Nasal Irrigation Effectiveness

Although definitely unattractive and sometimes uncomfortable, nasal irrigation does work. This practice can be an extremely effective way of dealing with an entire range of sinus problems from sinusitis to simple congestion. Nasal Irrigation helps to clean out irritants and bacteria that cause more serious diseases. However, there are some risks that everyone should be aware of.

The Facts

Nasal irrigation is a common treatment that physicians recommend to patients who have repeat problems with sinusitis and allergies as well as patients suffering from an infection, congestion or a bad cold or flu. However, it is usually recommended that patients only use nasal irrigation a couple of times a day. Frequent overuse can cause additional problems such as increased congestion or even a runny nose.

Home Made vs. Store Bought

You can buy a drugstore device that offers effective nasal irrigation, such as the Neti Pot. Store bought versions often have regular table salt (sodium chloride) and sodium bicarbonate (found dissolved in many mineral springs). The basic directions show how to make a regular isotonic solution. However, you can add extra packets to achieve more concentrated results. You may instead choose to make your own solution. This can be done cheaply, using household products (one cup warm water, one teaspoon kosher salt). The homemade version works better if you want to be certain what ingredients are added. Also, some people like add one half teaspoon of baking soda to the saline mix as an extra cleaning agent.

Nasal Irrigation vs. Saline Spray

The March 2008 Men's Health Magazine reported that nasal irrigation outperformed saline spray by 34%. Simply, nasal irrigation cleans and washes the inside of the nose more effectively. In fact, in the Men's Health Magazine article a University of Michigan researcher, Melissa Pynnonen, likens nasal irrigation and saline spray to a power washer vs. a lawn sprinkler.

Bacteria and Infection

The May 2008 Harvard Women's Health Watch reports studies showing that nasal irrigation helps to lower the bacterial concentrations in nasal passages. This is comforting news to those who suffer from chronic sinus infections. Using the nasal irrigation regularly to clean out bacteria and stagnant mucous effectively reduces the number of sinus infections. This could result in a savings on medical bills and medications used to treat the frequent infections.

Chronic Sinus Problems

Anyone who has suffered from chronic sinus condition knows how painful they can be. Nasal irrigation is helpful for chronic conditions by keeping the nasal passages clean of bacteria and preventing build up of dried mucous.

Allergy Prevention

People who are allergic have a great deal of difficulty dealing with the irritants that cause allergies. Using nasal irrigation on a regular basis can help to reduce irritants that get trapped in the sinus cavities.

Risks

The May 2008 Harvard Women's Health Watch reports that there are some serious risks associated with sinus irrigation. Irrigating repeatedly can cause fluid buildup in the sinuses. Also, using nasal irrigation devices that have a great deal of water pressure may cause additional damage to sensitive and delicate sinus passages. The January 2009 issue of The Journal of Family Practice recommends large volume, low pressure nasal irrigation.

References

• Harvard Women's Health; The Dubious Practice of Detox; May 2008;
• The Journal of Family Practice; Saline Irrigation Spells Relief for Sinusitis Sufferers; January 2009;
• Men's Health; Win With A Flush; March 2008;