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Nasal Saline

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Nasal Saline, Saline Nasal Spray, Neti Pot

  • See Also
  1. Topical Decongestants
  • Precautions
  1. Use pre-prepared solution or filtered, distilled or boiled water (after allowing to cool)
    1. Household water filters are not sufficient to remove all Microorganisms
    2. Non-sterilized tap water rinses have been associated with amebic Encephalitis
    3. Yoder (2012) Clin Infect Dis 55(9): e79-85 [PubMed]
  • Preparations
  • Commercial
  1. Saline Nasal Spray (SeaMist, Ocean, Deep Sea)
  • Preparations
  • Quick Homemade Recipe
  1. Mix 1/2 tsp non-Iodized Salt in 8oz warm sterile or distilled water (or boil for 3-5 min)
  2. Store in empty spray bottle
  3. Make new solution after 2 days
  • Preparations
  • Standard Homemade Recipe
  1. Recipe Ingredients
    1. 1 qt glass jar
    2. 1 qt boiled tap (for 3-5 min) or bottled distilled or sterile water
    3. 2 to 3 heaping teaspoons non-Iodized Salt (Iodine may interfere with cilia function)
    4. 1 rounded teaspoon Baking Soda
  2. Recipe Preparation
    1. Wash, rinse and fill jar with boiled water
    2. Add Table Salt and Baking Soda
    3. Stir or shake before each use
    4. Store in refrigerator and mix fresh batch weekly
  3. Recipe Modifications
    1. If the mixture is too strong, reduce salt to 1-2 tsp
    2. If your nose is dry, add 1 tbsp corn syrup to mix
  • Technique
  • Directions for Adults
  1. Bulbs to Instill Mixture
    1. Bulb
    2. Ear Syringe
    3. Medical Syringe
    4. Waterpik
  2. Rinse the nose with the solution 2-3 times daily
  3. Avoid contaminating stock solution
    1. Pour mixture into clean bowl
    2. Do not place syringe back into original solution
  4. You may warm the mixture to Body Temperature (Not hot!)
  5. Stand over the sink or shower; squirt into each nostril
  6. Aim the stream toward the back of the nose
  7. Use prior to Intranasal Steroid
  • Technique
  • Directions for children
  1. Older children (who can blow nose)
    1. Instill 3 drops in each nostril while supine prn
    2. Wait 1 minute, while softens mucus, then blow
  2. Younger children
    1. Instill 3 drops each nostril while supine prn
    2. Wait 1 minute, then use suction bulb
    3. Seal nares completely with bulb to suction
  • Technique
  • Neti Pot
  1. Use sterile or distilled water (or boil for 3-5 min)
  2. Prepare Saline Solution as above or use pre-prepared saline packets
  3. Position nose by tilting head forward and to one side
  4. Tilt Neti Pot up and seal to one nostril
  5. Saline should pour into one nostril and flow out of the other
  6. Clean Neti Pot with soap and water after each use (allow to completely dry)
  7. Do not share Neti Pots
  • Adverse effects
  1. Mild burning Sensation with first few uses
  2. Resolves with first few uses
  3. Amebic Encephalitis (rare, associated with contaminated tap water use)
    1. See Precautions above (only use filtered, distilled or boiled water)
  • Reference
  1. (2019) Presc Lett 26(3):15
  2. Ferguson (1997) J Postgrad Med 101(5): 117-131 [PubMed]