# Mr. brown caves and uses neti pot - and he loves it **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 5, 2008, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878 "2008-12-05T17:04:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/21 "2008-12-06T23:37:17Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > Okay, I’m generally really dry, so maybe I should decrease the salt. I was using un-iodized salt, but not kosher salt–is that the only difference? And is bicarb the same as baking soda? Any uniodinized NaCl salt is fine. Avoid the designer ‘sea salts’. And bicarb is baking soda. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/22 "2008-12-07T00:33:52Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > Where would one acquire a neti pot? A natural foods store or somesuch? [These](http://www.neilmed.com/usa/products.php) seem to be readily available. I have one, and while it is pretty weird, it is very nice to get all that goo out of my head. **Qadgop** , is distilled water necessary? My set says it is, but warm tap water sure would be a lot more pleasant and convenient. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/23 "2008-12-07T01:08:32Z")
> [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](#): > > **Qadgop** , is distilled water necessary? My set says it is, but warm tap water sure would be a lot more pleasant and convenient. I do not consider distilled water to be necessary. My patients (convicted, incarcerated felons all) don’t use distilled water for theirs. I don’t use it for mine either. Basically as long as it’s potable, and is properly buffered with the salt and bicarb, it should be fine. I’d not advocate taking it directly from a lake or stream… ---
**Author:** ![luv2draw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@luv2draw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/luv2draw)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/24 "2008-12-07T04:13:59Z")
I got mine from here: [http://www.isabellacatalog.com/prod.cfm/pgc/21300/sbc/21306/inv/2097](http://www.isabellacatalog.com/prod.cfm/pgc/21300/sbc/21306/inv/2097) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/25 "2008-12-07T09:43:52Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Any uniodinized NaCl salt is fine. Avoid the designer ‘sea salts’. And bicarb is baking soda. Is the bicarb needed? I’ve never used it. And why no sea salts? They seemed to work fine for me. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/26 "2008-12-07T15:43:34Z")
I have a stupid question, I hope y’all will excuse my ignorance. How well does this work as far as the rinse-water going down the drain? Mucus is sticky and slimy - how to get it to run? Do ya have to chase blobs of mucus around the sink? That’s what puts me off of using one. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/27 "2008-12-07T16:00:49Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > I have a stupid question, I hope y’all will excuse my ignorance. > > How well does this work as far as the rinse-water going down the drain? Mucus is sticky and slimy - how to get it to run? Do ya have to chase blobs of mucus around the sink? That’s what puts me off of using one. same as you get blobs of toothpaste, or gunk brand hand cleaner … wash the sink. Look, it is a bio product you make naturally, it isnt shit or piss, it is snot. Get over it and wash out the sink. being female when i am unmedicated i have to deal with huge bloody clots monthly. If you or I had a baby, wed have to deal with diapers. Life is not sanitary - deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/28 "2008-12-07T16:01:42Z")
I use NeilMed’s Sinus Rinse and the bottle that comes with it. I find the bottle to be a bit more… masculine… than using a nettie-pot. I do use distilled water and the packets that come with the kit - being the good direction follower that I am. 😃 The first time is rather strange but if you do it right it is NOT like getting water up your nose at the pool. Once you’ve done it once or twice you get comfortable with it and honestly it is rather soothing (IMHO). Plus the relief afterwards is worth it even if it wasn’t! MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/29 "2008-12-07T16:06:40Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > same as you get blobs of toothpaste, or gunk brand hand cleaner … wash the sink. > > Look, it is a bio product you make naturally, it isnt shit or piss, it is snot. Get over it and wash out the sink. being female when i am unmedicated i have to deal with huge bloody clots monthly. If you or I had a baby, wed have to deal with diapers. > > Life is not sanitary - deal with it. Whoa now, I’m asking because I’m curious about the mechanics of it, not because I’m some ‘can’t touch it’ freak. I _have_ had two babies, and kept both in cloth diapers. I’m no stranger to bio products made naturally by the body. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/30 "2008-12-07T16:52:28Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Is the bicarb needed? I’ve never used it. And why no sea salts? They seemed to work fine for me. Bicarb does tend to buffer the solution and minimize irritation. But YMMV. I don’t recommend sea salts because you may not know what other ions, and in what concentration you’re getting. Again, if it works, go for it. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/31 "2008-12-07T22:43:52Z")
I have used a half gallon jug and a small funnel instead of the pot before, works just fine. (not that you would need a half gallon of water, just saying) ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/32 "2008-12-08T02:56:45Z")
I started yesterday. No pot for me, I used a big old syringe we had around. In the middle of the night, I woke up and could BREATHE! I was stuffy when I woke up this morning, though. The weird thing I noticed was that during the day I would have an unexpected release of a little more water - I have had to keep kleenex pretty close. How often can you do this? I’m figuring I’ll have to alternate this with Neosporin in the nose to get rid of my constant winter dry-nose sores. Oh, and you can get non-iodized salt that isn’t kosher - **JustThinkin** says it tastes better, so that is what we have! ETA: I got confused by the title of the OP - Mr. Brown Caves? And does Neti pots? How are these two facts related? I’ve been caving - there were no Neti pots down there! ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/33 "2008-12-08T04:28:46Z")
> [@Fetchund](#): > > How often can you do this? I’m figuring I’ll have to alternate this with Neosporin in the nose to get rid of my constant winter dry-nose sores. I live in a dry, dusty environment and try to do it a minimum of every other day - when the wind is blowing more dust around or if I’m getting over a cold, I’ll do it each morning and evening (now, of course, someone will come along and tell me I shouldn’t do it that much). ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/34 "2008-12-08T15:19:27Z")
So I took my first crack at it last night, and well, all I can say is that it was…productive. But my head filled up again by this morning. So I imagine there’s somewhat of a backlog in my sinuses, and it might take more than one round to get rid of it. By what point would one normally expect to see more lasting results? I’ve had sinus issues on and off for more than a month, and if I’m going to the doctor, I need to do it before Wednesday afternoon (I’m going out of town). ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/35 "2008-12-08T15:32:03Z")
I think I’m convinced, too. I’m going to try and pick one up today. I am on the tail edge of the flu and I have so much snot draining out of my nose and down the back of my throat I can’t sleep well. I keep waking up in the middle of the night unable to breathe out of my nose and have to blow my nose repeatedly. This morning I woke up to the familiar sinus headache feeling, it is not the same headache I had from the flu which had actually stopped a couple days ago. So I don’t want to spend another week sick because I got a sinus infection or sinusitis going on now. I hope it’s not a problem to use this when still recovering from a virus? Found this comment on WebMD: > [@](#): > > A more biological explanation has to do with tiny, hair-like structures called cilia that line the inside of the nasal and sinus cavities. These cilia wave back and forth to push mucus either to the back of the throat where it can be swallowed, or to the nose to be blown out. “Chronic sinus problems cause the cilia to beat in a slow and uncoordinated way,” Rabago explains. Saline solution can help increase the speed and improve coordination of the cilia so that they may more effectively remove the bacteria, allergens, and other irritants that cause sinus problems, he says. It figures that I would have slow and uncoordinated cilia. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/36 "2008-12-08T15:35:18Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > I have a stupid question, I hope y’all will excuse my ignorance. > > How well does this work as far as the rinse-water going down the drain? Mucus is sticky and slimy - how to get it to run? Do ya have to chase blobs of mucus around the sink? That’s what puts me off of using one. You’d rather it be stuck up in your sinuses then in the sink? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/37 "2008-12-08T16:10:02Z")
I use one regularly but once the water has drained and loosened everything up I have to hold my ears closed before I try to blow everthing out. I’ve blown too hard before and it’s put extreme pressure on my eardrums from the inside and gave me dual earaches for a day. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/38 "2008-12-08T16:24:46Z")
I have been trying fruitlessly to get my son to participate with the SinuCleanse Jr. I bought him. He was very ready and excited to try it the first time but then he absolutely hated the sensation and refused to continue. He’ll only do it about half a second at the time. I think I’ll show him the youtube video and see if I can’t entice him with being able to see if he can top the amount of snot they got out of their noses… ---
**Author:** ![Contrary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/db5fbb/32.png) [@Contrary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrary)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/39 "2008-12-08T16:25:36Z")
Something in Boston hates my sinuses. I have been super clogged since I moved here in late June, and optimistically hoped once we had some good hard freezes, I would be A OK. Ha bloody ha. We had a **week** of temps dropping down in the 20s two weeks ago and if anything I am worse. So I bought one of these contraptions at the Stop & Go today. Any hints for a neophyte because frankly the idea of using this does not fill me with glee. I just hope it works because I’m very tired of the snot, the headache and the pressure. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878/40 "2008-12-08T18:39:47Z")
> [@XJETGIRLX](#): > > You’d rather it be stuck up in your sinuses then in the sink? :dubious: _sigh_ Sometimes I guess a gal just can’t catch a break. No offense intended, **XJETGIRLX**. I just still don’t understand \*\*aruvqan’s \*\*slap-down about being female and how having a baby has something to do with how well snot flows. 😕 Get over it? Get over what? Being curious? I had a curiosity about how the dang thing works. That’s all. I don’t have a problem with my sinuses. They drain just fine. I feel like the kid in 5th grade health class who asked how babies are made. Just forget I asked. ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mr-brown-caves-and-uses-neti-pot-and-he-loves-it/475878.md?page=3)