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Lack of oxygen is not conducive to life so of course those who suffer from sinus congestion are desperate for a permanent solution. The most common course of action is to try over-the-counter medications. If those medications are not effective, the next step is usually to see a doctor for a prescription for more powerful drugs. While medications will clear the sinuses, the side effects are sometimes more than the sufferer is willing to endure. Often the side effects include brain fog, sleepiness, and a very dry throat and sinuses. Of course things could get even worse and morph into a sinus infection. If that happens, an even stronger class of drugs and their side effects come into play.

Before the problem gets to that stage, there's an alternative that's very effective and doesn't involve drugs or their side effects--the neti pot. The neti pot has literally been around for ages. The term comes from an ancient Indian yoga technique, meaning literally "water cleansing", where the practitioner rinses out the nasal cavity with water using a neti pot.

You can make your own saline solution for nasal irrigation by mixing 1/4-teaspoon salt in an 8-ounce glass of warm water and add a pinch (1/4-tsp.) of baking soda. If you don't want to make your own, you can purchase a pre-made solution to put into the neti pot.

Once you have the solution in the neti pot:

• Lower your head over a sink.
• Turn your head to the side.
• Keep your nose slightly higher than your mouth.
• Pour solution from the container into your nostril.
• Water will drain from your other nostril into the sink.
• Gently blow your nose.
• Repeat the same process for other nostril.
• Remember to breath through your mouth during the process.