Nasal washing at home is an effective procedure against a chronic cold

Nasal passages in humans perform several functions at once. This is heating, moisturizing and purifying the inhaled air. And the air is purified not only from dust, but also from certain types of microbes. Under normal conditions, the nose performs its filtration function excellently, but under the influence of unfavorable factors, the efficiency of functioning can be significantly reduced.

The most common reasons for this are excessive dust pollution and colds leading to nasal congestion, as well as chronic rhinitis (runny nose). To help the nose to clear and restore its natural barrier functions, you can do a washing of the nose at home.

The technique that allows you to wash your nose at home is quite simple. There are several ways to do this. But the preparation of the nasal passages to each of them has a common basis. First of all, it is necessary to clear the nose of accumulated mucus as much as possible. But too much blowing is still not worth it, because in this case it is possible to get it under pressure in the middle ear with the development of inflammation. For this reason, in no case can you pinch your nose with your fingers or handkerchief when blowing your nose. It is better to simply remove the exhalation that is possible and to drip into the nose, before doing the lavage at home, a few drops of vasoconstrictive nasal drops (based on naphthyzine, galazoline, etc.). The washing liquid must be necessarily isotonic (slightly brackish), since absolutely fresh water causes unpleasant sensations when washing the nose at home.

Washing of the nose at home can be carried out by self-drawing the salted water by the nose, for a certain uniqueness it is often called the "yogic method". Of course, this requires a certain skill, but it can be purchased very quickly.

For those who do not want to exercise, washing the nose at home can be done on a different method, which requires a container, known in medicine under the name of the mug Esmarha, sold in any pharmacy. This is, in fact, an ordinary funnel made of plastic or metal with a rubber tube, at the output end crowned with a tip, and a tap for regulating the flow of liquid. The tip should be slightly adapted to the width of the nasal passage, wrapping, for example, on it, a piece of bandage. Ideally, it should be in the form of olives, and if there is a need for repeated washing for a long time (with chronic sinusitis, for example), it makes sense to make it to order. For an adult, the diameter in the initial part of the olive should be about 10 mm, and in the wide part about 20 mm.

When the valve is closed, the container is filled with liquid in the amount necessary for the procedure and the prepared tip is inserted into the nasal passage to a depth of 2-3 cm. The head is inclined over the sink to the side, the free nostrils downward, so that after the septum is bent in the nose, the liquid flows freely without falling into the throat. The capacity itself is lifted and the faucet is opened.

In addition to simply saline solution in the presence of a chronic inflammation (sinusitis, sinusitis), you can use furatsillinovy solution (1 tablet for 200 ml of water), or broths of chamomile, calendula. Of folk remedies, especially for colds, you can use fresh onion juice, diluted with salted water about 1: 10. But we must first check the sensitivity of the nasal mucosa. To do this, first drip 1-2 drops of the prepared solution in the nose and make sure for 3-4 minutes that there is no severe burning.

In any case, before carrying out the lavage of the nose at home, it is necessary to consult an ENT doctor about the possibility of this procedure, since there may be contraindications to it.