So Dr. Oz made using a neti pot or "nose bidet" look easy on Oprah

Wednesday, May 09, 2007 @ 01:08 AM -0400 GMT

So you watched Dr. Oz and an audience participant demonstrate using a neti pot or "nose bidet" on the Oprah Winfrey show, you got your own neti pot, tried to reproduce the results, and eeeeeeoooooowwwww! Boy they made it look easy!

Well don't throw away your neti pot just yet.  Successful nose irrigation is still within your reach.  You may have overlooked some simple points that would have made it work better for you.

My first couple of tries were very similar and as a result, my neti pot collected dust for the next three years until one of my yoga teachers encouraged me to try again and I was able to overcome my fear. Since then, I've learned several tips for making it go well the first time. If you haven't already tried nasal irrigation, apply the information in this article to the instructions you already have to insure your first experience is a good one.

What I found is that it is absolutely crucial to get the water/saline solution just right. The technique and all other steps seem to be much more forgiving. Dr. Oz mentioned regular water can irritate the nose. But let's get more specific. Why?

• Tap water has chlorine and flouride and depending on where you live, these levels can be particularly strong. Solution: Use filtered water.
• Salt levels cause stinging. Your nose has a natural defense mechanism to remove what doesn't belong. Why use salt in the first place? Because when mixed properly to match the salinity of the blood (0.9%) your nose welcomes it. Again, why you ask? Think of a bloody nose. As much as we prefer not to have bloody noses, when they occur they naturally serve to moisturize and cleanse a dry and infected area. The saline solution achieves the same thing before things get that bad. Of course, another benefit to nasal irrigation is that if you do it regularly you not only get sinus relief but the crusty boogers don't get a chance to form. And for me, that meant with the neti pot I had put an end to my chronic nose picking habits. And people wonder why they always have nasal infections and bloody noses when they're always sticking their dirty fingers up their nose! See the connection? My apologies. Back to the salinity issue.
  Solution (Part 1): Measure the right amount. Add 3/4 teaspoon to 16 oz. of water or 4.5mL salt to 500mL water. If you want to be more exact, start by putting the salt in the measuring cup first and then fill the water up to the 16 oz or 500mL mark. This should give you enough solution to do both nostrils. Please Note: You will find many different measurements provided in instructions both online and even packaged with neti pots. The measurements I have provided are precise to the 0.9% salinity that matches that of blood. This is considered an isotonic solution. Other percentages, particularly hypertonic solutions containing more salt, can work and do have their uses but start with this ratio as it is most comfortable and suitable for daily use.
  Solution (Part 2): Use the right kind of salt. You can use non-iodized salt or specially prepared neti salt found in health food stores or even pharmacies.
  
• Temperature. The body has a natural drowning response to cooler temperature waters. Even filtered cool water without salt can sting or cause pain which is a natural reaction the body has for self preservation. Of course, water that is too hot will easily burn the thin mucous membranes of the nasal cavity.
  Solution: Heat the water to body temperature(give or take a few degrees). By matching the temperature, you've done the last step to making sure your nose doesn't rebel. Test method 1: One simple way to test the solution is to take a sip of it and swish it around your mouth. If it's soothing, most likely it will be fine for your nose too. If it makes you pucker, it's too salty.
  Test method 2: One method I've used for teaching people is to actually use an electric thermometer to check the temperature before using the solution. I've found that anywhere between 96 - 102 degrees F is comfortable. Using this method has worked every time I tried to teach someone. I used up to 106 degrees but for your first time don't push it. Once you've got the hang of neti, your nose will become a little more forgiving on the temperature.
  

I'm so happy for you to have discovered this wonderful tool and that it can be featured on such a popular TV show. Thank you Dr. Oz and Oprah for getting this out to all the sinus sufferers out there.

Good luck and happy neti potting!

Matthew Cox . org
http://matthewcox.org/article.php/Dr.-Oz-neti-pot-oprah-troubleshooting