NeilMed NasaFlo Unbreakable Neti Pot with 50 Premixed Packets
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Customer Reviews of NeilMed NasaFlo Unbreakable Neti Pot with 50 Premixed Packets
Customer Review: It really works and is well worth a try!
Summary: 5 Stars
Rinsing out your sinuses with saline is a rather frightening concept at first, but the relief has been amazing. As a person with chronic sinusitis and perennial, winter head colds I was at the end of my rope. I'm not the kind of person that runs to 'alternative' treatments, but on the advice of a friend decided to try out a Neti Pot.
The results were surprising. I can't say that the saline rinse does away completely with the need for decongestants/antihistamines, but using this twice to three times a day has meant that I no longer require these medications on a daily basis and has given me freer nasal passages.
The concept is simple, really. You basically rinse out your sinuses with warm saline. You can either use the 'normal' saline or 'hypertonic' saline packets to do this--in my experience there has been little difference between the two. (If you buy the regular packets, you simply mix two packets with 8 ounces of water to make the hypertonic solution.) The saline soothes the membranes of your sinuses, washes away mucous and allergens. (If you use
hypertonic saline, it may also shrink the mucous membranes as well by 'pulling' water out from them.) The result, at least for me, has been a marked decrease in congestion. This is both an immediate effect and--surprisingly--lasts for hours after using the Neti Pot. I can now breathe normally without taking medicines.
The kit comes with a plastic Neti Pot, 50 saline packets, and instructions. You do have to get over the initial 'yuck' factor of pouring the saline into one nostril and having it come out the other. The first few times I used the neti pot, it did feel odd and there were a few chokes and sputters. But, boy, is it worth it.
The price at first seemed a little steep to me, until I realized that it is far cheaper on a day-to-day basis than taking even store brand decongestants and antihistamines. If you were clever, you could probably find a recipe for the saline solution, but the packets are incredibly convenient to use and (once again) inexpensive. It is nice to have premeasured amount of powder to mix, and when you run out of packets you can buy the packets separately (100 per box). It would be nice if they had made an 8 ounce line on the Neti Pot to show where to fill it to, but once you get used to using it, it is easy to eyeball this.
I am not against using decongestants. I am not anti-physician or anti-medication. What I can say, is that antihistamines and decongestants work, but they do have side effects that are bothersome. And I'd rather avoid medications where possible. If you are into the medical side of things, there is good research to show that this kind of sinus cleansing improves symptoms.
It is simple, straight forward, and--by gosh--IT WORKS! And it works far better than I ever thought it could.
So if you are a sufferer from chronic sinusitis, seasonal allergies, or colds, this is well worth a try.
Customer Review: A few minutes a day saves you from days of suffering...
Summary: 5 Stars
I've used this specific product for just over a year now. It was a last resort for me and a nurse had suggested it after months and years of endless problems with thick mucus that was clogging up... well, everything in its path. It wouldn't come out my nose by itself and was making me very ill, costing hundreds of dollars in doctors bills.
I was skeptical of this product, but have found it to be EXTREMELY valuable. I use it after I wake up and before bed as much as I need it. The pot itself is plastic and it's not a perfect design. There is a seam in the plastic and as some reviewers stated, it may have a slightly sharp edge, although mine certainly didn't. The top may not screw on perfectly, but mine is more than ideal and gets the job done as advertised.
Overall, it takes 3-5 minutes of my time and saves me endless days of misery and suffering. How could anyone say no to that?!! Neti pots (the ceramic kind) are ancient Indian inventions. They knew what they were doing. Stop using your nasal sprays and pills and whatever you may be using to treat SYMPTOMS of your problem and go straight to the SOURCE, which is what this does.
I've never found this to eliminate colds for me - I still get them as usual - but it most certainly DOES cut down the length of my colds from about 7-10 days down to about 3, predictably over the last year, in addition to making my sinuses clearer during the colds, which drains those germs and helps me breathe at night. Of course, because of that, it virtually eliminates sinus infections. Haven't had a single one since I began using this. I still get just as clogged up daily as I have a dust allergy, but using this twice a day prevents things from backing up and creating problems or infections, and really, that's all I ask of this product, which I see as preventing illnesses, NOT as a cure-all. Using this can be a little messy if you want it to be truly effective. Blowing air out of your nostril while water drains out helps tremendously since gravity alone doesn't always get the job done.
This is also a better product, as opposed to the Sinus Rinse Bottle (also Neilmed) because it allows you to tilt your head at the angle that is right for you, while if you tilt too much with the bottle, the water can't be reached to squirt it out. You can get this product at many stores for about $12, and boxes of 100 salt packets for $10 at some supermarkets or pharmacies. Shop around!!! Probably 3/4 of the price is for the packaging alone, and unfortunately they don't sell this stuff in bulk to save people money. I use about one box per month on average, and I find they're better and more *convenient* than most mixtures I could create at home.
I would highly recommend this product, and try it for a month to give it time to work before passing judgement. It's not for everyone, but if you truly have problems such as myself, this will ultimately be your lifesaver.
Customer Review: Life-changing!
Summary: 5 Stars
Seriously people, this thing is AMAZING! I'll be honest, I was kind of skeptical about trying it because I wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea of water going up one nostril and coming out of the other! Not to mention how I painful I thought it would be. The few times I've accidentally snorted in water while showering or washing my face were not pleasant, so why would I purposely do that to myself, right? Well, the key is to use an isotonic normal saline (0.9% NaCl) solution. It has the same tonicity as most somatic cells, including epithelial (skin) cells so you can hardly even feel the water running through. I mean, yes of course you can PHYSICALLY feel it, but there is nothing painful, irritating, or uncomfortable about it.
I bought the Neti Pot because I recently began waking up to a painfully dry nasopharynx. Every morning I felt like I had hardened mucus stuck in my nasopharynx. Every once in a while, after a long and irritating attempt at snorting out those hardened "loogies," I would succeed. The first time this happened I felt scared and relieved. Scared because I noticed that the mucus I had just forced out contained blood from my irritated nasopharynx; relieved because I had gotten the sucker out. However, this victory was short-lived because the same type of mucus formed again overnight.
The first time I used the Neti Pot, I didn't feel like the saline was actually reaching the areas I wanted to relieve. However, after finishing the bottle, I gave one big (and somewhat forceful) inhale to try to clear my nasal airway, and out comes this huge (and kind of bloody) mass of mucous that I hadn't even noticed was there! Ladies and gentlemen, what I felt after expelling that little demon can only be described as bliss. I felt fresh... renewed...I felt... NORMAL again! I cannot believe how much the Neti Pot has helped me. I HIGHLY recommend this product!
A tip about about the solution: Some instructions suggest using a hypertonic ("extra salty") solution to help relieve swelling in the nasal cavities, but be warned that a hypertonic saline solution will sting somewhat. As I previously mentioned, the ideal solution is one that is isotonic. You can buy bottles of pre-mixed 0.9% NaCl, or you can look around online to learn how to make the solution yourself using distilled (NOT tap, bottled, or otherwise "filtered!") water and deionized salt.
Happy cleansing!
Customer Review: UPDATE - NOW 5 STARS. REALLY GREAT FOR ALLERGIES
Summary: 5 Stars
UPDATE:
FABULOUS!
Just took a while go get used to it (it is very strange if you have never poured water into your nose)
CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT!
IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES - GET IT! (ANY KIND OR BRAND - IT DOES WONDERS)
DURING BAD ALLERGY TIMES (I USE IT BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP AND AGAIN WHEN I WAKE UP .... IT HAS PROVIDED SO MUCH RELIEF.
(I LIKE THE PLASTIC OVER CERAMIC JUST BECAUSE I AM CLUMSY, IT GETS WET, YOU ARE IN THE BATHROOM WITH YOUR HEAD BENT OVER THE SINK ... TOO PRONE TO ACCIDENTS (FOR ME) IF NOT PLASTIC.
P.S. I SAW ON MARTA STEWART SHOW A DOCTOR RECOMMENDING THE HERBAL REMEDY CALLED "STINGING NETTLE". IT REALLY SEEMS TO HELP A LOT WITH MY ALLERGIES (IN ADDITION TO ZYRTEC AND EYE DROPS ... I LIKE BAUSCH & LOMB "ALAWAY" ... so for best OTC eye drops for allergies I've found. The active ingredient is actually the same as the recently launched Zyrtec Eye Drops ... but you get twice as much for half the price of the Zyrtec).
Allergies suck! But there is a lot to help out there. A netti pot is a must!
There is nothing wrong with the product and I actually like the little packets of salt rather than guesstimating daily. I find using a full packet is way way to much salt for me.
Anyway - the whole thing is quite a mess (just a wet mess, not gross or anything) as my severely deviated septum and larger than average (broken in college) nose create an unavoidable dripping down/sideways/even kinda up .... with a saline solution that make me want to completely wash my face after each use.
Disappointed personally to not have received but benefit from the whole nasal irrigation (not the products fault) but it seems a good idea to try.
FINALLY - I couldn't help but realize (as I waited for mine to arrive) that a single serving Hotel-Style coffee/tea pot with a spout similar to the one on the box cover would do the exact same job as well ... if not perhaps even better. The plastic is very thin and flimsy, but it is ok. It just seems a more durable and sold mini tea pot would be easier and less heavy .... AND PROBABLY A LOT LESS EXPENSIVE (that was not a gripe about the price of this product. It was fine and very competitive ... I've just seen little pots for like $2-3 at IKEA or Import Store.
Customer Review: Where have you been all my life??
Summary: 5 Stars
This is one of the BEST products I've ever own. I used to take antihistamines about once a week or every day during allergy seasons. Since using the neti pot every morning, now I rarely use them. It's a relief not to carry tissues with you everywhere you go.
Another added benefit is that my RGP contact lenses are now more comfortable than ever! I did not realize dirty sinuses are causing my eyes to feel scratchy and dry. When I use the neti pot, I could feel my tear ducts being cleaned out too. My eyes now look clearer and brighter.
When I first bought this neti pot, I was pissed off that I paid umpteen dollars for a piece of cheap plastic. Later I was glad I bought it because I travel often so it's very lightweight and doesn't take up a lot of space. It's easy to clean and hard to break. The ceramic version would be inconvenient for me. I wish however, it would be clear plastic instead of opaque blue, so it would be easier for me to see the amount of saline left for each side of my nose. Another benefit is the screw-on lid which eliminates the need to cover the opening with the palm of your hand.
The generous 50 packets of saline mix it comes with is very gentle for first time users. It does not sting like the homemade solution I made with 100% natural sea salt. But the stinging eventually goes away once you get used to it. I made the mistake of using too much water in ratio to salt. This caused the solution to lodge into one of my sinuses, causing a minor infection.
** Make sure you don't fill water all the way to the top. There are barely-there markings on the neti pot which says 240 mL which should be filled according to instructions.
I really like the NeilMed clinical pamphlet it came with, equipped with 23 pages of directions, maintenance, FAQs, anatomical illustrations of the sinuses. They even put photos of medical conditions relating to the nose, graphic enough to make you squirm.
I also use Quercetin supplements which is also effective for allergies but did not solve my contact lens irritation. Once you experience clean sinuses, going without it is like not having your teeth brushed (true as they say on the box).
UPDATE: I just realized that adding too much salt in your saline solution can dry out your sinuses and cause dry eyes.