Neti Pot (Steel)

As cold and flu season continues, Americans turn to all sorts of remedies to stifle their symptoms. Among them is the neti pot – a small teapot-like vessel with a long spout used to flush out clogged nasal passages.

Neti pots and other nasal irrigation systems are used with sterile water or saline solution to treat congested sinuses, colds and allergies. They can also help moisten nasal passages dried out by indoor air.

But the FDA is warning that improper use of neti pots can be dangerous and lead to infections, including the deadly Naegleria fowleri – better known as the “brain-eating” amoeba.