This Little Teapot Can Relieve Allergy Symptoms

This little contraption is a time-honoured tool for the relief of allergy symptoms.

CHEAP + GOOD | It’s great when you can find a simple and inexpensive item that actually does what it claims it can do. I’m talking about the Neti pot, that little contraption that looks like a mini Aladdin’s lamp, only instead of rubbing it, you use it to engage in a strange water dance with your nostrils.

The practice of nasal irrigation, which is what the Neti pot is used for, is old as Shiva and pursued by yoga practitioners in India to clear their nasal passages for enhanced breath control, controlled breathing being central to yoga.

Neti By A Nose

North Americans are not as interested in breath control as they are in finding a natural alternative to popping pills and shooting prescription spray up their nose to get rid of allergy symptoms. And it looks like nasal irrigation is a bona fide alternative to these options or, at the very least, an adjunct to them. An article I saved from The New York Times mentioned several studies including one that found regular nasal irrigation significantly eased allergy symptoms and helped reduce the need for steroid nasal sprays.

Anne Rose, editor-in-chief at Westworld magazine in Vancouver, already knew this from experience. As a person with serious sinus issues for most of her life, Rose has learned the value of what she terms sinus washing. “I’ve done it my whole life, and it does make a difference,” she says. “I was taught by a specialist to do it years ago. It’s simple really. You mix approximately 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon table salt in warm water, then sniff it up one nostril and allow it to come out the other.”

Rose uses a cup or glass rather than a Neti, but she understands why a nozzle that fits snugly in the nostrils might be preferable for those with little or no experience with nasal irrigation.

I’ve tried the Neti, and it is very easy to use. With pots costing as little as $10 (like the plastic one in this picture from Walgreens), and studies to back up its efficiency, the Neti’s definitely worth trying. —C. Rule

You can find Neti pots at Whole Foods and Real Canadian Superstore. Here is a great video demonstrating the procedure.

Photo: C. Phaisalakani