One day a friend pulled me into her bathroom and said, ‘Watch this.’ She took out her neti pot, made a saline solution and proceeded to rinse. Not so strange in my world – until she switched to the other nostril. It was then the saline solution ran from her mouth instead of her nose. She tried many angles to shift the flow, but it still ran out of her mouth. I’d seen this before and asked if she had ever broken her nose. She nodded yes.
At Baraka, we get calls from people with structural issues similar to my friend’s broken nose. Most often, this is caused by one of three things: a deviated septum, polyps or a past facial injury.
Deviated Septum: The septum is a combination of cartilage and bone that separates the nasal cavity into two nostrils. If the septum is damaged and no longer symmetrically divides the nostrils, water may not be able to run out of one side. If it does, it may drip instead of flow or, as in the case of my friend, run to the back of the throat and out the mouth. A deviated septum can be caused by either a facial injury or a congenital disorder.
Polyps: These teardrop shaped growths arise mainly from the mucous membranes of the nose. The cause is unknown. Larger ones can block normal drainage and can cause the same results as a deviated septum when rinsing.
Broken Facial Bones: This is another structural issue, and like polyps or a deviated septum, can cause the same challenges when rinsing.
If you have any of these issues, you may be wondering if nasal rinsing will work for you. I suggest trying it to see what happens. Nasal rinsing is easy and safe. Don’t get discouraged or worried if the water doesn’t flow freely out one nostril. You may still benefit from clearing mucous and unwanted particulate matter. It can be that nasal rinsing leaves water in your ears because of one of these structural issues. I suggest after rinsing that you bend over at the waist (with the crown of your head pointed towards the floor) to drain any trapped water.
The best message I can leave you with is this: Listen to your own body. You will know after several rinses if it’s right for you. Email us with any questions. Happy Rinsing!
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