This genie’s lamp-like device is a neti pot, used to flush the sinuses and ease congestion. You fill it with sterile, salt water and, with your head tilted, pour the water into one nostril—tilting your head to the side, the water drains out the other nostril, taking mucus that may have clogged the sinuses with it. “Neti pots can be useful after a cold, during hay fever or to help with sinus problems where mucus build-up in the nose can cause discomfort,” says Professor Paul Chatrath, consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon. neck at Spire Hartswood Hospital. in Essex. “It washes away the congestion, but it also cleans the tiny hair cells in the nose, helping them to start working efficiently again.” And it can reduce hospitalization from Covid. A study published in August by the University of Georgia in the US looked at twice-daily nasal irrigation in 79 people with Covid and found it led to eight times fewer hospitalizations than the national average. “Nasal irrigation is effective, but you should use distilled or cold boiled water to reduce the risk of infection,” says Professor Chatrath. Nosebuddy
Red light laser correction
Theradome, from £699, theradomeforhairloss.co.uk It may look like a bike helmet, but the Theradome is said to treat certain types of hair loss. The helmet emits a red light on the scalp that stimulates hair follicles, increasing the rate of hair growth in cases of hormone-related thinning. Use the helmet for 20 minutes twice a week. “Studies have shown that LLLT — low-level laser therapy — can stimulate hair growth,” says Dr Anastasia Therianou, consultant dermatologist and hair loss specialist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London. “Large randomized controlled trials have shown statistically significant regeneration based on hair count [the number of hairs on the scalp] in men and women after treatment. “However, more studies are needed to support effectiveness.” He adds: “It only works on certain types of hair loss — especially male and female pattern baldness, and it’s important to get a diagnosis from a specialist before trying LLLT. “These devices should not be used by patients with scalp skin cancer or those taking certain antibiotics and diuretic medications.” Theradome
Piercing treatment
Tvidler, from £29.95, tvidler.com It looks like a drill bit made of flexible silicone, but, in fact, the Tvidler is meant to be used to clean wax from your ears. The manufacturer claims it’s safer than using cotton because it doesn’t push the wax further into the ear. Place it gently in the ear canal in a clockwise motion. “I wouldn’t use it,” says Professor Chatrath. “The tapered design relies on a drill that pushes the debris out — and that can work in soft wax. But I would be concerned that if the candle is knocked over, one might be pushed the wrong way, which could make it worse. Earwax exists for a reason — it protects and cleans the ear, so unless there’s a build-up that’s affecting your hearing or causing pain, it’s best to leave it alone. That said, you should also never use cotton. If earwax bothers you, talk to your doctor. They’ll try drops that soften the wax or refer you for microsuction.” Brawl
Padded hood
Ostrich pillow, £85, ostrichpillow.co.uk Described as an “immersive pillow”, this hood is designed to help you fall asleep or stay asleep on the go. The design blocks out light and noise (there’s a hole for your mouth and nose), while the padding makes it easy to rest your head on surfaces like a desk or the tray table on an airplane. Sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley says: “Humans are not designed to sleep standing up – we are supposed to take the pressure off our bodies when we sleep and, coupled with the fact that during dream sleep you lose muscle tone which makes your head smiling. , makes it difficult to sleep well on a plane — but this could help with that. I’d definitely give it a try if I was flying long haul a lot.” Ostrich pillow
Heavy-handed kit
Fingerweights, from £32, fingerweights.com These tiny weights (10-30 grams each) are worn on the fingers to strengthen them or as part of rehabilitation for conditions such as stroke or arthritis. Dr Rod Hughes, consultant rheumatologist at Ashford and St Peter’s NHS Trust in Surrey, says: ‘If you have arthritis in the fingers, it is recommended that you do exercises to keep them flexible and the muscles around them strong. This can simply be grip strength exercises with rubber balls. This improves grip strength and adding weight can lead to greater improvements. The downside is that they look messy, so they may not be suitable if you have problems with the shape or function of your hands and fingers. Often, osteoarthritis results in the formation of extra new bone with lumps around the joints of the fingers. It’s unlikely to cause permanent damage, but putting pressure on an already inflamed joint could make it uncomfortable.” Finger weights
Sonic blaster
The Y Brush, £108.99, y-brush.com This mouthpiece has sonic bristles (that work like an electric toothbrush) that it claims can clean all your teeth in ten seconds. A test by the manufacturer on 100 people found it removed 15 percent more plaque than conventional brushing. “It has an interesting design, but it lacks the robust evidence we have for conventional toothbrushes,” says Dr Praveen Sharma, scientific adviser to the British Dental Association. “It’s one size fits all and any dentist will tell you that having one mold to fit all jaws is almost impossible. “In contrast, conventional toothbrushes allow you to adjust the brushing to fit any mouth, regardless of variations such as gaps or tooth size.” The Y brush
Get hip and push this device into action
Pso-rite, £79.99. pso-rite.co.uk This plastic tool is described as “the most revolutionary self-care tool for kinetic massage and muscle release.” You place the device on the floor, get into a press-up position on it, and press down so that the points on each side dig into your hip bones on both sides. Doing this is said to massage a muscle called the psoas, which connects the lower back to the thigh bone. Some physical therapists suggest that tightness in this muscle is responsible for a lot of back and hip pain. Will Bateman, physiotherapist at Surrey Physio, says: “The psoas is a very deep muscle. You can’t stretch it or work it specifically, just like you can’t feel it yourself. So while this product may massage the area, it will not target the psoas. In addition, there is some debate as to whether the psoas is causing all the pain that is blamed, or whether disc problems or hip osteoarthritis are the triggers. “I prefer patients spend their time doing dynamic stretches like yoga to target all the muscles in that area rather than focusing on the psoas.” Pso-rite
