Patent ID: 7971761

Claim:
A method for rinsing nasal passages, comprising: (i) preparing an iodine-free saline solution by mixing measured amount of common salt with measured amount of warm water in a portable apparatus for gravity fed delivery of non-pressurized saline solution, the portable apparatus including a cap having an open cylindrical lower portion and a flat upper portion with a centrally located external tapering hollow nozzle, a hollow removable hollow conical frustum shaped and contoured dispenser tip, a flexible tube connecting said tapering hollow nozzle and said dispenser tip, a container for preparing and holding saline solution, the container having sidewalls and an axially aligned neck having an open end, wherein the lower portion of said cap and the neck of said container are configured to join together with a liquid tight connection, and a frustum conical shaped fitting protruding from fitting on said cap with a central bore of approximately 2 mm in diameter connected to a thin tubular conduit extending into the container terminating close to the bottom of the container, (ii) inserting a hollow conical frustum shaped and contoured dispenser tip into a nostril, (iii) closing the central bore of the frustum conical shaped fitting by applying pressure with a fingertip to prevent air from entering the container, (iv) elevating the portable apparatus above the user's nasal cavity, and (v) varying the fingertip pressure applied to the central bore to regulate the flow of air into the container and liquid into the nasal passages and varying the elevation of the apparatus to perform a nasal rinse with a controlled flow rate.