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Nasal irrigation is an ancient personal hygiene practice that used warm salty water to clean one's nasal cavity. It originated from the Yoga practice of Jala (literally: "water") Neti. Jala neti, which involves rinsing the nasal cavity regularly, is reputed to prevent colds and otherwise promote good nasal health. If done properly, it cleans out the nasal passages and helps alleviate stuffiness, dryness, nosebleeds and allergies.

The practice of nasal irrigation has also been relatively common in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, though not as common in Western Europe and North America. This is changing, since the benefits of nasal irrigation are now becoming recognized by Western medicine.

Benefits and Uses

For those who suffer from chronic sinusitis, it is a simple and inexpensive way to relieve nasal congestion, for clearing out sticky, persistent mucus that clogs the sinuses. It helps to do the following:

• Clear out sticky, persistent mucus.
• Temporarily reduce symptoms of post nasal drainage.
• Help reduce nasal congestion.
• Cleanse and rid the nostrils of pollen and other irritants or contaminants.
• Relieve nasal dryness.
• Treat chronic sinusitis.
• Treat allergic rhinitis.
• Prevent common colds and flu.
• Improve breathing.
• Reduce cough caused by post-nasal drip.
• Treat acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (see here).

Tools

Traditionally, Yoga practitioners use a neti pot designed specially for nasal irrigation. There are also other tools available in medical supply stores. An irrigator can be a plastic bottle with a hook-shaped closable opening or a tube connected with a hand-operated pump. There are also electrical nasal irrigators.

Salty Water Prep

To prepare the warm salty water, one must be careful not to make the water too hot or cold, or too salty or fresh. This is due to the sensitivity of the mucous lining within the sinuses. The ideal heat of the solution is near body temperature, and the salinity close to that of one's own blood.

Usually one cup (US measure) of distilled or purified water is combined with 1/2 teaspoon (US measure) of sea salt, kosher salt, or other non-iodized salt. This is brought to a tepid temperature. 30 or 40 seconds in a standard microwave oven will usually bring room-temperature water to a suitable heat for use in a Neti pot. The prepared solution should be tasted before use to ensure that it is a suitable warmth and salinity.

Some people also add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the above formula. Be sure to use fresh baking soda as it will tend to absorb odors from its surroundings as it ages.

Some irrigator manufacturers also sell pre-mixed salt packets for convenience. Most of those commercial formulations are for making regular or hypertonic saline solutions. However, the superiority of dead sea salt solution over hypertonic saline for treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis and and improvement of quality of life is proven by a recent randomized, prospective, double-blind study (Friedman M, Vidyasagar R, Joseph N, Laryngoscope. 2006 May 16)

Sinus Irrigation

For sinus related irrigation, it is sometimes recommended that the patient lay on a bed, face-up and hang their head over the edge. This allows the patient to flood the sinuses with saline.

Using a nasal irrigation tool, both nasal openings should then be flooded with saline solution. Patients should then carefully rock the head from side to side so the saline will penetrate the sinus passages. More saline should be added if necessary.

After soaking for a short time, the soak is ended by rolling out of bed and draining the saline into a container or towel. Sinus drainage can be increased by hanging the face over the container and turning the head from side to side.

Patients should not do a sinus flood immediately before bed. This can lead to incomplete drainage and may cause added irritation to the sinuses. Two hours should be allowed before extended sleep.

See also

• Jala neti

• Hygiene
• Yoga