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Saline Rinses

In upper respiratory tract infections, allergies or after nasal operations, we recommend frequent rinses of the nose with saline. The best device for efficient rinses is the soft, large volume, plastic bottle.

The rinse must be done with uninterrupted pressure on the bottle, until continuous flow is achieved through the lower nostril. See the text for details..

How to do a large volume saline rinse

  • We boil tap water to sterilize it, and leave it in the kettle, with the lid closed.
  • Before we do the rinse, we switch on the kettle for a few seconds, to warm up the water to body temperature. We check the temperature on our hand, and if it is pleasant to the skin, we fill up the bottle. We add the content of the envelope and shake well.
  • We lean forward and tilt the head to one side.
  • We tightly apply the cap of the bottle in the upper nostril and press on the bottle firmly.
  • The internal flow of the water must be upwards, towards the eye, and not backwards, to the throat.
  • The water runs inside the nose and comes out through the lower nostril, pushing out snot, crusts, clots, foreign bodies or allergens.
  • We apply uninterrupted pressure on the bottle, in order to get continuous flow of the water. The bottle must be emptied with one or two presses, not more.
  • We always do the rinse with a full bottle, and never with water only – the content of the envelope must be added at all times.
  • After each use, the bottle must be washed with running water and left upside down to drain.
  • Once a week, the bottle must be sterilized in the microwave oven or boiled in water. After 100-200 uses, it must be replaced with new.

This website aims at providing simplified scientific information and not medical advice on specific conditions or individual cases. In this respect, it cannot replace the consultation and documented opinion of a specialist physician.

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