Strollerderby

We don't use a neti pot but I have taught my son to spray copious amounts of saline up his nose. He has allowed me to do this from around the age of two and it has been very helpful since he is often congested.  I assure you that this was not easy to do but now he does it willingly. It was a gradual process. I turned it into a squirting game. I am interested in trying the Neti pot but I fear that might be a tad more challenging.

The pediatrician recommended NeilMed Sinus Rinse for my daughter's sinus infection.  He also sent us home with a prescription for a 10-day regimen of antibiotics, just in case.  This is a child who won't even let you LOOK at the splinter let alone TOUCH it.  However, she hates to take medicine too, so with that choice she used the rinse, it cleaned her out in no time and uses it now whenever she's congested.  I think she was actually intrigued when I told her she'd squirt it up one nostril and it would come out the other...

I just got my 5 year old son to try the neti pot this weekend. What a trooper!! He did great... I explained how it would feel and he watched in the mirror! He did it twice and noticed the difference so he was fine with it....!

Ok, so I watched the video after my first post and must comment! At least in our house, even with me, it doesn't go nearly as smooth as the woman in this video. You're right, Karen, she looks drugged or hypnotized. You have to get passed the "water up your nose" feeling that goes to your brain.... also, despite my greatest efforts breathing out my mouth, some solution always goes down my throat! And sometimes, my ears react quite strangely and I have to stop (no, I am not prone to ear infections so I don't know what the deal is....)!

I found it best to use it on my son in the tub during the rinsing stage of a bath; not when it's filling up but as the water is draining. That way, warm water from the spout is running on his body keeping him comfortable and he's just leaning over letting the snot and saline mixture drain off.....

I've been using the neti pot daily for several years now and it makes a HUGE difference with my allergies.

There is a definite "yuck factor" you have to get over, but that goes away with practice.  When my head feels swollen with hay fever (cedar is a killer in these parts this time of year), I can feel the relief as the pollen is flushed out of my sinuses.  

Having the right salt:water ratio is vital to it feeling "normal", versus like you have water up your nose. I find tilting my head both a little forward and to the side helps keep the flow of salt water out of my throat.  

LogicalMama - I sometimes feel it in my ears too, usually when I'm blowing my nose hard at the end.

Love the Sinu-Cleanse pot.  Easy to use and really cuts down on the sinus infections. If you can breath out of yoru mouth you can use one.  I spray saline of my kids noses when they are sick.  It is not big deal really. They stand there and I squirt it up the nose.  Then they blow their nose and all that nasty goo comes out.

Lissame, yes, I feel it when I blow but I also sometimes feel the weirdness while I am irrigating....

My experience with snorting water began with diving into pools when I was a kid. The my doctor showed me how to mix saline solution in a cup and snort into gently into the upper sinuses. I've never used a neti pot, but suspect snorting is more effective by delivering the saline further than sparay methods (which I have tried); you can actually feel a little sting below your eyes when you've brought the water up high enough -- the area where I feel sinus pressure in allergy season. The result? The sinuses drain immediately, your head clears and symptoms go away -- just like jumping into the ocean! I've probably cut colds by 80% over the past five years.