Nasal Irrigation
Nasal irrigation involves flooding
the nasal cavity with warm saline solution. The goal of nasal
irrigation is to clear out any excess mucus and particulates
and moisturize the nasal cavity. Either a fluid-filled syringe
like Nasaline or a neti pot can be used. The practice has
undergone clinical testing and has been found to be safe and
beneficial, with no apparent side effects. Sinus Cure Report
Nasal Irrigation With The Neti Pot (Jala Net)
The neti pot is usually made of ceramic but can
also be made from glass, metal, or plastic. Nasal irrigation is
an ancient Ayurvedic technique known as Jala neti, which
literally means nasal cleansing in Sanskrit and where the
practitioner uses a neti pot to perform the irrigation. The
irrigation-specific elements of jala neti are finally starting
to be recognized by Western medicine to treat a variety of
conditions.
Jala neti - nasal irrigation, though relatively less known
in Western culture, is a common practice in parts of India and
other areas in South East Asia, performed as routinely as
brushing one's teeth using a toothbrush. It is performed daily,
usually as the first thing in the morning with other cleansing
practices. It may also be performed at the end of the day if
one works or lives in a dusty or polluted environment. When
dealing with problems of congestion it can be performed up to
four times a day.
A typical method utilizes an isotonic
saline solution. Recent research has indicated that a
hypertonic saline solution may be more effective at treating
specific symptoms of nasal inflammation.
Nasal Irrigation - Potential Benefits and Uses of Nasaline
or The Neti Pot
Saline solution irrigation and nasal flush promotes good
nasal health. It can also be used by patients with chronic
sinusitis including symptoms of facial pain, sinus headache,
halitosis-bad breath, cough, anterior rhinorrhea (watery
discharge from the nose), and one study has even reported that
nasal irrigation was “just as effective at treating these
symptoms as the drug therapies.” This is laughable
because we know it works better than any sinus drugs, sinus
medicines, sinus medications and without any of the risks too.
In other studies, “daily hypertonic saline nasal irrigation
improves sinus-related quality of life, decreases symptoms, and
decreases medication use in patients with frequent sinusitis,”
-- as taken from the study report - and irrigation is
recommended as an “effective adjunctive treatment of chronic
sinonasal symptoms.”
Nasal irrigation is reported to help prevent colds and
otherwise promote good nasal health by cleaning out the nasal
passages and helps to alleviate stuffiness, dryness, nosebleeds
and the symptoms of allergies. Nosebleeds are a rarity when
using Nasaline or other nasal irrigators.
For people who suffer from chronic sinusitis, nasal
irrigation is a quick and cheap way to promote ciliary function
and mucus turnover, decrease edema, and improve drainage
through the sinus ostia.
About a quart of fluid needs to move through the sinuses
each and every day. If the passages are blocked then
sinusitis will result. Moistening these passages with nasal
irrigation will help unblock the passages thus letting the
fluid through.
Nasal Irrigation Benefits
Nasal irrigation will clear out sticky, persistent mucus and
help reduce nasal congestion
Nasal irrigation will cleanse and rid the sinus cavities of
allergens, irritants, and contaminants
Nasal irrigation will treat chronic sinusitis
Nasal irrigation will treat acute bacterial rhinosinusitis
Nasal irrigation will treat allergic rhinitis
Nasal irrigation will prevent common colds and flu
Nasal irrigation will relieve nasal dryness
Nasal irrigation will treat empty nose syndrome (which is a
crippled nose caused by over-aggressive turbinate
resection)
Nasal irrigation will improve breathing
Nasal irrigation will reduce cough and other symptoms of
post-nasal drip
Nasal irrigation will temporarily reduce symptoms of
phantosmia
Nasal irrigation will generally improve sinus health.
Nasal irrigation - Yoga breathing practices known as
pranayama are enhanced by the practice of nasal irrigation -
jala neti - since many of them involve deep breathing
through the nostrils.
Nasal Irrigation - Other benefits health practitioners may
notice:
Vision will be clearer. Nasal irrigation or jala neti
or Nasaline will clean the tear ducts, enabling better cleaning
and moistening of the eyes.
Improved sense of smell, improved sense of taste and deeper,
more relaxed breathing .
Nasal Irrigation - Rare But Potential Problems
Some people may have very hardened blockages. These may be
eliminated gradually with several attempts of nasal
irrigation but may be due to a deviated septum in
which case minor surgery may be needed. Check with your
sinus doctor.
Minor burning feeling or irritating the nasal lining can
occur but rarely. This can feel similar to kind of irritation
one may experience from the chlorine in a swimming pool. This
is usually due to water being at the wrong temperature -
hot - or too cold and/or salinity, but can also be due to the
salt containing additive - iodized salt should never be
used.
If the salinity is correct and the water is at body
temperature, try using a plain not iodized salt. Also I only
use spring water or distilled water and never water from the
tap with chlorine and/or fluoride. I heat the water carefully
on the stove to about tepid. I use just under a teaspoon of
salt to 2 cups of water.
A person may feel sharp pains due to pressure on the
sinuses, especially if the water is too cold. If a person
experiences ear discomfort when performing nasal irrigation or
Jala Neti or Nasaline, they should be sure to blow their nose
more gently after the wash. Some research has shown that
it is not a good idea to blow the nose because the mucous goes
right back up into the sinuses. If the problem persists, the
openings of their Eustachian tubes may be particularly wide and
they may need to discontinue use, however I have never heard of
this happening. Sinus Cure
Report
common misspelling: netty pot
|