Sinuses & flute playing

[rama]

What's the difference between a Neti pot and a good old bottle of saline sinus spray?

Saline spray may help you out, too, Jeanie.

Eric

with the neti pot, i leaned over, either a sink or used in the shower, stuck the stem in one nostril and let the saline water pour into one nostril and out the other, letting gravity take over, one continuous stream, in one - out the other, until the whole pot (about like a small glasssfull) has flowed thru the nasal passages. like a big flush. then i had to take a few minutes afterwards to let it completely drain out.
after the first few times i still felt waterlogged but once i got used to using it i could allow more water flush out and not remain or linger in my sinuses. it's pretty unusual if you are not used to it. i don't think the nasal spray is nearly as intensive as that.

[peeplj]

I would likely drown.

/me shudders

--James

[Craig Stuntz]

a yoga teacher was really high on the neti pot so i bought one. it worked ok when my nasal pasages were not clogged but the times when i was stuffy it seemd to irritate my sinuses more. any tips on how to use when stuffy?

Try adding different stuff to the water. Some people prefer a bit of salt, some people prefer a bit of baking soda, some a combo. Start with the salt and adapt as necessary.

[Jennie]

Saline spray would probably help in the same way. Remember gargling with salt water when you have a sore throat? Same principle. But actuallly flushing out the sinuses instead of spritzing seems to make a bigger difference for me.

Jennie

[Hoovorff]

I've tried saline spray. Time for the Neti pot! Where do you purchase these? Just a regular phramacy or health store?

Thanks, Jeanie

[Dana]

Don't know about the neti pot, but you can get the SinuCleanse at Walgreens. It's based on the neti pot, but it's plastic instead of glass, which can be an advantage for some of us. It also comes with pre-measured packets that dissolve in tap water (which I use half-strength). I paid $15 for it.

Dana

[TomB]

I've tried saline spray. Time for the Neti pot! Where do you purchase these? Just a regular pharmacy or health store?

Thanks, Jeanie

Yep, the SinuClean thing at any old pharmacy. If you want a "true" Neti Pot, I'm guessing you might see one at the health food store, but if not you can find them online by Googling.

All the Best,

Tom

[ErikT]

Jennie, I will never look at you the same way! Please put me in the category of those that will likely never stick a pot in their nose.

Erik

[rama]

I would likely drown.

/me shudders

--James

well i certainly felt like i was drowning the first couple of times i attempted to use it. in fact the water would run out my mouth and my nose at the same time and i would gag, spit and drool (more than i usually do). boy what fun.
but once i got calmed down and got used to the sensation of having water run in-and-out my nose, which was what i was fighting, it actually felt quite soothing.

fortunately, my sinus problems (chronic sinusitis/rhinitis with nasal polyps) are mostly behind me now and not all in my head. after a round of surgery and medications, i switched to some acupuncture, yoga and change in diet etc. that seemed to help the most.

i think i am now ready to play the nose flute.

[ErikT]

I should add that I have strep throat layered with a cold/flu. I had time to play my flute yesterday but it didn't even sound fun.

[daiv]

the neti pot pours through your nose a good 20+ seconds where a spray just goes up once.

when you have a "cold" they say not to use a neti pot, but when you're just stuffed up, or have a sinus infection, yeah it might make it worse at first. kind of like putting disinfectant on a wound makes it hurt a lot. sometimes if you wait til it gets bad (instead of doing it regularly) the first time will completely clog you up. if you do it a couple hours later, and the next day, it will start to get better. if you've never used one before it can take 3-5 days to notice a difference. i would recommend once in the morning and evening, especially until you start to see a change.

[daiv]

oh yeah, forgot this. to avoid the whole gagging thing, say your abc's while doing it, so it doesnt go down your throat. do it the first couple of times til you get the hang of it.

[ErikT]

I'm curious what culture the neti pot comes from? I've never heard of it.

[Berti66]

from india.

berti

[rama]

a substitute for a neti pot would be a bulb syringe, usually found at the drugstore (actually designed for ear wax removal). because of its long stem it can be used to squirt water up the nose