Why Nasal Washes Help Against COVID Infections

and Recent researchfound that twice-daily nasal irrigation reduced the severity of COVID-19 symptoms.including small sample sizes and lack of adequate controls;Researchers ‘probably on the right track’ Houston Methodist Hospital, was not relevant to the study. “Nasal irrigation is generally recommended for patients with any kind of infection in their nose or sinuses.”

This includes colds, flu, and allergies. some evidence Nasal irrigation may be an effective way to reduce the severity of symptoms. By that logic, it makes sense that nasal irrigation could be a strategy to reduce the severity of his COVID-19 symptoms.

Nasal wash helps with upper respiratory tract infections

A nasal wash works by using saline to flush out the sinuses. This flushing has two advantages. It removes all the mucus and makes you feel better while also getting rid of the viruses and bacteria that are there. Many viruses that cause upper respiratory tract infections, including COVID-19, tend to multiply in the sinuses, so clearing the virus from nasal irrigation is known to alleviate symptoms of overall viral load. can be reduced. Severity.

“In theory, it should work because the SARS-CoV-2 virus replicates in the nose and continues to replicate in the nose. UTHalth School of Public Health who was not involved in the study.

Flushing mucus also has the added benefit of reducing potential secondary infections. Because mucus provides an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. It’s locked down,” Takashima said.

Effective Nasal Cleansing Tips

in the COVID-19 researchresearchers had participants perform a nasal wash with sodium bicarbonate solution or iodized saline using a pressurized nasal wash system that squirts the solution into the nostrils. We found no difference between the two with respect to the results, but the main limitation was the very small sample size of 79 participants in total.

In practice, it’s a reasonable assumption that most people would benefit from using a simple saline solution. make Use a mixture of salt and baking sodaThis can help with allergies, colds, and flu.

For nasal wash systems, your options are to use either a neti pot that pours the solution into one nostril, or a nasal wash bottle that squirts the solution into one nostril. Both of these are available at your local drugstore or can be ordered online.

It’s important to use clean water, preferably distilled or boiled, as you don’t want harmful bacteria in there, want to avoid using plane water. “It hurts when the salt isn’t there,” said Takashima. To prevent contamination, always clean the bottle after use and replace it every few months or after illness. “If you have an active sinus infection, you’ll want to remove that bottle,” Takashima said, even after you’ve recovered, bacteria and viruses can still be there.

There is also a learning curve associated with nasal irrigation. “At first it was crazy,” he said Troisi.To get the hang of things, it can help to see youtube videos Use good technique and go slow at first. As for frequency, Takashima advises adjusting the comfort level several times a week for those with mild allergies, and several times a day for those who are ill.