What is a Neti Pot®?

Neti Pots® are a safe alternative to treat clogged sinuses and nasal congestion for people of all ages.

How it Works

In addition to last week’s recommendations on alternative treatments for cough and cold symptoms; our Rio pharmacist, Ryan, wanted to add an additional treatment for clogged sinuses and nasal congestion. Ryan is a big proponent of using Neti Pots®. Neti Pots® are ceramic pots that are shaped like miniature tea pots. A mixture of salt and warm water is placed in the pot. Using the spout on the Neti Pot®, the water is then dumped into one nostril before it moves through the nasal passage into the other nostril, where it drains out. That saline water rinse passes through the nasal cavities and rinses out excess mucous while it moisturizes the nasal passages.

 

 

<Photo courtesy of yogalifestyle.com>

I know, I know…it doesn’t sound appealing to me either – pouring salt water up your nose. However, Ryan assured me it isn’t as bad as it sounds.

“It sounds uncomfortable and it sounds disgusting, but actually it really isn’t either. It does not feel like water up your nose when you’re swimming, because the salt makes it what is called an isotonic solution; it has the same salinity as our bodies, so it doesn’t sting. I wouldn’t say it feels great, but I wouldn’t even say it feels uncomfortable.”

Neti Pots® vs. Sudafed®

Neti Pots® will often take place of pseudoephedrine – containing medicines, such as Sudafed®. In Ryan’s opinion, Neti Pots® are just as effective as Sudafed® when it is used twice a day when you are congested. It’s not a bad idea to use your Neti Pot® once a day when healthy, as a preventative to keep nasal passages open. Another benefit this treatment has over pseudoephedrine; anyone can use it, no matter the age.

Our Hometown pharmacies sell Neti Pots® and the associated salt packets; however, you can also use standard non-iodized table salt at the rate of ¼ teaspoon per cup of warm water.

Nasal congestion is no fun, with the use of Neti Pots®, you can ease your suffering and speed your recovery.

Have a safe and wonderful New Year from all of us at Hometown Pharmacy!

Holiday Season = Cough & Cold Season

Treating children twelve and under with cough & cold medicines may lead to accidental overdose.

The holidays are right around the corner! Traditions, large meals, family gatherings, snowball fights, cold weather, …colds. Yep, along with the fun holiday season comes cold weather – and cough & cold season.

 

Why Children?

Children are especially susceptible to colds because they often spend lots of time with other children and frequently aren’t cognizant about regularly washing their hands and covering their mouth and nose when they cough and sneeze. Infants and preschool children are particularly vulnerable to the common cold because they haven’t yet developed resistance to most of the viruses that cause them. 

As a child, my cold symptoms were treated with a steady dosage of Robitussin®. Recently, the FDA has come out with warnings suggesting some decongestants may be inappropriate for children under the age of twelve. I wanted to find out a little more about this issue, so I stopped by our Verona Hometown location and talked to Gary Bongey, the local Hometown pharmacist.

Gary’s Opinion
Gary explained many cough & cold medicines, like Sudafed® contain pseudoephedrine, which can have unintended side effects such as increased heart rate, constriction of the nasal mucus membranes, drowsiness, and dizziness. Children are especially susceptible to these side effects, due to the fact that they have reduced body weights and, therefore, are frequently the victims of accidental overdose.

Gary went on to say that these accidental overdoses are sometimes caused by what he calls “home dosing”. In his words: “Back in the old days, you could dose a two year old and a twenty year old out of the same bottle; so you ended up with people saying: well, you know if my twenty year old gets two teaspoonful’s, then my one year old gets one teaspoonful, and that’s just too much…too many side effects.”

Surrogate Treatments
Instead of using cough & cold syrups, Gary suggested a couple of safer options for children under the age of twelve. Saline nasal sprays were highly recommended by him to clear up congestion. Another safe option is the use of personal home steamers. Personal steamers work by easing congestion and dryness though the use of warm steam. Gary added that it is still acceptable to use acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen to treat fevers associated with cough & colds.

We have a full line of saline nasal sprays, personal steamers, and decongestants (for the teens and adults!) at all of our Hometown pharmacies, stop in for a free consultation with your local Hometown pharmacist!

Happy Holidays from all of us at Hometown Pharmacy!

 

DeForest Hometown Pharmacy