Neti Pot for Sinus Infections and Allergies

I saw my doctor on Monday because I've been majorly congested and sleep deprived (hard to sleep when your breathing is impaired) and was diagnosed with a sinus infection. My doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics, but told me there was nothing else I could take besides Tylenol due to my pregnancy. He explained that medications are put into three categories. The first and safest category has only one medication - Tylenol (acetaminophen). He said everything else falls into the next two categories. My antibiotic falls into the second category because there are no known problems for pregnant women. Decongestants and allergies medications all fall into the third category meaning I can't take them.

(The following information is not medical advice - just opinions of those I have talked to and online research. Please consult your doctor for medical information.) One of the librarians at my local library noticed I was feeling poorly the other day when we were doing our returns and she recommended that I try a Neti pot. My ears are clogged up now too and I was greatly fatigued and didn't hear a lot of what she said. Then Julie (from Flower of the Family) left me a comment recommending the same thing and I decided I had to find out about a Neti Pot. I did an internet search and came up with more than I cared to read. Then today I went back to the library to inquire further. A different librarian gave me information from her personal use and told me that Rite Aid and CVS sell Neti Pots. I went to the drug store and purchased one late this afternoon. I need to go clean my pot and give it a try. Wish me luck! I will post in the comments section regarding my level of success.

Please consult your physician before using a Neti Pot to make sure it's okay for you.

Neil Med NasaFlo Neti Pot Instruction Video

Information and pictures of Nasa Flo Neti Pot

Customer Reviews for the Neti Pot I purchased.

Addition information from my doctors visit: (Please consult your physician regarding the following info before making a decision for yourself.)

I asked my doctor if I could use Chloreseptic spray and he said definitely not. He even advises his non-pregnant patients not to use Chloreseptic spray. He said he used to work with an ear/nose/throat specialist and learned of the dangers of this OTC medication. He said that Phenol one of the ingredients is also found in formaldehyde. Wikipedia gives this information -"It is also used in the production of drugs (it is the starting material in the industrial production of aspirin), herbicides, and synthetic resins (Bakelite, one of the first synthetic resins to be manufactured, is a polymer of phenol with formaldehyde). Exposure of the skin to concentrated phenol solutions causes chemical burns which may be severe; in laboratories where it is used, it is usually recommended that polyethylene glycol solution is kept available for washing off splashes. Washing with large amounts of plain water (most labs have a safety shower or eye-wash) and removal of contaminated clothing are required, and immediate hospital treatment for large splashes. This is particularly important if the phenol is mixed with chloroform (a commonly-used mixture in molecular biology for DNA & RNA purification from proteins)."

My doctor told me that when you use an OTC medication with Phenol you are killing the living cells in your mouth and throat and he doesn't advise it. I'm not big on taking medication prescription or over-the-counter, but feeling this miserable I was hoping to try something to relieve the pain in my throat.

Here's hoping the Neti Pot will solve some of my medical issues...