How To Use A Neti Pot
{Originally published on Whoorl}
1. Enter Mother’s Market. Spend upwards of twenty minutes aimlessly walking around the store, feigning interest in various items while, in reality, you are too shy to ask the cute dude with dreads about the Neti Pot.
2. Locate a very tall Swedish man with a skinny plumber’s butt and ask for assistance locating the Neti Pots. Loudly knock over an organic tissue box display with your stroller.
3. Find and purchase Neti Pot.
4. Return home. Sit on couch. Take Neti Pot box out of the shopping bag.
5. Stare at Neti Pot box.
6. Repeat #5 several times.
7. Make dinner.
8. Finish dinner. Sit on couch.
9. Repeat #5.
10. Place Neti Pot box on the couch next to you, barely touching your leg. Pray that the physical contact alone will unleash the magical healing powers of the Neti Pot.
11. Realize magical Neti Pot diffusion isn’t happening. Decide to open the box.
12. While opening the box, notice the term “nasal douching” written on the side. Gag forcefully. Repeat #5.
13. Quickly get over your fears when your sinus cavities remind you that YOU WILL DIE IF YOU DON’T DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE MUCUS.
14. Prepare Neti Pot with the warm water and salt. (1/4 teaspoon to 8 ounces water is the recommended amount. I used a little bit less, thanks to your comments.)
15. Read the directions 5,000 times and obsessively worry that your head won’t be tilted properly.
16. Lean over the sink, tilt head and stick the Neti spout into your right nostril, creating a “seal”.
17. Pour water into your right nostril. See nothing coming out the other side. Wonder where the water is going. Tilt head upwards to look in the mirror. Salt water now gushes down your throat. Choke. Scream, “I’M DROWNING! HELP MEEEE!”
18. Realize you are, in fact, NOT drowning. Collect yourself.
19. Try again, this time tilting your head properly. The saltwater flows directly out the other nostril! You are amazed! This is the coolest party trick ever!
20. Feel equally happy/horrified about the expelled contents of your nose.
I’m here to tell you – don’t be scared of the Neti Pot! There is definitely a little bit of a learning curve when it comes to the tilt of your head (not tilting downwards enough can cause the saltwater to drain in your throat), but once you have that down, it’s really easy. I’m definitely a fan. Now, if I only had bought one a week ago, I probably wouldn’t be dealing with my newly-diagnosed sinus infection of mammoth proportions. Oh well, at least I’ll know next time.
Editor’s pick by Catnip at Catnip and Coffee. I love to read Sarah’s posts, she’s funny, she’s sweet, she’s smart, and she really knows great hair! You can find her writing at her personal site, Whoorl, and giving great advice at Hair Thursday. For an extra dose of Whoorl you can follow her on twitter. And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe to her feeds!
Edited By Megan Jordan | January 28th, 2009 | Category: BN Channel Health & Fitness, Featured 1, Humor, Tuesday 1 | 13 comments
[...] of my fabulous editor’s picks is on Blog Nosh today. Of course it’s fab, it’s written by Whoorl! It’s [...]
LOL That’s too awesome!
Untypically Jias last blog post..Twilight Consumes Me
21. Nearly vomit when your children somehow find your neti pot and are having great fun drinking out of it.
Tracys last blog post..Yes and Go!
Hilarious …. my significant other could not go beyond step 17. She swore I was trying to drown her since I was the one that suggested that she use the nettipot.
My @ tha Hotnesss last blog post..What do you think…
[...] Use a neti pot to clean out the sinuses (BlogNosh has a humorous tutorial on how to use a neti pot) [...]
#19 addition
breath through your open mouth
seems silly to mention but yeah breath
otherwise you’re stopping the flow of water
me thinks
I remember the first time I used a Neti Pot I had this exact experience. Now that I am an experienced Neti Pot user I get a sick satisfaction from seeing the goobers run out of my nose, onto the sink, and down the drain. In fact I am feeling a little stuffy now…
Angelas last blog post..The yoga supergran at age 83
If your sinuses are already infected then you should consider using a hypertonic solutions (higher salt concentration) until it is gone, as hypertonic solutions are believed to reduce inflammation, which will help your sinuses to drain. Hope you continue to enjoy your neti pot!
I tried the neti pot and used it for sometime but recently came across a device call Navage. Its the modern neti pot. Has anyone else tried it?
at #9 i had to go back and read #5 (because my tiny little brain had already moved on) and laughed out loud. love it!
I used to use a saline (salt) solution in mine. I was good for kind-of opening things up. But then my Sister gave me this stuff that she found that is some kind of anti-microbial thing. I used it when I had a sinus infection last week (after my cold of course) and WOW. I can’t say that I’ve ever had my sinuses as clear as they are now. It really knocked out that sinus infection like nobodies business. The stuff is called Super Neti Juice and I would rate it at 5 stars *****. Good stuff. I’m not sure about the web address cause the one on the bottle is different than the one that Sis told me but the one that is in her email is http://www.mynaturesrite.com/index_files/super-neti-juice-pot-salt.php
This is worth a try for sure especially if you get sinus infections.
Nice article.But you miss two points : 1)Never share your neti pot 2)Use ceramic ones only.Thanks
Its very easy to use and harmless and you will get a lot relief in nasal irrigation.