Saline nasal drops reduce the duration of the common cold in young children by two days, study shows

Medical Xpress / European Respiratory Society Congress ^ | Sept. 5, 2024 | Dr. Sandeep Ramalingam et al

[ConservativeMind]

Using hypertonic saline nasal drops can reduce the length of the common cold in children by two days, according to a study. They can also reduce the onward transmission of colds to family members.

The research team recruited 407 children aged up to six years for a study where they were given either hypertonic saline ~2.6% (salt-water) nasal drops or usual care when they developed a cold.

Overall, 301 children developed a cold; for 150 of these, their parents were given sea salt and taught to make and apply salt-water nose drops to the children's noses (three drops per nostril, a minimum of four times per day, until well) and 151 children had usual cold care.

Professor Cunningham explains, "We found that children using salt-water nose drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, where those with usual care had symptoms for eight days.

"Salt is made up of sodium and chloride. Chloride is used by the cells lining the nose and windpipes to produce hypochlorous acid within cells, which they use to defend against virus infection. By giving extra chloride to the lining cells, this helps the cells produce more hypochlorous acid, which helps suppress viral replication, reducing the length of the virus infection, and therefore the duration of symptoms."

When children got salt-water nose drops, fewer households reported family members catching a cold (46% vs. 61% for usual care); 82% of parents said the nose drops helped the child get better quickly and 81% said they would use nose drops in the future.

"Our study also showed that parents can safely make and administer nose drops to their children."

Results from this study showed that children who received the drops had significantly fewer episodes of wheeze (5% vs. 19%).

[ConservativeMind]

This is easy to do at home, and should reduce cold length, sharing the virus with family, and wheezing episodes, for very little cost, but with some hassle.

[ConservativeMind]

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[cherry]

No this not acceptable...Dr’s need to presribe expensive meds to make mommy and daddy feelbetter...Americans are addicted to drugs,all kinds.

[linMcHlp]

bttt

[OldHarbor]

Warm salt water is great for clearing your sinuses.

Useless Big Pharma Rx Dealer, I mean ”doctor” had me try 2 different kinds of chemical dope for “hay fever ", what quackery. Warm salt water solves the issue for me., sorry Big Pharma Dope Dealers.

[31R1O]

I like the Neil Med packets. I mix them with 8 oz. bottled water. Don’t want any brain eating amoeba!

[CaptainK]

I wish the article had given the specific amounts of salt and water to use in the mixture.

[chajin]

Saline
Cuts down the colds in my young children
Could it be
The sinus will open up
And soon they will be free...

Surprised that the research wasn’t done at Ursinus College.

[Political Junkie Too]

In 2020, this Redding, California ENT doctor recommended adding 1/2 teaspoon of 10% Povidone Iodine solution to a standard over-the-counter 1.5 oz bottle of saline solution nasal spray as a protective barrier for COVID-19 that would enter the body through the nasal passages and then gestate in the mucous membranes.

KRCT-TV ABC 7: VIDEO: Redding doctor says there is an extra layer of protection against COVID-19 available

I made this for myself and used it whenever I knew I would be out in large crowds. Instead of a mask, put an actual COVID-19 killer directly in my nose.

-PJ

[Carry_Okie]

This is easy to do at home, and should reduce cold length, sharing the virus with family, and wheezing episodes, for very little cost, but with some hassle.

Not so bad with buffered saline, such as from Neil Med.

[Carry_Okie]

In 2020, this Redding, California ENT doctor recommended adding 1/2 teaspoon of 10% Povidone Iodine solution to a standard over-the-counter 1.5 oz bottle of saline solution nasal spray as a protective barrier for COVID-19 that would enter the body through the nasal passages and then gestate in the mucous membranes.

I was right on that one. It does have a downside in that the iodine is destructive to oral flora critical to nitric oxide production in the stomach. Colloidal silver has the same problem.

[Political Junkie Too]

Yeah, I didn't do it every day, just when I knew I'd be out in large crowds.

I was also using a hydrogen peroxide mouthwash once a week, maybe twice a week, about 1:2 hydrogen peroxide to water. That also has a downside of being harmful to the enamel on the teeth, so I did that sparingly, too.

Ironically, it's the hydrogen peroxide buildup in the body from COVID-19 that is what killed people once they went into oxidative stress from glutathione depletion.

-PJ

[HIDEK6]

Unbelievable.

Back in 1960, our school nurse treated a cold by having the patient gargle salt water.

It seemed to work.

[OftheOhio]

I use “Simply Saline” which is in a small spray can. It has a little bit of pressure and gets far back into your sinus cavity.

[MayflowerMadam]

Good ol’ nose drops, which I’d totally forgotten about. Mom used them on us all the time when we were little.

[FreedomPoster]

I’ve had one of the power irrigators for doing that for more than 10 years. Use it with saline packs and distilled water. Love it. Really clears out the sinuses.

[Tom Tetroxide]

This will work, too.

You get to drink from the fire hose!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgPgsvxxxKE

[ConservativeMind]

Here is one approach:

https://www.neilmed.com/usa/hypertonic-or-isotonic/

[Alas Babylon!]

What about saline spray?

I always had trouble trying to self-administer drops.

[ptsal]

Also try a daily Q-tip swab soaked with hydrogen peroxide...swish the swab around the nasal opening to whatever depth you can easily tolerate.

Also gargle with hydrogen peroxide after brushing your teeth.