• Water, preferably boiled water

• Salt packet from pharmacy or regular salt

• Sink 

 

Step 1: Prepare salt solution.

 

• Salt: preferably the “sinus rinse” salt packet provided from the pharmacy. Normal salt from your kitchen is fine if you can not find the professional version. 

• Water: preferably boiled water, use about 8oz, let it cool down to the “comfortable” lukewarm level. The comfortableness is determined by the tolerance of your nasal cavity skin, it should not be too hot or too cold when the salt solution runs through your nasal cavity. Normally, you can use your fingertip or lips to test the water temperature.

• Solution: add the salt to the neti pot, then add the prepared water to the pot. Close the lid, then shake/swirl thoroughly. For “NeilMed” Neti Pot, use your thumb to cover the hole on the lid to avoid spilling while shaking.

 

Step 2: How to rinse. 

 

• Get in front of a sink

• Extend your head so it’s above the sink. Then tilt it at around a 45 degree angle to the left or right depending on which side of your nose you're flushing first. You want to tilt the head such that the salty water can flow from one side to another side. Don’t tilt your head down too much, otherwise the salty water may come out of your eyes. Don’t keep your head too straight up, otherwise the salty water will flow into your throat. It takes a few practice to find out the perfect angel for a specific person. Adjust the angle and position to your liking.

• Lightly insert the spout of the pot into one of your nostrils and tilt it to let the salty water run in from the left nostril and flow out of the right nostril, then let the water run in from the right nostril, and flow out of the left nostril.

• You may sneeze in the middle of rinsing, then you have the urge to blow your nose; You may want to blow your nose after rinsing from each side of your nostril. Anyway, Use caution when you blow your nose, do it very gently, otherwise it may hurt your ears. 

• After rinsing, cleaning up and wiping dry your nose, you may use some vaseline or some type of lotion around that skin area to keep it moisturized.

 

Step 3: What if you have a stuffy nose?

 

It’s pretty obvious that you can not rinse your nose with a stuffy nose, since the salty water can’t get through in the first place (nothing can, that's why it’s a stuffy nose). There are two methods to get your nose prepared.

 

• Use the 2nd and 3rd fingers of both hands to press on both sides of your nose, right below the bony areas. The pressure can temporarily reduce the blood flow on both sides, thus release the air passage inside the nostrils.

• Take a hot bath first (link for Fire and Ice Hot Bath), which will definitely get rid of stuffy nose. Then nasal rinse.