water went up my nose while I was swimming. Next, I became aware that the solution was trickling down the back of my throat and into my mouth. I briefly wondered if the saline solution was safe to ingest, though I later found out this can be avoided by breathing continuously though my mouth (I must have been holding my breath). Lastly I noticed that while the advertisers always showed a stream of water exiting the lower nostril, I was only getting a trickle. I can only guess that this was due to the amount of congestion I was experiencing.

After using the Neti pot I blew my nose as per the instructions. What I expected was that this would expel any excess water from my nose. What I got was a rather large amount of mucus exiting my nostrils (gross, I know). I also experienced my ears popping uncomfortably (apparently this can be avoided by blowing with less force). But once I had completed the entire procedure I could, in fact, breathe. Not only that but my sinuses really did feel open and clean!

I have only used the Neti pot a handful of times since my first attempt, but I'm hooked. I will likely start making this a part of my daily hygienic routine; right along with brushing my teeth and combing my hair (at least during allergy season). For anyone considering a Neti pot for nasal irrigation, I would highly recommend it!