Can one use a sinus rinse on Shabbat / Yom Tov?

Question

This sinus rinse is manual. You fill the plastic bottle with water and add a small packet of saline powder and mix it. Then, you insert the bottle tip into your nostril and squeeze the bottle so that the water / saline mix goes up your nose and rinses out the mucus and other "junk". (Yes, it's quite uncomfortable, for a short while.)

I read somewhere, possibly Shmirat Shabbat K'Hilchato, that you are not allowed to squeeze non-food items on Shabbat, and there is a problem mixing / or dissolving non-food items, so I may not be allowed to use this. Am I wrong? Are there any possible halachic problems?

I gather that I can't tear the saline packet on Shabbat, but I can have it pre-torn before Shabbat.

Answer 1

The prohibition of items used for refuah (as Shokhet said) are very complicated. Aside from the level of pain (nafal l'mitah), there are other permitting factors, such as whether the item is a typical food item (salt water), and/or whether healthy people might use the item to stay healthy (e.g. vitamins). However, this is not something a normal person can decide for themselves and then be confident that they are either unnecessarily prohibiting something allowed, or allowing something prohibited. Shmirat Shabbat... is a good reference, but unless you find your exact case, you can't be sure you are doing the right thing. So it is very important you find a Rabbi to consult for these questions.

Note, however, that on second day Yom Tov, there is no problem using this at all (except second day Rosh HaShanah - which is יום אריכתא, i.e. part of one extended day).

Answer 2

This is the answer I received from Dinonline. They claim that there is no problem squeezing the liquid, and this is not considered "refu'ah" / healing.

I am assuming that the reason it is not considered "healing" is that there is no medical condition or sickness for my using this rinse. My doctor recommended it to me as a daily "maintenance" for nasal hygiene, similar to brushing your teeth. I know that there are other issues with teeth brushing on Shabbat, but, I'm just using the analogy about hygiene.

Answer 3

Shmiras Shabbos Kehilchasa says it is assur if it is apparent it is being done for refuah, such as a bad cold. See chapter 34 siff 10.

In chapter 38 siff 15 he says that even in a case such as this, it would be allowed to be done through a nonjew, as long as it is a drip action, not spray. A spray would only be allowed for an extreme case where his entire body is affected by the sickness, as per chapter 34 siff 3.