Make it Do Cold Remedy
There’s a little cold going around our family. It’s nothing major, it just leaves you feeling a bit mucky. The worst part is the congestion and sinus headache.
Several years back, my son had a sinus infection. I finally took him to the pediatrician, and he prescribed antibiotics. After five days on the antibiotics, he wasn’t improving at all. I called the doctor again and he suggested switching to a stronger antibiotic. Sinus infections can be hard to treat he said.
That same day, I spoke with my mother-in-law, Kit. She suggested trying a Neti Pot
But we picked one up at the Natural Foods Market and gave it a try.
It was a little tricky to use it on a young child, but Ben was a trooper and with my help we made it work.
And much to my surprise, after the first time using it, Ben said his head felt a little better.
We used it 3 times that first day and each time it brought him more relief from the headache and congestion. After 3 days, his sinus infection was gone. Ben did complete the antibiotics we had already started, but I’m sure it was the Neti pot that really helped him get better.
For those who aren’t familiar with a Neti Pot, I hope I don’t gross you out too much. It is a little pot designed to flush your sinuses with a saline solution. It clears out the muck and helps moisturize the nasal passages. To use a Neti pot, you mix ¼ teaspoon of finely ground non-iodized salt in one cup of warm water until dissolved. We use Sea Salt. You lean over a sink and pour the solution into one nostril. The saline solution moves through the sinuses and comes out the other side. It feels funny, but not painful in any way. You repeat the process going the other direction. It pretty much clears out the stuffiness and allergens. When done, I put the pot in the dishwasher to clean and sanitize.
Since buying our pot, we use it any time someone has a cold or congestion. I love using it in the Spring for my allergies.
The Neti pot is a little life saver at our house. It never fails to help us feel better. It just goes to show, sometimes the oldest and simplest solutions are best.
I have pretty bad allergies year round thanks to my loveable pooches. Do you think this would help with those types of allergies?
If your allergies cause your nose to get stuffy and run, then I think it would really help. It doesn’t help my itchy eyes, but it really helps my nose.
Morgan gets awful sinus infections. Someone suggested a neti pot to him a while ago. Well, either he didn’t use it right, or something is wrong with the inside of his head (probably). All of the water went somewhere and didn’t come out. He walked around with a head full of water for a couple of days until it randomly would start pouring out his nose. Nasty. He won’t use one again, although, I think I would if I felt the need. I hear they work wonders…if you’re not Morgan.
Oh McKelle, I’ve never heard of that. You need to lean forward for it to work and it starts coming out the other side almost immediately! I don’t blame him for not wanting to get back on the horse. That sounds awful!
I just recently started using one on the recommendation of some friends, and I love it. It was a little awkward at first, but I can’t believe how much it helps. I took cold medicine for a week that didn’t do a thing, I quit the meds and used the neti pot for a few days and felt so much better. I have friends that swear by it for help with their allergies. Thanks for posting for others to see!
Never heard of it! Sounds like we should have one in our arsenal of cold & allergy remedies. Thanks for the info.
Sinus rinse bottles are great, too. I had pneumonia a year ago and then a cold a month for six months, never really getting rid of all the congestion in between. NeilMed’s Sinus Rinse packets were what finally got rid of it all!
Now that I’m pregnant, it helps with that congestion, too.
I’ve been curious about Neti pots for a while. I guess if a six-year-old can do it…
My sister made me try it once on a dare of sorts and I’m not sure that I got it working right. She did it fine though. I should try again next cold.
We got our daughter to try it when she was just 4 (she’s 6 now and has it mastered, though still needs help holding the full pot) — and we haven’t been to the dr’s for a sinus cold or infection ever since!
the reasoning for this method to work is because salt (which is used as a preservative in everything) makes for an inhospitable environment for bacteria to survive. Antibiotics although they do have their place, reduce your immune system’s ability to fight off infection, thus when you come off of them it’s very easy to pick up another infection. A lot of the girls at work use Normal saline (salt water solution in iv bags and sterile technique for dressing changes) the moment they feel sick and it works! You don’t need to buy a special pot, you can also use those blue squirty things with a salt and water.
I have serious allergy issues & I love my Netti pot. I use it when I feel like I am coming down with a head cold or sinus infection & it always clears it up with a day or two. I highly recommend using these.