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According to one study of 330 actively practicing family physicians, 87 percent recommended saline nasal irrigation (which is what you do with a neti pot) as part of their treatment recommendations for the following health issues: chronic sinus infections (91 percent), acute bacterial sinus infections (67 percent), rhinitis (stuffy nose) resulting from seasonal allergies (66 percent), viral upper respiratory infections (59 percent), other allergic rhinitis (48 percent), irritant-based congestion (48 percent), and rhinitis due to pregnancy (17 percent). How do neti pots work? By design, a neti pot enables its user to pour a nasal rinse into the nostrils in such a way that it flushes out irritants and thins out mucus. This typically leads to less congestion and easier breathing through the nose. A neti pot acts as somewhat of a booster for your body's own natural operations. What do we mean by that? Microscopic, hair-like structures called cilia line your nasal cavity and the surrounding sinuses. Cilia help to usher mucus out of your nose. Nasal irrigation with a saline solution is said to help the cilia work better at getting rid of mucus and unwanted particles (like dust, pollen, etc.) that often lead to sinus issues. A neti pot is filled with purified water and salt or salt-based mixture specifically designed for neti pot use. You may be wondering why you can't use water by itself in your neti pot. The interesting fact is that using water alone can actually irritate the inside of your nostrils. Adding sea salt to purified water permits the water to travel through the sensitive membranes of the nasal passages with very little to no burning sensations.