The netti pot

Damn you somewhat effective piece of addictive witchcraft!!

The back story is that I got a very good yoga DVD and the instructor is very insistent that for his class you only breath through your nose. I didn't realize how bothersome my allergy/sinus problems were until I got upside down and tried to breath exclusively through my nose....I lasted about 5 seconds just like Christoper Hitchens when he had himself water boarded. :o

Because I hate to take medicine and I've known about the netti pot I did a little searching and found that people tout it as a fantastic miracle cure. Tons of stories about people coming off of medications they were taking for years and years...really impressive results. So I picked one up and started testing...

Initially it was frustrating and uncomfortable. Nothing like watching youtube vids of people from 7-70 making something that looks easy - look easy and then almost gagging yourself silly with eyes watering and salty mucus water going down your throat. It was pitiful. Eventually I figured it out but there are still some issues for me.

When I pour into my left nostril the first 3 seconds trigger a distinct sensory memory of drowning. I went under water twice as a kid and would not be typing today had somebody pulled me out both times. I think in that moment when your lungs finally have to breath and you take in water that is a very specific felling and it gets cataloged in your brain. The first 3 seconds of the netti and I tell you...my brain says "you are about to die". Luckily I can reason that out but it happens none the less. And it's embarrassing, cuz again kids form 7-70 are laughing it up.

Anyway the good news is that the netti does clear out the nasal passages and it is having a clearing effect of higher portions of the sinuses and there is all manner of popping in my ears caused by what I think is a venturi effect. So breathing by nose is notably improved.

Bad news: breathing is like drugs that make you feel good. If a little is good more is great! So here I am hitting the netti sometimes a couple few times a day trying to get maximum breathing so I can be superhuman... but no. It clears the lower portion of the sinuses but it's not exactly a miraculous amount and the section under my eyes over to my temples is laughing it's ass off..it is humored that I'd attempt to slay it with mildly salty water.

So it's mixed results. Mixed but I am addicted to this stupid process now even if it is less effective than I wanted, only a partial cure, and every day I have to poke a mental wound and feel a second or two of terror over it. It does help me breath better and it is clearing out portions of my sinus cavity so that it better than nothing.

I'm glad for what it does but I hate this thing. :-

Edit - 2 year olds laugh it's so easy.