US Patent 7971761 Apparatus and method for nasal passage rinse

An apparatus and method for preparing saline solution and using the saline solution for rinsing nasal passages. The apparatus includes a container (10) having sidewalls and opening for a removable cap (13). The cap has an external tapering hollow nozzle (14). The nozzle (14) is inserted into one end of a flexible tube (21). The other end of the tube (21) is inserted into a hollow removable contoured dispenser tip (23) which is shaped to fit a human nostril comfortably. A thin tubular conduit (19) is attached to the cap by means of a fitting (16) and the conduit extends into the container (10) close to its bottom when the apparatus is fully assembled. A saline solution is prepared by adding iodine free common salt to warm distilled or boiled water in the container. After attaching the cap (13) to the container (10) and inserting the dispenser tip (23) into one nostril, a user bends forward and tilts the head to the side of the other nostril and breaths through open mouth. The user then allows the saline solution to flow by gravity through one nostril and come out through the other open nostril, after passing through nasal passages, by holding the container (10) inverted (bottom up cap down) and raising it above the level of nostrils. The rate of flow of the saline solution to the nostril can be controlled by varying the height at which the container is held above the level of nostrils.