Nasal rinsing

Nasal rinsing, or nasal irrigation is a personal hygiene practice in which the nasal cavity is washed.

Effects

• flushing out mucus and debris from the nose and sinuses
• removes nasal swelling
• relives facial pain, headache, halitosis, anterior rhinorrhea and nasal congestion caused by chronic sinusitis
• helping to breathe better during acute upper respiratory infection
• providing relief of the symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis
• preventing puffy eyes effect in case of allergies

NB! Do not do this if your nose is clogged completely. Please consult your physician in case you have any doubts about the safety of this method for you.

Origin, history

Nasal irrigation, which is called Jala Neti in Sanksrit, was developed as an ayurvedic Yoga tradition in ancient India, and is one of the six cleansing practices, or “kriyas”, of Yoga. It is believed that clear breathing leads to clear thinking; therefore, by purifying the nose, a higher state of meditation can be achieved. In addition, yogis believe that cleaning the nose helped overcome addictions, mood swings, and complaints.
File:Yogis neti pot.jpg
In the US, the Neti pot first gained popularity after Dr. Oz featured it on the Oprah Winfrey show in 2007.
In the countries of former Soviet Union, cleansing nose with saline water is considered as safe and effective folk method of treatment, that can be done even for infants.

Preparation

For this hygiene practice you will need: 1. Saline water solution 2. Container to administer the solution. 3. Sink or big pot to lean at.

Saline water solution

You can either buy a saline solutions designed for nasal irrigation at the pharmacy, or make it on your own.
It's very simple: 1. Measure one teaspoon of natural sea salt or non-iodized table salt (kosher, canning, or pickling salt) without any anti-caking agents or preservatives, as they can irritate the nasal and sinus cavities. 2. Add 1/4-1/3 teaspoon of baking soda (optional). 3. Add one glass (250 ml or 8 ounces) of lukewarm water that is either distilled, sterile, boiled and cooled, or properly filtered. Do not use tap water. 4. Stir until the salt and baking soda are dissolved in the water. Make sure you are using a sterile instrument to stir the mixture.

Container to administer the solution

You have some choices here:

• Neti pot
  

• Bulb syringe
  

File:Syringe bulb.jpg

• Squeeze bottle
  

File:Squeeze bottle.jpg

• Nasal irrigation device
  

File:Nose irrigator.jpg

• Just your cupped hands
  

File:Cupped hands.png

Whatever you choose, make sure it is