Remember a while back, I had a post called “No Sick Day for Mom?” Well, since then, I have had three bad sinus headaches. Two of them woke me up in the middle of the night, while the other was bad enough that I missed some work. I recalled about a year ago two coworkers talking about their using neti-pots with success (though they were grossed out by the gunk that came out after their first neti-pot use). So, I decided I’d try a neti-pot since I’ve never had sinus problems this bad before. (I wouldn’t be surprised if our move to the country has also contributed to this.)
I ordered the NasalCare product a week ago. It was delivered in a snap, and I’ve been eager to use it. I’m not afraid seeing of nose gunk if getting rid of it will make me feel better!
I finally had time to try it tonight. I learned that NasalCare actually is not a neti-pot, which surprised me (because I had searched and found it under “netipot”), but I gave it a go anyway because it had gotten stellar reviews on
Amazon.com.
It did not disappoint! It was super-easy to fill, use, and clean. Basically, you open the nasal spray bottle, put in a packet of their special nose-cleaning mixture, mix in some lukewarm water, and gently spray 4 ounces of solution
up one nostril and the remaining 4 ounces up the other nostril.
After a few test squirts in the sink, I squirted very gently in a pulse-like rhythm into my right nostril. I was surprised when liquid dripped out my left nostril while squirting the bottle up my right nostril, ha ha. I had “forgotten” the anatomy of the sinus cavities until that happened. Of course, I did this over a sink, so it all dripped in a proper place.
After a few squirts up the right nostril, I must say, I noticed that the solution had begun to flow through my nasal cavity better. Yes, that quickly! I was surprised, too. I honestly had prepared myself not to feel any relief until after several uses, not several squirts!
When I blew my nose, everything was clear, not gunky like my neti-pot pals had described. I repeated on the left nostril.
The only thing I couldn’t figure out was how not to swallow when the occasional drip or squirt cascades down the back of the throat and the gag reflex kicks in. I didn’t swallow a lot and it only tastes like warm saltwater, but
the directions say not to swallow it. (They don’t say what to do if you accidentally do, but they do provide a customer service number you can call.) my left side was more clogged than my right, BUT I felt even BETTER when
right after that I covered my nostrils with my fingers, gave a light blow, and ears crackled open! They’ve been shut up for WEEKS! I was so happy to hear a little better so surprisingly soon after using NasalCare.
I was not a hundred percent better after my first use, and I felt like my upper sinuses were still clogged. I also worried that I had only managed to squirt more junk in my upper sinuses instead of flushing it out.
Nevertheless, I was already making plans to use the NasalCare again when I sat down to write this post (as the baby sleeps in my arms, aww). When, lo and behold! My ears crackled open even more just sitting here and are continuing to crackle open. A few minutes later, after blowing out some more drippage, my upper sinuses began to feel like some pressure had been relieved there, too.
So far, I am exteremly pleased with NasalCare and would recommend it to those in need of sinus relief!
Elisabeth
