A few years ago, the Neti Pot was on the Oprah Show.  That day marks the official beginning of the “Neti Pot Craze!”  From that day forth, pharmacists are asked daily about the “Oprah nose pot thingie”.    Of course, the saline rinse/Neti Pot has been used for centuries but it takes Oprah to make it world known! 🙂

What is the Neti Pot?

It is a pot that looks like a tea pot or genie lamp.  It is used to help rinse the sinuses  with a saline solution.

The saline rinse can be used even without the Neti Pot -it is just the most popular delivery system right now.  The rinse is put in one nostril and allowed to flow through the nasal passage and out the other nostril.   If you check it out on YouTube, you can find a ton of videos of people using the Neti Pot -some are pretty funny 🙂

Why use a saline rinse?

The saline rinse is used to help clean out the nasal passage.  It helps thin the mucus and flushes the nasal passage.  This in turn, allows the cilia (the little hairs in the nasal passage) to work better at cleaning the nasal passages in the future.    Many patients swear by and studies have shown that using a nasal saline rinse helps to reduce symptoms due to colds, allergies and sinusitis.

Sounds good –Why does the title say or Harmful?

Well, there is a new debate out there concerning regular use of a nasal saline rinse might increase the risk of sinus infections.  The rinses can be drying, irritating and can cause a decrease in natural protective immune mediators.    Bad habits can also be the cause of infections being on the rise.

So a few pointers here,

• Do not use too often.  When needed, limit use to just once to twice daily.
• Do not share rinse or pot with others
• Wash pot after each use and allow to dry
• Do not reuse rinse solution

Conclusion:

Saline rinses (aka Neti Pots) have been proven to be wicked helpful in alleviating symptoms due to colds and allergies.  So, just take proper precautions and don’t overuse -and saline rinses can be a part of your feel better regimen.

After word:

As always, we would love to hear your input -so please leave us a comment or send us an email!