Nasal rinsing for clear nasal passages

Establishing and maintaining healthy airways is easy, cost-effective and often overlooked.

Used as a nasal rinse, hypertonic saline has been an integral part of respiratory medicine in many cultures for thousands of years. It helps to clean your nasal passages by liquefying the mucus and secretions, and decongests the mucous membranes.

Inside your nose and sinuses is a lining of membranes that filters, humidifies and heats the air you breathe. It is part of the non-specific immune system and your first line of defence against germs, inhaled dust, allergens, extreme air temperatures or very dry air. A healthy nose relies on moist, clean membranes. Any drying, crusting or other interference can make you more susceptible to infections.

Nasal rinsing should be your first line treatment for colds, flu and sinusitis and will help reduce the severity, duration and complications of these infections. Rinsing with hypertonic saline is recommended above cold and flu medicines. These medications “dry up” the cold, which often leads to even thicker secretions. These secretions then become too thick to be effectively cleared by the membranes, increasing the risk of secondary infections.

For this reason, regular use of hypertonic saline by rinsing (or spraying or nebulising) is recommended to help prevent colds and flu. By treating your airways with a hypertonic solution, you also reduce the amount of unnecessary and even harmful medications.