If you still have cable TV, you've undoubtedly seen the commercial for Navage. It's the blue and white device people put up their nose to drain their sinuses. OK, so maybe it's described a little more eloquently than that in the ads but you know what I mean if you've seen it.
After years of seeing the commercial, I mentioned the product to our boss to see if we could get one to try out for my column. As luck would have it -- and I should know better already at this point -- he has one because he's a media personality and companies send him everything. That's exactly the case for this.
As soon as I mentioned the name to him, he immediately said he loves it and uses it every day -- four years after he got it. That's certainly an endorsement from someone like him. Unless he's paid to hype a product, he rarely sings its praises publicly.
Admittedly, I've never used any kind of product that goes in or up my nose. Back when we had COVID tests during the pandemic, I cringed at the idea of having something shoved all the way up my nose, as I'd heard people describe their testing experiences. Fortunately, I only had a swab run gently in my inner nostrils for two seconds and I was done. I've never had deep penetration. (Shut up.)
It's not that I have a fear of my nose I just view it as something, I dunno, off limits.
So, Navage had me curious. I don't have trouble with sinuses, I have no allergies. But what was getting built up in my nose and sinus cavity? I was eager to find out, albeit nervously.
The contraption was already put together when it was handed to me but my boss said it needed to be assembled when unboxed, though that only took a moment. He instructed me to stand above the sink the first time I used it. And with that warning, I instantly started second guessing my decision to try it.
He said it took him the third use before he was able to get the hang of it. He warned me that the first time, water choked him and came out his mouth. What the hell am I getting myself into??
I filled the canister with water, I inserted a eucalyptus capsule into the top compartment, closed the lid and took a deep breath. Why a deep breath? Because you essentially can't breathe when it's happening. Well, you can once you master how it all works – you just breathe through your mouth.
I positioned myself above the sink and pressed the side button for the device to start the process. The water is dispensed from the top compartment, through the one nostril tube, cycles through your head (basically) and is suctioned out through your other nostril. Simple, right?
Sure enough, the sensation and new feeling of nose suction had me gag and cough briefly which did have water come out of my mouth. Even an expert from Navage, who appeared on the radio with my boss several years ago, said that's what happens to most people. Once I knew how it worked and what it would feel like, the second use was no problem. None whatsoever.
Once the cycle is finished (it took about 10 seconds but can vary depending on how plugged up you are) the water and any stringy nostril waste essentially swim around in the bottom compartment like a little fish bowl. Again, not how they describe it in the ads but that's basically what it is.
I was fascinated to see what was sucked out of my head. (I should be a poet, right?) I thought my nose was clear and I was breathing fine but I didn't realize I had stuff bogging me down and things smelled a bit fresher after -- largely in part to the eucalyptus scent from the salt capsule mixed with the water during the irrigation session.
After returning the boss's Navage system to him, I went to the store and bought my own. I use it when I wake up in the morning and before I go to bed. The company said there's no risk of overuse because you're not putting drugs or anything into your system. You're merely flushing stuff through and there's no harm in that. (I mean, I wouldn't use it 30 times a day but that's up to your own discretion.)
All in all, I highly recommend Navage because it makes unloading feel good -- from your nose.