9 Neti Pot Benefits
A Case for Nasal Irrigation
Aid Sinusitis Symptoms
Neti practitioners around the world contend that nasal irrigation can help manage the swelling of nasal membranes that can cause sinus headaches. The CDC found that roughly 30 million Americans suffer from sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis can even lead to nasal polyps. A 2016 study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that patients who practiced daily nasal saline irrigation reported improved sinus symptoms sooner than patients who used saline nasal spray.
Patients also recorded a decreased likelihood to use over-the-counter remedies and reported being less likely to contact the doctor for future sinusitis episodes. Nasal washing helps to naturally promote nasal and sinus drainage and can help limit the amount of time spent in the waiting room at the doctor’s office for sinusitis treatments.
Combat Sinus Infections
Our nose filters 10,000 liters of air every day, and washing your nose keeps your body’s filter clean, when it is clean our nose can better protect us from the infectious particles that can cause a sinus infection. Children are exposed to these particles and contract significantly more sinus infections every year.
It’s best left to the individual to wash their own nose as it’s often difficult to gauge the pressure when washing for someone else. (There are neti pots available for children as young as two.) Nasal irrigation is also an important component of managing your sinus infection symptoms, by providing relief for the swelling and excess mucus that are often the result of such infections.
Rhinitis Relief
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology reports that between 10% and 30% of the world suffers from allergic rhinitis. A study published in the Canadian Respiratory Journal recognizes the higher prevalence of allergic rhinitis amongst those who suffer from asthma, and pollution can cause sinus issues with those who suffer from allergic rhinitis.
Hay fever symptoms range from one individual to another, but those of us who know the red, itchy, dry eyes, cough and sinus headaches understand the least pleasant end of the spectrum. Washing has helped countless people combat the sinus issues associated with seasonal allergies and in some cases has reduced the need for additional allergy medicine.
People have also found relief from the sinus pressure that can result in headaches. Washing out allergens such as dust mites, pollen, pet dander or grass helps keep your nose clean and functioning properly, and relieve allergic rhinitis symptoms. As the globe gets warmer each year we see an increased growing season which means more pollen. The French National Center for Scientific Research published a 2015 study that concluded that pollen levels across Europe could QUADRUPLE by 2050.
Relieve Congestion
The FDA recognizes that using a neti pot properly can help treat nasal congestion. Washing can rinse out an excess mucus that could be causing a stuffy or runny nose. Much like brushing our teeth daily, nasal washing just makes sense. Harvard Medical School Professor Robert H. Shmerling asserts that nasal irrigation can also help manage the symptoms of post nasal drip, when mucus drips down the back of the throat, often resulting in a sore throat. Nasal irrigation is easy, comfortable, and can help to provide sinus pressure relief before it causes sinus headaches.
Offset a Dry Climate During Cold and Flu Season
In low humidity, the mucus in our nose dries up, making the nose much less effective at filtering and protecting the lungs from the infectious particles and germs we breathe in every day. This is why we find ourselves at an increased risk of catching a cold or flu in the colder, drier months. The CDC found that adults have 2-3 colds per year and children have even more. Taking steps to maintain a healthy nose and healthy mucus means the nose can serve as a better filter.
Pregnancy Rhinitis Solution
Managing the sneezing, coughing, and runny eyes associated with allergies during pregnancy offers a very unique set of challenges. Nasal irrigation is a natural way to manage your allergy symptoms during pregnancy.
Daily washing can help manage allergies without the risks of other alternative medications while pregnant. Mayo Clinic contributor Yvonne Butler Tobah, M.D. recommends nasal irrigation once a day during pregnancy as an alternative to allergy medications.
Stay Healthy While Traveling
It’s no coincidence that when flying we often find ourselves feeling under the weather within a few days of travel. Low-humidity in the cabin of the plane can result in nasal dryness and thickened mucus. The cilia and mucus inside a healthy nose keeps the germs you breathe from affecting the bronchial tubes and lungs and avoid the dreaded cold on the first day of vacation. Pair this increased susceptibility with the fact that airplanes, airports, train stations, and cruise ships are notoriously full of germs and involve sharing close quarters with others and you’re bound to get sick.
Exposure to these germs from foreign regions place you at a significantly higher risk of contracting an illness. Washing your protective filter makes sense.
Athletes
Using a saline nasal wash can ensure that your airways are clear, which helps optimize breathing.
A 2015 study published by the Journal of Sport and Human performance found that nasal irrigation prior to exercise increased the average exercise time and potentially enhanced the recovery period for the athletes being studied. A clear airway is the foundation for optimal performance.
Expel Occupational Irritants
Several studies have found that occupations such as construction workers are at a significantly higher risk for respiratory conditions. The debris they breathe in each day in their work environment no doubt plays a significant role.
Individuals who work in fields such as construction, manufacturing, farmers, miners, firefighters, delivery jobs, masonry, and more are exposed to significantly higher levels of dirt, debris, and dust.
Our body’s primary line of defense when exposed to all these harmful particles is the nose. Simply washing the nose is natural, effective, comfortable and easy!
