Q. What is Jala Neti? Here is some information found through Wikipedia (2007).
A. “The Sanskrit term Jala neti refers to an ancient Ayurvedic cleansing technique, meaning literally “water cleansing,” where the practitioner rinses out the nasal cavity with water (typically mixed with salt to form a saline solution for comfort) using a neti pot. The irrigation-specific elements of Jala neti are starting to be recognized by Western medicine under the term nasal irrigation to treat a variety of conditions (Wikipedia, 2007).”
Some benefits and uses are noted: “The saline solution irrigation and nasal flush promotes good nasal health. It can be used by patients with chronic sinusitis including symptoms of facial pain, headache, halitosis, cough, anterior rhinorrhea (watery discharge), and one study has even reported that nasal irrigation was “just as effective at treating these symptoms as the drug therapies.” In other studies, “daily hypertonic saline nasal irrigation improves sinus-related quality of life, decreases symptoms, and decreases medication use in patients with frequent sinusitis,” and irrigation is recommended as an “effective adjunctive treatment of chronic sinonasal symptoms.”
Nasal irrigation is reputed to help prevent colds and otherwise promote good nasal health by cleaning out the nasal passages and helps alleviate stuffiness, dryness, nosebleeds and the symptoms of allergies (Wikipedia, 2007).”
Now with knowing this information it is not saying that everyone one should go out and try such a therapy. This was a therapy that was brought up to me through feedback, and responses on this website. Make sure to always consult with your primary health care provider. Please use this site as a resources, and HOPE through Health and Nursing invites you to ask questions, check back frequently to see if your question has been explored.
Potential problems could be as follows with this therapy:
- “Some people may have hardened blockages. These may be eliminated gradually over several attempts but may be due to a deviated septum in which case a minor surgery may be needed.
- Some mild blockages may also be removed with sutra neti when Jala neti is unsuccessful.
- Burning or irritating the nasal lining. This can feel similar to irritation one may experience from the chlorine in a swimming pool. This is usually due to water being at the wrong temperature and/or salinity, but can also be due to the salt containing additive. If the salinity is correct and the water is at body temperature, try using a different type of salt.
- A person may feel sharp pains due to pressure on the sinuses. They should stop immediately and consult a doctor.
- If a person experiences ear discomfort when performing Jala Neti, they should be sure to blow their nose more gently after the wash. If the problem persists, the openings of their Eustachian tubes may be particularly wide and they may need to discontinue neti pot use (Wikipedia, 2007).”
So this is very important to know, and why one should always consult with a primary health care practitioner before beginning such therapy.
Resources:
Wikipedia (2007). Nasal Irrigation-Jala Neti. Retrieved from the World Wide Web November 20, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jala_neti
