How to Clean Your Sinuses

Step 2 Prepare the Neti Pot

Making the Neti Pot solution, which is really just saline/salt water couldn't be much easier.

Put a cup or two of water into a pot and warm it up on the stove. (I use cold water that I warm on the stove because the water heater in my apartment is old and I don't really want to have water that has been in there all up in my brain.)

Once the water is warm, pour it into the Netti Pot and then grab your salt. Take about half a teaspoon of salt and put it into your water mixture. Stir it well.

Now you are ready to proceed. Find a sink, some privacy and read on.

Comments

[rockadio101]

please answer this questein. i know i spelled it wrong but still.ok here it is (why do you have to use non-iodized salt) just wondering.

ps. please answer dont be sarcastic or aney thing im 11 and i have a stuffed up nose and i want it gone be for vacation is over! so please answer

[Polarize]

If you still wanted an answer, it wont make a huge difference. Non-iodized salt is salt with no iodine in it. Iodine is usually used to clean cuts as it is an effective antiseptic.

Iodized salt, in moderation, is healthy to the body and is often subscribed to people with iodine deficiency.

So my guess is that it wont be a huge problem pushing iodized salt round your sinuses :P although its possible it could cause irritation.

[ksmith58]

Ionized salt can cause irritation of the sinuses which leads to further inflammation making it even harder to breath. They say to use pickling salt I use kosher salt as it is also unionized. Regular table salt or sea salt should be avoided but I doubt that it would be a huge issue.

[rockadio101]

thanks for tellin me :)

[davedking]

It is best to use that has been sanitized through boiling and allowed to cool to a lukewarm temperature, or alternately use bottled or filtered water.

[LAtimer]

I just use tap water, however our tap water is quite reliable otherwise would use the reverse osmosis water.

I have done lots of neti using different saline products and getting the right mixture for you is very important. Definately not iodized salt or salt with any anti-caking agents. Some say that if it burns your nose you don't have enough salt, and that was a surprise to me as thought it would be too much salt that would burn, so if you have that problem try adding a bit more salt to your mixture. I found that the mixtures that include baking soda really are the best. The baking soda buffers the solution making it mild yet very effective. I like the sinucleanse premixed saline packets I just put two of these in either the Ancient Secrets Nasal Cleansing Pot or when traveling the Rhino Horn Two packets in the pot, then add luke warm tap water, cover top with hand and shake after filling half way, then finish filling and do neti. If you use the smaller Sinucleanse Neti Pot or the Himalayan Institute Original Neti Pot these are smaller in volume and require only 1 packet per fill up.