History of nasal irrigation
Nasal irrigation is not new; it has, in fact, been practised for hundreds of years by yogis (yoga practitioners) in south-east Asia, where the practice is known as jala-neti. `Jala-neti' is a Sanskrit word literally meaning to cleanse the nose with water. (Another practice also exists called sutra-neti in which the nose is cleaned by passing a cord up into the nose and out through the mouth.) The practice of jala-neti is part of hatha yoga and the Ayurveda system of traditional medicine.
In traditional jala-neti, salt water is delivered to the nose via a neti-pot. A traditional neti-pot looks like a metal teapot, but has a nozzle that is designed to plug one's nostril. The salt water is roughly isotonic (i.e. the salt concentration is similar to that of blood) and the salt is sea salt. The salt water (saline) is poured into one nostril and exits through the other provided correct technique is used. This process is able to clear away excess mucus allowing the yogi to breathe easily.
In recent years the practice of nasal irrigation has been investigated by medical scientists and found to have several health benefits, especially for those suffering from sino-nasal conditions such as rhinitis and sinusitis as well as those recovering from endoscopic sino-nasal surgery. This clinical testing has shown that hypertonic saline solutions (i.e. salt concentration greater than that of blood) are more effective than isotonic for treating sino-nasal conditions. Nasal irrigation has also been shown to be useful when used in conjunction with medications such as nasal sprays (corticosteroids, anti-histamines etc.).
These days, nasal irrigation is easier than ever, as pre-prepared sachets of salt are available so that it is easy to prepare a solution of the correct concentration, free of harmful additives often found in table salt. There are also a wide range of devices for delivering the saline to one's nose. Bulb syringes can be used which enable the user to manually control the flow of the saline, and more advanced `pulsatile' devices are available which pump the saline into your nose in a flow that pulses, which is believed to dislodge more mucus and may help stimulate the nasal cilia. Neti-pots are still a popular choice though and are available in a range of shapes, sizes and materials.