Sinus health, holistic cleansing & irrigation - how to Neti pot
- Cara Wiseroots
- Jun 7, 2024
- 10 min read
Updated: Mar 6
I have had sinus infections that i have healed with holistic approach. As a yoga teacher and being introduced to the practice (kriya) of neti potting on my yoga training I fell in love with neti pot practice nearly 18 years ago and find this practice an essential part of my holistic health care, i will go into detail asfor sinus health and neti pot practice techniques. I am a yoga teacher and holistic health practitioner with over 30 years experience, and i share my wisdom with you here
TABLE OF CONTENT
sinus health
what can help sinus health
holistic remedies for sinus health
nasal irrigation
what is a neti pot
when to use a neti pot & benefits
help with sinus, massage and homeopathy
how often should i use a neti pot
neti pot safety
how to use a neti pot
choosing a neti pot
recipes for neti pot, saline solution, ACV, colloidal silver and herbal infusions
Sinus health
can be affected by many factors, a clean healthy sinus cavity is key to good health
Sinus can be affected by
RISK FACTORS you are more likely to get sinus issues if you have asthma, allergies, nasal polyps or other obstructions in the nasal cavity, overuse of nasal decongestants, common cold, hayfever, non allergic rhinitis, exposure to air pollutants, changes in air pressure which as swimming or climbing to high altitudes, exposure to bacteria virus or fungi, infections from dental problems, injury to sinus, a weakened immune system, GERD if you are a smoker or Being in hospital, especially if you have had a head injury or you have had a tube inserted into your nose (eg: a nasogastric tube from your nose to your stomach)
INFECTION such as a common cold, influenza, or bacterial infections such as Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes, Haemophilus influenza bacteria, Moraxella catarrhalis bacteria and fungal can all cause infections, there is acute, sub acute, chronic and recurring issues that can affect the sinus . You don’t necessarily need to treat sinusitis, it often goes away on its own. Very rarely, untreated sinus infections can lead to life-threatening infections such as bacteria or fungi spreading to your brain, eyes or nearby bone so it is always advisable to get checked by a doctor, tests can include nasal swabs, endoscopy (looking further inside the ENT) imaging, allergy testing and biopsy
SINUSITIS is an inflammation of the tissues in your sinuses (spaces in your forehead, cheeks and nose usually filled with air). caused by bacterial (lasts longer than 10 days), viral (usually lasts up to 1 week) or fungal infections which are usually more chronic and can be caused by weak immunity . It causes facial pain, a stuffy or runny nose, and sometimes a fever and other symptoms. It’s usually caused by the common cold, but other viruses, bacteria, fungi and allergies can also cause sinusitis. you will not need antibiotics for every sinus infection, common allopathic medicine used are steroid sprays, antihistamines, topical creams and sprays and then amoxicillin antibiotics
ALLERGENS can case sinusitis such as food in your diet or chemicals in your environment
DIET can cause irritation such as excess dairy in some people, or 'wet foods' in some sensitive people such as oranges and bananas (TCM)
TEETH also can cause problems specially if there is any infection in the teeth,including root canals or bacteria in the root canals, cracks in the teeth can harbour these bacteria and cause sinus issues
what can help sinus health and infections?
homeopathy can help with any sinus or rhinitis symptoms especially chronic issues that can't be helped by your visit to the doctor, homeopathy works well alongside allopathic medicine and can help issues that cause chronic conditions by healing the vital force of thd body and establishing wellness
diet and nutrition is key to a healthy life, nutrition and diet advice can help sinus issues, such as checking to see if you can tolerate dairy, cutting back on sugar and other toxins in your food and environment with help from a professional
self massage and acupressure hrlps sinus drainage, you can learn an excellent easy daily routine to help ease sinus issues, cara offers workshops on self acupressure massage
yoga, qigong and meditation can help ease conditions in the body allowing you to find balance and homeostasis . cara also offers private neti pot tuition and other cleansing yoga kriya advice
Acupuncture - for chronic recurring sinus issues that won't go away TCVM and acupuncture can assist to clear stagnant heat and damp and open blocked energy meridians. This is not just restricted to the sinus and sinus can be a systemic infection with the whole body requiring treating.
HOLISTIC HELP WITH SINUS INFECTION
FLUIDS drink plenty of fluids
ANTIHISTAMINE use nettle, cleavers or echinacea tincture as a natural
VITAMIN C helps sinus issues, choose a good natural vitamin c source
HOMEOPATHY FOR SINUS INFECTIONS Silicea
COLLOIDAL SILVER for mucus you can try colloidal
MANUKA HONEY is antibacterial and antifungal,
APPLE CIDAR VINEGAR is very good for sinus , place two drops of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (antimicrobial & bacterial) in boiled water 50/50 once luke warm & flush each nasal passage.
NATURAL ANTIBIOTICS such as
OZONATED OIL use this this oxygenated oil as a toothpaste or apply to teeth as an antibacterial, viralcide and fungicide.
SYMPTOMS OF SINUS ISSUES & INFECTION
i have personally cleared a sinus infection before using the above remedies my self on many occasions, sinus problems usually show as symptoms such as:
stuffy nose and sinus area
soreness and painful sinus
dryness sinus
swollen sinus
sinus discharge (bleeding and mucus)
Postnasal drip (mucus dripping down your throat).
Runny nose with thick yellow or green mucus.
Facial pressure (particularly around your nose, eyes and forehead). This might get worse when you move your head around or bend over.
Pressure or pain in your teeth.
Ear pressure or pain.
Fever
Bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth.
Cough
Headache
Tiredness
METAPHYSICAL SYMBOLISM OF SINUS ISSUES
the energetic patterning of sinus can mean you have issues or are clearing the following energetic patterns from your life:
experiencing irritation and frustration.
feeling worn out, split into too many directions
repressing feelings of anger or rage
feeling sorrowful
overanalysing
fear &
not knowing how to resolve difficult situations
difficulty in standing up for yourself and your beliefs
trying to keep people at a distance
in homeopathy, the belief that most dis-eases are a manifestation and created by metaphysical energy within the biofield of emotional and mental issues is not to be overlooked, a detailed homeopathic or pranic healing session can help with these issues . cara offers combined healing sessions to assist full spectrum healing
NASAL CLEANSING & FLUSHING
you can use a variety of methods for nasal flushing, the oldest method is the neti pot, used in yoga to cleanse the sinus. There are thee modern nasal flushing devices you can use as well as steam bathing and nebulising
My preferred methods are :
STEAM INHALATION is really good for sinus issues and cleansing, i like to use a steam inhalation with lavender essential
What is a neti pot ?
A neti pot is a small ‘teapot’ shaped jug used for nasal irrigation. Also called nasal irrigation device, ‘nasal lavage’ or ‘sinus rinsing pot’
When to use a Neti Pot & benefits
Neti pot is a great fast acting option to use alongside herbal steaming and may help:
cold & flu fighting: a good first line defenses against cold symptoms
helps with allergies & seasonal allergies
rhinitis
sinus inflammation & sinusitis
eases dry nasal conditions
clears mucus, allergens and debris
Mucus - great for thick mucus and blockages (of ears and nasal passages)
Start as soon as you can, when you first feel any symptoms in your sinus cavity such as sensitivity or inflammation. As stated in a 2009 report: ‘Flushing with a neti pot may help cleanse your nasal cavity, remove inflammation causing elements, improve the ability of your respiratory system to self-clean’
How often should I use a Neti Pot
It is best to use a neti pot on a non regular basis
It is advised to use as follows
only use a neti pot when necessary, at the onset of an illness or during an illness
use the neti pot once a day if you have an infection, illness or want to avoid illness
If you find it effective, you can use twice a day while you have symptoms
use a neti pot for no longer than around 2 weeks at a time when using daily
OVER USE RISKS One study recently found that that regular use of a neti pots may remove beneficial microbes and the body’s own organism fighting agents and increase the chance of sinus infection and bacterial growth, as the sinus area is warm, damp, and dark there are chances you could end up creating infection with improper or over-use.
Using a Neti Pot Safety
Most doctors, health practitioners and holistic practitioners state if used correctly a neti pot is safe. Here are some tips to help you use the neti pot safely:
Use only filtered and distilled water, boil your filtered or bottled/ reverse-osmosis water for several minutes and leave to cool to lukewarm temperature, Don’t use water that is too hot or too cold
WARNING do not use water straight from a tap! You can die from amoebic infections so DO NOT use for nasal irrigation without filtering and boiling first
CLEAN your neti pot regularly . Always Wash the neti pot after use with hot water and antibacterial cleaner. Dry thoroughly
Discontinue use of your neti pot if it is uncomfortable, causes pain or doesn’t improve symptoms.
Talk with a pediatrician before using the neti pot on a young child. Do NOT use a neti pot on an infant.
Replace your neti pot as often as you replace your toothbrush (3/4 months)
How to use a Neti pot?
prepare your water: filter, boil and add salt 1 tsp max max
leave water to cool to luke warm
fill the neti pot with the sterile boiled water and natural salt
tilt your head to the side
put the spout in one nostril til it fits snugly
open your mouth and breathe through your mouth all whilst doing an irrigation
start to pour the saline solution through your nose cavity (up one nose hole)
let the water flow through your sinuses – through one nostril, and then out the other.
Visit my Youtube video link HERE where i demonstrate how to use a neti pot
Choosing a neti pot
Look for
the type of material it is made of, plastic or ceramic, if it is lead cadmium free etc
how easy it is to clean
its general ease of use.
what size of water reservoir you require
if there are any additional features
the price
Now for my favourite part of this blog…. RECIPES!
RECIPES Neti Pot Rinses
Through much personal use, as i have dealt with acute sinus issues, and also helped stop
the onset of colds and eased irritated sinus with the use of a neti pot, i have used the following recipes effectively and would like to share with you some of my favourites:
SALT (SALINE) NETI
This is the standard neti pot rinse
use fine natural sea salt or himalayan salt for a salt rinse, check the ingredients to see there are no other additives in your salt, if in doubt purchase ‘neti pot salt’ Avoid using coarse salt . do not use iodised salt
ACV APPLE CIDER VINEGAR NETI
Use apple cider vinegar to help with sinus conditions. I’ve used ACV effectively for sinus niggles many times
Use 6 drops ACV to 8 oz water in a Neti pot for sinus infections. i recommend also taking 1tsp to 1tbspn in water as a drink 1-2 times a day also to help immunity .
NOTE do not use more than 6 drops or you will feel the burn!
COLLOIDAL SILVER NETI
Add colloidal silver to your neti pot to help with
colloidal silver is called a ‘natural antibiotic’ and is said to help with everything! including staph infections, colds&flu, allergies, sinus issues, infections, virus, bacteria, mold etc
chronic sinus infections
stubborn or recurring sinus issues
USE 15 to 30 drops (one to two droppers) of colloidal silver per neti pot
Herbs For Neti Pot
Here is a list of my top herbal infusions and tinctures i recommend for neti pots and their uses, please read full ‘herbal recipe instructions’ before you use any of these herbs
HERBAL RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
TINCTURE: this is a pre-purchased or home made tincture in alcohol or ACV (vinegar) base, add 5-20 drops of tincture per neti pot as per your requirements
INFUSION make an infusion or tisane (tea) of your herb like a regular tea
use around 1/2-1tsp of root, leaves, flowers etc as stated
remove herbs when just about to pre-boil (to retain the oils)
lid the mixture while cooling to keep all active compounds in the infusion.
STRAIN WELL !!! it is essential to make sure all plant matter is completely strained out of your infusion before using as a neti sinus flush!
DOSE you may add 10-20ml of your infusion into your neti pot
CHAMOMILE Matricaria Chamomilla
(or feverfew)
Sinus pressure / headaches
both runny or dry sinus conditions
USE as an infusion or tincture
NETTLE Urtica dioica
anti-inflammatory
natural anti-histamine
may help hayfever
supports wound healing
USE as a tincture or infusion of the leaf
PLANTAIN Plantago Major
‘draws out’ excess mucus and soothes, moisturises and neutralises irritation
use for both wet and dry sinus
MULLEIN Verbascum Thapsus
for all colds, fluband sinus!
can help loosen a blocked sinus
USE tincture of the root or infusion of leaves or flowers
GINGER Zingier Officiinalis
dry sinus
colds, bugs, viral infections
dull pressure
USE tincture only! only use 5-10 drops of infusion as it may cause heat!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my neti pot wisdom
cara bianca
wiseroots
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cara
ABOUT CARA
Cara is a Complimentary Medicine Practitioner (CAM) specialising in trauma and healing, Cara offers online healing and tuition and is a professional homeopath, herbalist, naturopath, nutrition mentor, holistic diet mentor and healer helping with all conditions in a holistic way
Cara is also an energy healer working with Usui reiki system as a Reiki master and is also trained in the heslinv modalities: shamanic practitioner, priestess, vibrational medicine practitioner: sound, gem therapy & chromatherapy healer.
Cara also offers advanced yoga, movement & dance, qigong, meditation and breathwork (pranayama)
Cara is also a holistic therapist trained in Aromatherapy, Advanced Massage, Acupressure Therapy, Lymphatic Drainage, Chinese Diagnosis and more currently offering self massage tuition for detox and relaxation
disclaimer
always visit a health care practitioner or doctor,
the information in this blog is classified as for information only and is an account of my story and my personal point of view and what I HAVE CHOSEN TO DO
please do your own research or contact your health care professional for advice
as you are liable for your own safety
t&c apply
REFERENCES
the information in this post has been verified with external links:
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