Neti Pot? - Salt Lake City,UT

We use Dr. Neil's which has a spray bottle which includes a Ph balanced salt solution that doesn't sting. It is much easier and comforable to use. You can get this kit at Walgreens. It works great and doesn't sting at all.

I don't have a neti pot, but I have been doing nasal rinses with salt water by simply mixing warm salt water in a cup, then taking a spoonful and basically sniffing it into my nasal passages, one at a time. This is not painful at all. That might be easier for a child to try since she can do it very gingerly to get used to the feeling.

I realize you may be interested in this for other reasons, but the flu incubates in the nose before reaching the rest of the body, so doing salt water nasal rinses once or twice a day (and gargling with salt water) could also help prevent the flu.

Good luck!

If it doesn't come out the other nostril it means you are stuffed up keep doing it and it will feel better. It is a discomfort however you will be amazed that it works. I don't know if doing it with out salt makes a difference.

Its the plain tap water...ouch! Too little or too much salt will make it sting like hell. Add 1/4t salt and a pinch of baking soda to really warm water in your neti pot. I find that almost hot water feels the best. You may need a little more or a little less salt than this. Try it again and I think it will feel better and it should come out the other nostril unless you are really stuffed- in which case you might need to do it several times. Make sure you blow your nose gently, but well after to get all of the junk out. You can make a fun game out of with your daughter. My daughter thinks its a pretty silly thing to do and usually enjoys it. Good luck!

Hey M.,
I laughed so hard reading your thing because the first time I used it, it was so uncomfortable too! But that is because I was doing it wrong. The water is suppose to come out the other nostril for sure and it should not hurt in the least! You don't have to do anything but breath normal and tilt your head. The neti pot does the rest and it flows through your nasal passage all on it's own. You just have to be patient and wait for it.

My husband and I use the neti pot when we feel a cold coming on but not for a 2 year old. I have a 5 year old and I wouldn't let him use it. When he gets a cold, we just have the saline solution for little noses that we mist up his nose. That works good for the kids. As for you using the neti pot, you have to make sure that your water is warm or on the hot side (but not to hot that it burns) then you put the salt solution they provide you when purchasing the neti pot and shake a little. Then you put the end of the neti pot in one nostril and tilt your head over the bathroom sink, open your mouth a touch and start pouring. The water should go in one nostril and come out the other. I usually do have the pot on one side, then I turn my head the and do the same process with what is left in the pot. Good luck.

I have the worst sinus infection problem ever and have recently started using this and it has helped me so much so it does work thank goodness.... the first thing i can say is to make sure you are leaning forward with your face down towards the sink, this will stop you from filling like water is going up your nose. it took me a couple of tries to figure out a comfy way to do it but you will notice the difference and when you are doing it right you will have water coming out of the other side.
Also for your daughter, the same brand makes a little kid kind, its more of a nasal spray. It should be right by where you got the neti pot at the store. I have heard that is better for little kids than the neti pot itself.
I hope all of this info is helpful.
Oh yeah just fyi, my son has the same sinus problems that I do and they finally ended putting him on singular once a day, its a chewy tablet and it works wonders. We haven't had a headache or a runny nose yet this year!!!
Good luck.
M.

You don't have to buy special solutions. I make my own with filtered water, a pinch of salt, a pinch of vitamin C powder. If you're really stuffy, add a few drops of alcolol (Not alcohol!) which you can get from a drugstore. If the solution doesn't come out the opposite nostril, keep trying, alternating sides, and eventually it will. Also, alfalfa tablets, which you can get at any drugstore or grocery outlet, are great for stuffiness and sinus issues. They're better than anything you can take over-the-counter because they don't cause drowsiness, and they get rid of the drips. If the pills are too big for your little one to swallow, you can crush them up and make tea out of them. Good luck.

Definitely the lack of salt made it hurt, and possibly the temp-it should be comfortably warm. You should use 1/4 tsp. salt for 8 oz. of warm water. I've heard you shouldn't use them if you are stopped up. And I agree with the other posters about the NeilMed. You can get them at the drugstore. You only have to lean over the sink and squeeze to use, not tip your head way over to the side like a neti pot. And when you use up the solution packets, you can buy more or just switch to the salt as mentioned before. You can probably use this on your 2 year old (way more easily than the neti pot!) but I didn't personally try them with my kids until they were a bit older. Good luck!

Hi M.,

My son goes to National Jewish and they taught him to use the nasal rinse from Dr. Neil Meds. When squeezing the bottle they told him to blow out like he's blowing out birthday candles. Don't stop blowing until you stop squeezing. This closes the throat and keeps the water from doing that thing where you feel like you got water up your nose from swimming. :) Good luck.

You have to use salt! Preferably noniodized. A tsp should do it.

Hello, I have something similar its not a neti pot its more of a squirt bottle. But mine came with salt packets you mix with distilled water. I have never tried tap water so that may have been why it hurt. I have never tried it on a younger child so I am not much help there.

I do have to say, when I use mine it does come out the other nostril.

Hope this helps some...

S.

I use the instructions from National Jewish... heck, they're the leading respiratory hospital in the country, they ought to know!
I use 1/4 tsp plain salt (non-iodized as iodine inhibits healing) and a pinch of baking soda in 1/2 cup distilled water (distilled so you're not introducing new organisms to your nose.) Then microwave until it's a comfortable warmth.
If there isn't enough salt it will make your nasal passages swell. If there's too much it will burn the nose.

It doesn't hurt if you use a properly prepared saline solution. Just like saline solution and eye drops don't really hurt your eyes, but plain water kinda does.
And they have specific ones for kids with instructions on how to use it.
I've used one a few times and it certainly helps clear it up. Apparently, you are supposed to use it on a regular basis (daily) for the most effect.

Definitely the NeilMed system. I never used a neti pot because I hate the feeling of water in my nose. My partner finally convinced me to try the NeilMed squeeze bottle and I was amazed that it worked and didn't bother me. I think the key is to use the packets and have the water at the right temperature...I have found that too hot or too cold hurts. My 2.5 year old also uses it. I think he feels more in control because he can squeeze it into his nose on his own. He does make a mess, but I think it helps him.

Use the NeilMed system. They make one for children. Plain water will hurt. You must use salt or the salt solution by NielMed. I've used the rinses for years after having sinus surgery.

Run to the drugstore or Walmart and pick up the sinus rinse kit by NeilMED. It comes with little packets that you pour into a squirt bottle. Much easier to use than a Neti Pot, although NeilMED also makes one of these. You absolutely have to have the salt packets or else that tap water just burns and makes you gag! I would think the squirt bottle would be easier to use for a child. BTW, I use my sinus rinse twice a day and it is a lifesaver - really keeps the colds and sinus infections at bay.

Hi M. - I can imagine that hurt like the dickens!!!! If you add some non-iodized salt and some baking soda to the water, it wont sting like plain water. I usually use 1/2 tsp. salt and big pinch of baking soda for 8 oz of warm water.

If you are infected, you can also add some "Alcolol" to the solution although talk to your pediatrician before using it for your 2 yr old - it can sting if your passages are irritated and might be too strong for a little one.

Jala Neti and Sutra Neti are art forms in my opinion. I could never get the hang of the Jala Neti pot. I've had my best luck with the NeilMed Sinus rinse kit - there are packets of the salt solution and it's just a squeeze bottle with a big tip. Before I found that system, I just used a baby bulb syringe with a wide tip and made my own saline. If your passages are blocked you may notice the saline runs out the back of your throat rather than your other nostril. Also, my doc suggested avoiding a wash if my ears felt blocked or pressurized.

I definitely recommend becoming expert at rinsing yourself before trying it on your 2yr old since any bad experience will lead to fights in the future.

Here are a couple of links for you to look at.

http://www.sneezedoctors.com/Nasal%20Wash.htm

http://www.jalanetipot.com/

I use regular tap water, but I use the packets that come w/my saline rinse bottle (I don't have the neti pot but do have the Neil Med saline rinse bottle). The first time I used it I felt the same way-my nostrils burned. The second time though, it was much better. I used warm water. It could be that you're just so congested that it's not flowing out-when my sinuses are really clogged it drains out my mouth instead of the other nostril. Try rinsing for a bit & then doing a "farmer blow" into the sink. Last time I didn't get anything by rinsing itself but when I blew my nose into the sink I got what looked like green glue (no wonder my head was hurting!)
Maybe you could do half full for your little one.
But keep practicing! I was a nasal spray addict when I was sick, but now that I've found my saline bottle, I don't need the nasal spray-it keeps me breathing well & that's all that's important to me.

You need to tilt your head forward and to the opposite side of the nostril you are squirting into. My kids figured it out pretty quickly with the Neil Med bottle.

You definitely need to make sure you are using the salt packet or a baking soda and vinegar combination. You can find recipes for this on Google.

It does leave you with a partially drowned sensation, but it does help a lot.

My kids just think it is interesting. They were better sports about it than I was. :)

Hope you guys feel better.

I don't have suggetions on how to teach your 2 year old how to do it, but I can say that it hurt because you used plain tap water. You need to use the solution in order for it not to hurt.

I used it when I was pregnant because I was so stuffy. Sometimes it would come out the other nostril, but if I was really stuffy it would sometimes come out my mouth. If you alternate sides enough it should all come out.

Good luck!

Yes, LOL! You must use salt in the water and I use a little baking soda also. I also use NeilMed and love it. Neil Med has saline packets that are grat and the perfect mixture, but you can just use salt instead. I use it on my kids when they are sick. Sometimes they even ask for it before I even suggest it when they are sick. It really clears you out. I met a mother of a very young child, who was maybe 2, and she said her son does Neil Med everyday and loves it and never misses a day. I think it is a little hard to get used to at first, especially for a child. Good luck!

You definitely need salt and the right temperature (body temp). To get the right amount of salt, you want it to taste about as salty as tears. Too little or too much will both end up hurting.

I second the recommendation for the NeilMED nasal rinse. It comes with saline packets so it won't burn. I just use tap water, but make sure the water is close to body temp. If the water is too cold or too hot, it is uncomfortable. All you do is lean over, place it in your nostril and squeeze the bottle lightly. If you aren't completely blocked, the water will come out the other nostril. It does feel strange, but shouldn't hurt.

I do use this on my children, but they are a bit older (5yr, 7yr). I am not sure how a 2yr old would react. With the kids, I just squirt some of the rinse up their nose and then have them blow their noses very well. Sometimes it is enough just to get a bunch of gunk out and to moisten the inside of the nose.

Good luck. I honestly swear by my nasal rinse. When I first heard about it, I thought it was crazy and I would never try it. Now, I am a complete convert! I think it has saved us from sinus infections several times!