Can a neti pot make your nasal problems worse?!
Question: I've been using a Neti pot for about a week now, and I'm miserable. Instead of being dried up and congested to the point that I can barely breathe through my nose, there's a river of postnasal drip flowing down my throat. Yesterday I had a terrible sinus headache. My friend says this may just be that the Neti pot got my sinuses flowing, and it'll get better in time. I think I've given myself a sinus infection, but would rather wait a few days before heading to the doctor. What's your take? Thanks.
Answers: I've been using a Neti pot for about a week now, and I'm miserable. Instead of being dried up and congested to the point that I can barely breathe through my nose, there's a river of postnasal drip flowing down my throat. Yesterday I had a terrible sinus headache. My friend says this may just be that the Neti pot got my sinuses flowing, and it'll get better in time. I think I've given myself a sinus infection, but would rather wait a few days before heading to the doctor. What's your take? Thanks.
I think if you've had problems and have been using the np consistantly (according to the directions) you're body is finally able to get hydrated and is taking on good moisture.
I think of it as being constipated (sorry kinda gross). Your body is not getting enough water to move things along so you drink a lot more water and maybe some fiber and at first your gonna feel bloated and crappy and have to pee a lot but finally once your body holds on to some of that moisture, you finally have a bm and get rid of what was making you stopped up.
With your sinus' it's finally moving things along.
in suppose it depends what you are putting into your nose with it. It is designed to be used with saline solution. Don't use tap water...
I just use a very inexpensive saline spray. Less chance of infection from other bacteria. I think your friend is probably right. You are cleaning out the toxins and that is messing you up temporarily, but supposedly, you are doing the best thing, that you will eventually clean out the junk, and then everything will balance out to much better than before.
You should be feeling relief, not getting worse. It sounds like you have a sinus infection. I used neti during my sinus infection and it helped, but it would not ever get well. So I am going to the doctor in about an hour. Go to the doctor and get treatment for any infection. If you are doing neti right it should not cause a sinus infection because the water doesn't actually go into your sinuses. Are you putting too much salt in the water? I have done that before and it made me feel dried out. You might want to reduce the salt and see if that helps. You should taste the water before you use it to test the salt level, that way you can get it right every time.
The neti pot is not going to be causing those kinds of problems. They won't give you sinus infections. They actually keep you from getting colds and infections by flushing everything out. Make sure that you are using the correct type of water/saline solution and make sure it is warm, not too hot or cold. Also, don't do it too often. You may have some swelling or nasal polyps that are causing the water to get trapped in the sinus cavity. I have had that problem in the past year.