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Glossary of Terms

5 min readLast reviewed August 2026

Glossary of Terms

In short: A plain-English reference for the Sanskrit and anatomical vocabulary that surrounds Jal Neti.

Sanskrit and yogic terms

Jal (जल)	Water.
Neti (नेति)	Nasal cleansing. Used both for the family of practices and, loosely, for Jal Neti specifically.
Jal Neti	Nasal cleansing using saline water poured through the nostrils.
Sutra Neti	Nasal cleansing using a soft thread or catheter. Advanced; requires a teacher.
Dugdha Neti	Nasal cleansing using lukewarm milk instead of saline.
Ghrita Neti	Nasal cleansing using warm ghee. Overlaps with Ayurvedic Nasya.
Kriya	An action or practice. Neti Kriya simply means "the practice of Neti".
Shatkarma / Shatkriya	The six classical purification practices of Hatha Yoga: Neti, Dhauti, Nauli, Basti, Kapalabhati and Trataka.
Hatha Yoga	The branch of yoga concerned with physical postures, breath control and purification practices.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika	A fifteenth-century Sanskrit text, one of the principal classical sources describing the shatkarmas.
Gheranda Samhita	Another classical Hatha Yoga text describing purification practices in detail.
Pranayama	Yogic breath regulation. Traditionally practised after Neti, since it requires clear nasal passages.
Kapalabhati	A rapid-exhalation breathing practice, traditionally used after Jal Neti to help dry the nasal passages.
Nadi Shodhana	Alternate-nostril breathing. Difficult to practise with a congested nose.
Nasya	An Ayurvedic therapy administering medicated oils or preparations through the nose. Distinct from Jal Neti.
Sendha namak	Rock salt. Non-iodised, but unrefined and variable — not ideal for irrigation.

Anatomical terms

Nasal cavity	The two chambers behind the nostrils, divided by the septum.
Septum	The wall of cartilage and bone separating the two nasal passages. A "deviated septum" means it is significantly off-centre.
Turbinates	Curled shelves of bone covered in soft tissue that warm, humidify and filter incoming air.
Nasopharynx	The space behind the nose and above the throat, where the two nasal passages meet. This is the route your rinse water takes.
Paranasal sinuses	Four pairs of air-filled cavities in the skull, connected to the nasal cavity by small openings.
Ostia	The small openings connecting sinuses to the nasal cavity — usually only millimetres wide.
Cilia	Microscopic hair-like structures that sweep the mucus layer backwards in coordinated waves.
Mucociliary clearance	The combined system of mucus and cilia that continuously removes trapped particles.
Eustachian tube	The channel connecting the middle ear to the nasopharynx. Why forceful nose-blowing can affect the ears.

Solution terms

Saline	A solution of salt in water.
Isotonic	Matching the body's own salt concentration, around 0.9%. The target for daily rinsing.
Hypotonic	Less concentrated than body fluids. Causes stinging.
Hypertonic	More concentrated than body fluids. Draws moisture out of tissue; more drying.
Sodium chloride (NaCl)	Common salt. The primary active component of a nasal rinse.
Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃)	Baking soda. Added to buffer pH and help thin mucus.
Non-iodised	Containing no added iodine. Required for nasal irrigation salt.
Anti-caking agent	An additive preventing clumping in table salt. Undesirable in a nasal rinse.

Safety terms

Naegleria fowleri	A free-living amoeba found in warm fresh water. Rarely causes a severe brain infection when it enters via the nose — the reason untreated tap water must never be used.
Acanthamoeba	Another amoeba genus linked to infections associated with nasal rinsing using untreated water.
Distilled water	Water purified by boiling and condensing. Safe for nasal irrigation.
Sterile water	Water processed to remove all microorganisms. Safe for nasal irrigation.