Nasal Irrigation for the Do-It-Yourselfer

What is nasal irrigation?

Nasal irrigation as a health practice has been around for quite some time, originating in an ancient yoga tradition. In recent years, growing scientific evidence suggests that this is one of the best techniques for alleviating congestion. Many people have found that nasal irrigation works wonders on preventing colds, relieving nasal swelling and sinus pressure, and curing a stuffy nose. It’s also an effective practice to help prevent sinus infections, which are especially common during the winter months.

If you’re struggling with winter colds and congestion, you may want to try nasal irrigation yourself to relieve these symptoms and breathe easier (plus ward off sinus infections). You can buy products for nasal irrigation and pre-mixed saline wash. But nasal irrigation is also a fairly easy treatment to do on your own at home. For the courageous do-it-yourselfer, here are a few tips.

Mixing the solution

The saline solution that most people find works best is one with a similar salt content to human body fluids. This is called an “isotonic” saline solution, and it is the most...