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Last Updated: Jun 12th, 2009 - 13:51:05 |
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| Image from chievolution.com |
Since its TV debut on "Oprah" about two years ago, nasal irrigation, or nasal flushing, with neti pots has become a growing trend.
According to Dr. Stanley Chia, an otolaryngologist at Washington Hospital Center, there are a number of nasal irrigation products but the neti pot is probably the oldest. The practice is mentioned in Sam Veda, an ancient Indian text, and has been a prominent spiritual practice amongst yogis.
"Neti-ing" or "neti bidet-ing" your nose usually involves pouring almost a pint of water mixed with about a teaspoon of salt through your nostrils with a pot typically shaped like Aladdin’s Lamp or a small tea pot.
"It relieves that dryness that comes from this season and being indoors with the heat on," Tanya Upshur-Hartwell, a professional actress, said in an interview. She said she first heard about the neti pot from Dr. Mehmet Oz on "Oprah." Upshur-Hartwell said she has had her neti pot for about a year. She started using it more regularly after she suffered a serious sinus infection and head cold in October 2008. "I flush one to two times a week. But, if I’m sick it can be about three to four times a day," she said.
On its Web site, the Himalayan Institute credits the neti pot with combating chronic sinus problems. WebMD.com said that the pot alleviates congestion, facial pain and pressure, and reduces the need for antibiotics and nasal sprays.
Angela White, a D.C. resident, said she uses the pot twice a day. "I can breathe easier," she said. White said she suffered from nasal polyps (abnormal nasal lesions), which led to a surgery in December 2007. After her doctor recommended nasal irrigation, she said found out about the neti pot through the Vegetarian Times magazine. She has been using it a little over a year twice a day to keep her sinuses clear and to prevent the growth of polyps. She said she has never experienced any side affects. "I love it and would recommend it for anyone," she said.
Dr. Chia said he didn’t know of any risks associated with the use of neti pots. "Some people complain that they can cause stinging or ear pain, but I’ve never heard of any actual risks. It may be uncomfortable but no risk exists."
While the nose and a neti pot may be a match made in heaven for some, others think otherwise. "It was terrible," Stephanie Sword, a northern Virginia resident, who suffers from chronic sinus problems, said in a phone interview. "It didn’t help me. It didn’t make me feel better and I’ve tried it several times." Sword also heard about the neti pot from "Oprah" and her mother. She stated that she could fill it feeling up her sinuses and that it was very painful and for the entire day after using it, she couldn’t smell anything. "I say no, no to the neti pot!" She said, laughing.
While Dr. Chia doesn’t specifically recommend neti pots he recommends some form of nasal irrigation to patients suffering from allergies and chronic sinus infections. He usually prescribes Neilmed, an over the counter nasal rinse that can be found at CVS. In addition to washing crust and bacterial mucus from the nose, it increases the body’s ability to eliminate mucus and bacteria on its own. The company that manufactures Neilmed also manufactures neti pots. "If patients say they use it," he said of neti pots, "I wouldn’t ask them to stop using it." Dr. Chia recommends that his patients flush twice a day. "It’s interesting how many people come back saying they love it because it works.
A vocal student, Eva Suàrez, said she uses the neti pot when she feels like it and every day when she is sick. "For a vocalist, anything you do to take care of your sinuses and throat is taking care of your instrument," she said. According to Suàrez, though neti-ing your nose is helpful, it is not a cure all. "The neti pot won’t make up for not taking care of yourself," she said.
Dr. Mary Jane Ayers, chair of the Vocal Music Department at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, agrees that vocalists should use the neti pot. "You don’t get sick as much."
But at least one vocal student in that department isn’t convinced. When asked if she uses the neti pot, senior vocalist Alexia White responded, "sitting in the bathroom with steam works just fine."
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