Neti Pot

So, I feel like I've been sick for over a month now. I had a cold before Christmas, and then caught another one about two weeks ago, before the trip to Vegas. The flight to Las Vegas was so bad, I thought I was going to die of sinus pressure. Medicine wasn't helping, and I'm sick to death of being sick. For the past few years, I've had moderate sinus problems, allergies, the whole spiel. I want a way to control this with overdosing on Flonase. So, I broke down and bought a Neti Pot.

For those who don't know, a Neti Pot is used to do nasal irrigation. They were featured on Oprah several months ago, on one of those Dr. Oz shows, and last night, our local NBC station did a story on nasal irrigation. Basically, a Neti Pot looks like a tiny little teapot and you mix water and salt water solution, stick the pot in your nose, tilt your head, and the water comes out the other nostril. When the water is gone, you blow your nose, mix up another dose, and do the other nostril. You are washing your sinus cavities, which naturally relieves stuffiness, and supposedly helps your sinuses and nasal passages stay clear. If you want to see it, go to YouTube and search for NetiPot. There are several videos demonstrating it.

I can say that it kind of feels creepy, especially the first time you do it. I freaked out a little bit the first time, because I don't like water up my nose. And you have to make sure the water is the right temperature. If its too cold, you feel like you're drowning, but if it's too hot, you burn your nostrils. Lukewarm is just right. It does relieve my ever present stuffiness for several hours after doing it, and you can do it as often as you need to if you are sick. I've been doing it every other day. Today is my day to do it, and I'm going to increase my concentration of saline solution to see if it works a little better. But heck, doctors are increasingly recommending it, and it can't hurt, right?