Neti Pot

tjontheroad

tjontheroad

No, this isn't about some kinda wacky weed!!! :emoji_rolling_eyes:

Since we all need to breathe freely to play, I thought this might be helpful...

It's coming up on allergy season here in the U.S. If you suffer like I do, here's a drug free treatment that really works.

Info here: Neti Pot


Use video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8sDIbRAXlg

Don't knock it until you've tried it. I use this one;

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Maybe now I'll be getting my endorsement check in the mail :emoji_relaxed:

btw, I vote that we could use a woodwind player's health section. Anybody second it?
 
I always thought it was an interesting idea but I just can't do it.
 
While the concept of snorting up saline solution doesn't seem all that appealing, there are many who swear by this. At times, I have shot enough saline spray up there to keep things moist when ill and on medication; dousing it completely wouldn't be all that much different.

The trouble is, I keep forgetting the cutesy name ("Neddi-pot"? No, that's not it...") and have yet to ask for one at the local chemist.
 
The neti pot has been around for a very long time---in years past it was familiar mainly to folks who were au courant about alternative medicine, and to opera singers, or so I have heard. Might have its origins Eastern medicine, but I'm not at all confident about that. A fellow band member recommended it to me several years ago when I was in the grip of a very nasty sinus infection; I was desperate and willing to try most anything. And it brought me considerable relief. I have subsequently recommended it to several friends and relatives, all of whom have become "Believers". Back then, the only place to obtain one was in health food stores or places like Whole Foods. (Mine, btw, is a very attractive pottery piece, much more elegant than the one pictured).

Sometime within the last year or two, Oprah discovered the neti pot and featured it on her show. Since then it's become pretty mainstream and has shown up most everywhere, including Walmart. Mainstream or not, it is, in fact, beneficial, non-invasive, much more effective than nasal sprays, inexpensive, and has no known bad side effects (unless you inhale :-( ). I use it at any sign of respiratory distress, or sinus pressure, or irritation from allergies, or if I've spent any time in a setting with lots of potential pollutants or respiratory irritants. The other caveat I will add---DO NOT EVER use plain water----saline solution is mandatory. I once got distracted and forgot to stir in the salt---not dangerous, but very, very uncomfortable.

I probably sound a little crazed about this---however, I sing as well as play the sax, and I also have a lung problem which makes it important for me to do as much as possible to avoid respiratory irritations or infections. So I do get a little carried away on things related to this.

Cheers, all!
Ruth
 
I use them when I have blocked sinus's when I sing. Unfortunately I sing more than I play, but am not half bad at it, and when doing opera as well as a cappella I need my nose. With a cappella bass, you sing primarily on N and M so it's all through your nose. These really work great. I was skeptical at first, but it beats any meds I've tried.
 
Serious congestion really only calls for one course of action - a quick sniff of whiskey. :emoji_smile:

It always seems to clear my sinuses. ;-)
 
tjontheroad said:
Many levels of "clarity" in a whiskey bottle :emoji_rage: Too bad the effect gets worse with regular everyday use. Trust me, I know.
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I actually can't stand to drink it. But for some reason a wiff of the stuff clears me right up. Like I said - I do not drink just smell.

I'm not much for drinking and don't think it is a good idea for me to touch the stuff on a gig.
 
Last week my sinuses were so bad that I actually tried the Neti Pot. Wow, it's not hard to use, even for me, and it actually works. I wonder if it is the saline in the liquid? I'm sold, but only for went I really need it not as a regular regime.
 
tjontheroad said:
Glad it's working for you. I've gone to everyday use in the morning. It's an once of prevention for me.
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What happens if you sneeze while you have that thing up your nostril? :cool:

Hey, I grew up with "household remedies" like these - vinegar socks, salt water rinses, honey milk, the whole package. And guess what - it works.
 
For what it's worth, I've had two MD's and a Physician's Assistant recommend that I use this. I really kinda don't wanna ....
 
pete said:
For what it's worth, I've had two MD's and a Physician's Assistant recommend that I use this. I really kinda don't wanna ....
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Oh, give it up, Pete! It's not at all uncomfortable (unless you forget the salt), and not as gross as it may sound.

Gandalfe said:
Last week my sinuses were so bad that I actually tried the Neti Pot. Wow, it's not hard to use, even for me, and it actually works. I wonder if it is the saline in the liquid? I'm sold, but only for went I really need it not as a regular regime.
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Actually, I think the main therapeutic action is to loosen up the congestion and wash it out; this relieves discomfort and might help to prevent or to resolve infection by removing a major medium for bacteria growth. As a preventative measure, as per TJ's daily use, it combats the dryness and consequent irritation from winter-dry indoor air in addition to washing away other irritants and pollutants.

I think that the salt is merely a means of matching the salinity of the body's own secretions (aka snot ;-)). Using plain water burns like crazy---I found that out the hard way! I don't really understand why that's the case but I can assure you that it is. A physician friend tried to explain it to me, but I lost her after the first sentence or two.
 
My son has been really congested and we may have found another option to use instead of the neti pot. Take a swim in a warm pool. He's pretty clear at the moment.
 
My parents did this for us when we were younger

Steam the bathroom up, or turn the sink on full blast hot water
Breathe in the steam for a little while
Run and stick your head in the freezer and breathe that

The change in temps will usually clear you up pretty well
 
Mind over ... matter?

Amazingly, this is something over which you can exercise a degree of control. Your sinus tissues (and the degree of their congestion) is directly controlled by nerves. In fact, most nasal decongestants are neurotransmitters or close analogs of neurotransmitters. The upshot is that with a little practice, you can control the congestion in your sinuses as easily as you can calm your heartbeat or slow your respiration.

Try using a spray nasal decongestant. Pay particular attention to the sensation of the sinus tissues opening up (or more accurately, flattening out). With practice, you can induce that same reaction without using the nasal spray. Works for me. Gets easier with practice, just like anything else.

Something like the neti pot is probably helpful if your sinuses are too dry, e.g. from the low humidity of cold air. Apart from that, though, you don't really need decongestants.
 
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