People who often have a stuffy nose know the problem. Nasal sprays do not help, they rather aggravate the problem. A good and effective home remedy can be nasal irrigation.
What is nasal irrigation?
Nasal lavage involves flushing the nasal passages with a lukewarm saline solution. Rinsing with the saline solution causes the mucous membranes to swell and become clean. In a nasal lavage, the nasal passages are flushed with a lukewarm saline solution. Rinsing with the saline solution causes the mucous membranes to decongest and be cleansed, and the condition of the cilia improves. This promotes the self-healing powers of the nose. Nasal douches, containers made of glass or plastic, with which the nose is rinsed, are usually used for this purpose. The rinsing liquid must contain a certain amount of common salt for nasal irrigation to work. If it contains too little or too much table salt, or if it is rinsed only with water, the nasal mucous membranes become irritated and burn. There are appropriate mixtures in pharmacies.
Function, effect and goals
Nasal rinsing some people imagine unappetizing, but it is a good home remedy to promote the function of mucous membranes and clean the nose. Rinsing loosens tough mucus in the nose and transports pathogens to the outside. Many people also tend to suffer from a stuffy nose for a variety of reasons, which impedes nasal breathing. Those who use nasal sprays are familiar with the problem that when they are used for a long time, the mucous membranes do not decongest at all because they are addicted to the nasal spray. Also rhinitis, sinusitis, dry nasal mucous membranes and an inflammation of the middle ear and allergic rhinitis are among the indications. Nasal rinsing causes the nasal mucous membranes to decongest and improves their function to better ward off pathogens and foreign bodies. There are several ways to perform nasal rinsing:
A simple but very effective method is to draw up a saline solution from the hollow of the hand. However, this requires a good sense of the right mixture of salt and water. The liquid can be mixed by yourself in a glass. Several times the saline solution is drawn in from the hand and then rinsed out again. Afterwards, the nose is blown and feels freer. If this is uncomfortable, you can also buy a nasal douche. You can buy them in pharmacies. There you can also find ready-made isotonic saline solutions for an optimal saline mixture that does not irritate the nasal mucous membranes. With a nasal douche, the head must also be held above the sink, but tilted to the side. While the liquid flows from one nostril to the other, the mouth remains open. After one side is rinsed, the process is repeated on the other side. The mouth must always be open wide enough to prevent the liquid from entering the throat. Anyone using a nasal douche must rinse it well after each use and dry it completely again. A saline solution for rinsing the nose is easy to make yourself. It does take some practice to find the right mixture of salt and water, but the nose will lead the way. If it burns, the liquid contains too much or too little salt. It doesn’t matter whether sea salt, Himalayan salt or ordinary table salt is used, it just shouldn’t contain iodine, fluorine or trickle additives. When rinsing the nose with a nasal douche, the cleansing effect is more intense, but for moistening the mucous membranes in the case of a blocked nose, rinsing by hand is quite sufficient.
Risks, side effects and dangers
Nasal rinsing is often recommended as a natural and effective preventive measure for maintaining healthy nasal mucous membranes. In the Far Eastern yoga teachings, daily nasal rinsing is one of the fixed daily rituals. Modern science also recognizes the positive effects of nasal rinsing. Even though nasal rinses undoubtedly have positive benefits for various nasal problems, it should not be overdone. Nasal rinsing is rather not recommended for purulent sinusitis and nosebleeds. Experts argue about whether regular nasal rinses can really prevent infections and whether use over a long period of time is recommended.The German Lung Foundation has a rather critical attitude to this and advises against continuous use because, in its opinion, frequent nasal rinsing is more likely to damage the nasal mucous membranes and thus promote infections rather than prevent them. Some ENT physicians are also skeptical about regular rinsing. In their opinion, healthy people do not need nasal rinses. Constant nasal rinsing causes the natural immune protection of the nasal mucous membranes to be lost and the function of the cilia to be impaired, which promotes the penetration of pathogens. A two-year study of 68 patients with frequent sinusitis demonstrated that frequent rinsing did indeed increase the risk of infection. Participants were told to continue rinsing their noses regularly in the first year, but not in the second year. After participants stopped rinsing in the second year, their risk of infection decreased. Another study of 24 participants also demonstrated a link between regular nasal rinses and frequent infections. As in many things, the dose makes the poison. For stuffy noses and acute infections, nasal rinses can be beneficial, as well as provide short-term relief for hay fever. However, as a permanent solution for daily use, they are, as the studies found, rather counterproductive and therefore not recommended.
