Nasal Irrigation Recipe

One inexpensive yet effective method to deal with the bothersome symptoms of sinus or nasal congestion is a treatment method known as nasal irrigation. It works pretty well to relieve symptoms such as stuffy nose, dry nose, thick mucus, runny nose, etc. It suits people of all ages. All it involves is the use of salt water to rinse the nasal passages.

To put this method into practice, what you would require is a bulb syringe. Now using this syringe, you would have to draw in the saline solution from a bowl. Lean over a sink and place the tip of the syringe into the nose. Now squeeze the bulb so that the liquid gets into the nose. The solution would drain from the same nostril or from the other. It may also come out from the mouth. Repeat this step for the other nostril as well. This was about the nasal irrigation process. Now let us know how to prepare the solution used in this method.

Nasal Irrigation Solution

The recipe includes salt, baking soda and water. In the following tips I would be taking you through some easy tips on how to go about preparing the solution. Along with it, I would also be letting you know the importance of each of these ingredients.

• First of all, you have to prepare a saline solution. Get a tablespoon of table salt and mix it in a pint of water. The reason salt is used in the solution is its property to draw water and mucus out of the cells in the sinuses. Take care that you do not overdo the mixing, as too much salt may aggravate the condition, instead of improving it.
• Now that you are ready with the saline solution, you require baking soda. Get a heap of it and mix it in the solution. The soda helps in dissolving the mucus thus, adding to the efficacy of the saline solution.
• Now regarding the water, it must be boiled or distilled. A pint of it is enough. Warm water may be preferred by some people, while using cold water or that at room temperature may help to reduce the swelling of the mucous membranes. Stir well to blend the salt and baking soda. However, it is advisable not to shake it, as it may produce bubbles, which may cause irritation.

And you are done with the solution for the nasal irrigation. It cannot get simpler than it, can it? Now I was speaking about using a bulb syringe for the irrigation. Alternatively, you can also make use of a neti pot. It is a container, which you need to fill with the saline solution. Now keeping your head in a tilt position, place the spout of the pot into one nostril, and let the liquid drain into the nose. Repeat for the other step. Apart from this, you can simply take the solution in your hands and sniff it gently. Always remember to use fresh saline solution. One that is unused for a long time, may harbor bacteria, which may aggravate your condition of sinus infection or the like. It is also important that you clean the instruments that you use for the irrigation, whether it is a bulb syringe or a neti pot.

That would be it for my quick input on some quick and easy steps to make your own saline solution for nasal irrigation at home. As a closing note, use this method only when your symptoms get intolerable or worse. Using it frequently may turn out to produce negative or undesirable results, as what experts say.