Me and My Neti
It's the year of the flu. Panic! Virus!
Except, it was only a few years ago that we panicked about the flu. Do you remember when we had a vaccine shortage? That seemed to cause widespread consternation. And then we had the avian flu before then.
But this is the year of H1N1 (the flu formerly known as "swine flu"). With vaccine shortages (of H1N1, not the regular flu), there seems to be talk of "epidemic" or "pandemic". What will happen?
I have had some friends who got sick, but I've mostly been kept away from it. I think there are a few reasons for this.
1. I no longer work on a college campus. I work in an office where we are sufficiently spread out and generally don't touch the same stuff a lot.
2. I'm a big hand-washer. I make sure that I scrub for 20 seconds before rinsing.
3. THE NETI POT
Yes, the neti pot is the reason that I wanted to write this post. I've heard about it for a long time. Last winter, one of my co-workers said how much he liked it. Now, I'm doing it for myself.
What's a neti pot, you ask? Well, it looks like a tea kettle. You put some salt-type solution in it and fill it with warm water. The water needs to be about the same temperature as your body. Actually, when I'm making tea, I put boiling water in it and then go and do other things for about 30 minutes.
Then...here comes the fun part...then you lean over the sink and put the spout in one of your nostrils. You then slowly pour the water into your nostril and feel it run up, into your head, and around your sinuses (it's a freaky feeling). Then, the water comes running out your OTHER nostril and into the sink. It should be carrying with it all that mucus that is up in your sinuses and draining them out slowly. It's like blowing your nose, only more effectively. The mucus is broken up and runs out.
I have to say, I can feel it working. Before I did this, I could often feel full sinuses, just sitting behind my face. Now I feel them in the morning, but after doing this system, I feel much better.I also haven't gotten sick yet. I don't know if I can completely attribute that to the neti pot, but it's probably helpful along with the other things that I'm doing.
Of course, the neti pot is pretty gross, if you think about it. I have friend who call it the "snotty pot". But it can't be more gross than blowing snot onto a hanky, right?
posted by Ross @ 12:35 PM
2 Comments:
Hi:
I've been using something that does the same thing as your Neti Pot. except I got mine from the pharmacy through Dr. Myers. I got it when I was having so much trouble breathing 2-3 years ago. and still use it. Only it is a bottle with an opening in the top and you fill it with warm salt water and squeeze the water in one nostril, hopefully it runs out the other side or else in your throat.
Nowdays they sell something like this with salt water in it. But it is an old system. My mom had something similar, but it was glass, with a hole on the top to put the water in, but you also put your finger over that hole to control the flow of water, sort of like when you put your finger on the end of a straw that has water in it. I've also used a large eye dropper for the same effect. What ever works. Beats having to have that gunk run down the throat.
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