The neti pot is an ancient healing method that has again been gaining recent popularity in the world and is being recommended by physicians both on TV and in real life. 

The Neti Pot derives its name from jala neti, which is the Indian art of nasal irrigation. Nasal irrigation is just what it sounds like—flooding your nose with water. Salt water is used to flush out your sinuses in a comfortable manner, as regular drinking water would induce a burning sensation and feel very uncomfortable. 

Nasal irrigation has been shown to help with all sorts of problems from simple allergies to minor infections. But be cautious when you think about these solutions because if you think you can solve all your problems with this, you may forsake traditional medicine, which is a bad idea. I’ve been using the Neti Pot for several months now and have noticed a considerable difference to my allergies. 

The technique of nasal irrigation was used in India to help get more out of their breathing exercises by cleaning out the sinuses as much as possible, with either the saltwater solution, or by using a string. The use of water is an interesting sensation and unlike anything I have ever tried before, but I could see immediate results as the water gushed out. Once I had settled, I had definitely noticed a change in how I was feeling. 

Before I first tried the Neti Pot, I was feeling so terrible that I had to call in sick to school. I was sitting around bored at home, and I noticed the Neti Pot that my mother had bought. I had never used one before, and I thought I would give it a shot in hopes of feeling better. While using it I was disgusted by how uncomfortable it was and the appearance of the experience—to put it politely—but I started feeling a positive result immediately. In fact, by nighttime I was ready to go out and do something because I felt 100 percent better. 

I contacted the Himalayan Institute who has claimed to have “brought the Neti Pot to the west” to ask them a couple of questions. I corresponded over e-mails with Slim Miles who was able to answer some of my questions. I asked Miles where the concept came from. 

“The concept of nasal irrigation (called jala neti in India) originated in India more than a few thousand years ago,” wrote Miles. “Most likely, it was the yogis who developed this technique to clear out the sinuses from gunk and debris in order to get more out of their ‘pranayama’ or breathing practices. The Himalayan Institute introduced the Neti Pot to the west more than 35 years ago.” 

One of my beefs with alternative medicine is people’s welcoming embrace to get away from big pharmaceutical industries to the point where they endanger their own health. So my next question was if they felt the Neti Pot should be used as a sole remedy or if they should still consult a doctor. 

“Well this gets a little more complicated,” wrote Miles. “We never suggest that nasal irrigation with the Neti Pot replaces sound medical advice. However we can say that incidents and rates (as well as duration) of infection as well as colds and flu tend to go down dramatically with regular use of the Neti Pot. Allergies are another area that is helped dramatically with regular or daily use. Many doctors or physicians now prescribe nasal irrigation to their patients.” 

Lastly I asked Miles where the mixture of salt and water came from, if it had been an old recipe, scientific research or trial and error. 

“Well it is the same amount of salt that has been used in India for a very long time,” wrote Miles. “Basically the amount of non-iodized salt that is used is the same amount that is needed to make water isotonic or about the same amount of saline that naturally occurs in the mucus membrane in the human body. This helps cut through mucus and such but also makes the process much less irritating than it would be if one were to just use water. So I am sure initially for somebody it was trial and error but these days this has been confirmed by scientific research.” 

I think the most important part to come away with from this article is that while the Neti Pot is a great boon, you need to consult a doctor if you come down with a serious ailment like an infection.