Mike Rosenthal, M.D., Thomas Jefferson University
Question: I have heard some people pour saltwater into their nostrils to relieve seasonal allergy symptoms. Is that safe and does it work?
Answer: It's actually a great remedy to try and use salt water to help relieve symptoms because salt water, if in the right solution, can give a lot of relief and has almost no side effects. The way to do salt water would be, you can mix it in a glass of water, it would be warm water, a little bit warmer than body temperature. And for a half a glass of water, a quarter teaspoon of salt. You can put some of that in the palm of your hand and actually inhale that into your nose, or you can gargle with warm salt water, and at that solution, it is at the same solution that you would have in your body fluids.
In addition there are salt water solutions that are made up in bottles that you can get over the counter that are spray bottles, and you can use them to spray into your nose to loosen up mucus that causes congestion and to open up the airways.
Next: Are There Any Effective Ways To Treat Seasonal Allergies Using Alternative Medicine?
