Author Topic: Do you wash your nose out?  (Read 3768 times)

Do you wash your nose out?
« on: 31 December, 2017, 10:38:59 am »
Last week I had to visit a doctor in France, for an ear infection caused by a cold and blocked sinus, and they talked about washing my nose out as if it was a normal thing. Anyhow, I thought it was worth a go, even though I wasn't sure how to do it. I mixed up saline in a pint glass (roughly teaspoon salt:pint, which I think is normal saline proportion) using lukewarm water, and snorted and blew out my nose until clear, nostril at a time if needed. To my surprise, without going into description of the emissions, it really seems to help and ends up feeling good. The mild discomfort of sucking down some saline is easily outweighed by the benefit.

Anyone else wash their nose out? Care to share techniques? I would deffo recommend to anyone with a cold and blocked nose.

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #1 on: 31 December, 2017, 12:48:32 pm »
Add a pinch of sodium bicarbonate for extra zing!
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Wowbagger

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #2 on: 31 December, 2017, 12:57:35 pm »
I understand that there are special squeezy bottles available for This Sort Of Thing.

*googles*

Ah, that's the thing: a "neti pot".

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YTEPKJ4/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?pd_rd_i=B00YTEPKJ4&pd_rd_wg=uvUL8&pd_rd_r=PF3T9X7T8X6G0JGG8BSZ&pd_rd_w=uXops&th=1

I have never used one.

I must admit I haven't "washed my nose out" for many years. It was something my mother used to suggest when I was quite small. Or maybe she was trying to drown me.
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Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #3 on: 31 December, 2017, 12:58:31 pm »
Neti pot.
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hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #4 on: 31 December, 2017, 01:05:02 pm »
Never done it and not seen it done nor recommended at my Medical Skule.

Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #5 on: 31 December, 2017, 01:37:11 pm »
Does this process improve one's pronunciation of French?
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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #6 on: 31 December, 2017, 02:06:34 pm »
Why would you do it?  your nose has the most amazing mechanism for cleaning itself.  If we were designed to wash our noses out we would have balloons built in to do it with. I suspect it is a bit like colonel irrigation and vaginal steaming.  Quite useless but probably not too dangerous

Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #7 on: 31 December, 2017, 02:12:24 pm »
Why? when the inbuilt system malfunctions, you end up a blocked nose and potentially (in my case) an ear infection. I wouldn't suggest it is something you would want to do normally, but it appears to be an effective method of decongestant without medication.

citoyen

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #8 on: 31 December, 2017, 02:17:37 pm »
My wife is a keen advocate of the neti pot. I tried it once and found it such an unpleasant experience that I won't be doing it again.

I'm not convinced of the supposed merits of the procedure anyway - it may seem like a superficially effective means of clearing your nostrils, but so is good old fashioned blowing your nose.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #9 on: 31 December, 2017, 02:41:12 pm »
I always thought it was aimed more at congested sinuses than actual nostrils. Not sure quite how a neti pot is meant to work in detail – is it any different in effect from the French doc approved snorting method?
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Mrs Pingu

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #10 on: 31 December, 2017, 02:54:49 pm »
- it may seem like a superficially effective means of clearing your nostrils, but so is good old fashioned blowing your nose.

Though it may be worse for your sinuses when you've got a cold:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg16422073-100-dont-blow-it/


Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #11 on: 31 December, 2017, 02:55:20 pm »
Why would you do it?  your nose has the most amazing mechanism for cleaning itself.  If we were designed to wash our noses out we would have balloons built in to do it with. I suspect it is a bit like colonel irrigation and vaginal steaming.  Quite useless but probably not too dangerous

Wasn’t it Colonel Irrigation who did it in the billiard room with the lead piping?
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Ben T

Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #12 on: 31 December, 2017, 03:17:29 pm »
Why would you do it?  your nose has the most amazing mechanism for cleaning itself.  If we were designed to wash our noses out we would have balloons built in to do it with. I suspect it is a bit like colonel irrigation and vaginal steaming.  Quite useless but probably not too dangerous

It's one of those things that people are fairly good at convincing you you need based on what comes out but that you actually don't need. But I suspect Madonna probably does it so it must be healthy.


citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #13 on: 31 December, 2017, 03:33:17 pm »
Here you go, Ham - a Canadian study found neti pots can relieve the symptoms of chronic sinusitis, so it seems your French doc wasn't just selling you a Madonna treatment...
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/07/21/health/neti-pot-sinusitis-saline/index.html

- it may seem like a superficially effective means of clearing your nostrils, but so is good old fashioned blowing your nose.

Though it may be worse for your sinuses when you've got a cold:
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg16422073-100-dont-blow-it/

Interesting. You learn something new every day!
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Jaded

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #14 on: 31 December, 2017, 04:11:44 pm »
Why would you do it?  your nose has the most amazing mechanism for cleaning itself.  If we were designed to wash our noses out we would have balloons built in to do it with. I suspect it is a bit like colonel irrigation and vaginal steaming.  Quite useless but probably not too dangerous

Wasn’t it Colonel Irrigation who did it in the billiard room with the lead piping?

I think he got the lead out of the piping.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #15 on: 31 December, 2017, 04:13:11 pm »
My wife is a keen advocate of the neti pot. I tried it once and found it such an unpleasant experience that I won't be doing it again.

I'm not convinced of the supposed merits of the procedure anyway - it may seem like a superficially effective means of clearing your nostrils, but so is good old fashioned blowing your nose.

There's the thing. Sometimes, your nose is blocked, innit? Speaking personally there are times when I blow but still can't breathe through my somewhat substantial conk. By snuffling in my glass I found that (after about 30 seconds) I had  pleasantly clear airways, which actually lasted a while. Plus I was at that state where my poor old schnozz was getting sore, and it helped that.

I always thought it was aimed more at congested sinuses than actual nostrils. Not sure quite how a neti pot is meant to work in detail – is it any different in effect from the French doc approved snorting method?

I've no idea, and to be clear the French doc did no more than tell me I needed to clean it with saline, the snorting snuffling method is (c) Ham (quite appropriate really).

IJL

Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #16 on: 31 December, 2017, 06:03:38 pm »
A patient once described a Netipot to me, I though they were unhinged but google shows its a real thing.  A proper French Dr would have given you something for your Liver and a suppository.

Gattopardo

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #17 on: 31 December, 2017, 06:10:50 pm »
Use boiled water, really use boiled water. 

I use it regularly as I got one from the hospital after my nose op.  I like the idea and does help.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #18 on: 31 December, 2017, 07:58:22 pm »
Why would you do it?  your nose has the most amazing mechanism for cleaning itself.  If we were designed to wash our noses out we would have balloons built in to do it with. I suspect it is a bit like colonel irrigation and vaginal steaming.  Quite useless but probably not too dangerous

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hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #19 on: 31 December, 2017, 08:00:45 pm »
Why would you do it?  your nose has the most amazing mechanism for cleaning itself.  If we were designed to wash our noses out we would have balloons built in to do it with. I suspect it is a bit like colonel irrigation and vaginal steaming.  Quite useless but probably not too dangerous

Wasn’t it Colonel Irrigation who did it in the billiard room with the lead piping?
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Gattopardo

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #20 on: 31 December, 2017, 08:41:26 pm »
Why would you do it?  your nose has the most amazing mechanism for cleaning itself.  If we were designed to wash our noses out we would have balloons built in to do it with. I suspect it is a bit like colonel irrigation and vaginal steaming.  Quite useless but probably not too dangerous

Military AutoComplete!!!

The problem might be that the system can no longer cope and needs help.

Eccentrica Gallumbits

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #21 on: 31 December, 2017, 09:01:14 pm »
I use a neti pot now and again. It helps.
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ElyDave

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Re: Do you wash your nose out?
« Reply #22 on: 01 January, 2018, 10:19:46 am »
we've been doing it with my son to treat chronic rhinitis, along with nasal drops, seems to be having a beneficial effect. 

it's a well established practice in yoga, as is a waxed string fed up the nostril, back out through the mouth and "flossed".  I've not tried either yet.
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