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Nasal SalineAka: Saline Nasal Spray, Neti Pot

See Also
1. Topical Decongestants
Preparations
1. Saline nasal spray (SeaMist, Ocean)
Preparations: Quick Homemade Recipe
1. Mix 1/2 tsp non-iodized salt in 8oz warm water
2. Store in empty spray bottle
3. Make new solution after 2 days
Preparations: Standard Homemade Recipe
1. Recipe Ingredients
  1. 1 qt glass jar
  2. 1 qt boiled tap or bottled water
  3. 2 to 3 heaping teaspoons non-iodized salt (iodine may interfere with cilia function)
  4. 1 rounded teaspoon baking soda
2. Recipe Preparation
  1. Wash, rinse and fill jar with boiled water
  2. Add Table Salt and Baking Soda
  3. Stir or shake before each use
  4. Store in refrigerator and mix fresh batch weekly
3. Recipe Modifications
  1. If the mixture is too strong, reduce salt to 1-2 tsp
  2. If your nose is dry, add 1 tbsp corn syrup to mix
Technique: Directions for Adults
1. Bulbs to Instill Mixture
  1. Bulb
  2. Ear Syringe
  3. Medical Syringe
  4. Waterpik
2. Rinse the nose with the solution 2-3 times daily
3. Avoid contaminating stock solution
  1. Pour mixture into clean bowl
  2. Do not place syringe back into original solution
4. You may warm the mixture to body temperature (Not hot!)
5. Stand over the sink or shower; squirt into each nostril
6. Aim the stream toward the back of the nose
7. Use prior to Intranasal Steroid
Technique: Directions for children
1. Older children (who can blow nose)
  1. Instill 3 drops in each nostril while supine prn
  2. Wait 1 minute, while softens mucus, then blow
2. Younger children
  1. Instill 3 drops each nostril while supine prn
  2. Wait 1 minute, then use suction bulb
  3. Seal nares completely with bulb to suction
Technique: Neti Pot
1. Prepare saline solution as above or use pre-prepared saline packets
2. Position nose by tilting head forward and to one side
3. Tilt neti pot up and seal to one nostril
4. Saline should pour into one nostril and flow out of the other
Adverse effects
1. Mild burning sensation with first few uses
2. Resolves with first few uses
Reference
1. Ferguson (1997) J Postgrad Med 101(5):117

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD. This page was last revised before 5/10/08, prior to consistent tracking of revision date. This page was last published on 5/10/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0.