How to properly flush the nose at home

As you know, most of the bacteria enters our body through the nasopharynx. If microbes, viruses, infection get on the mucous membrane of the nose, an increased production of mucus begins. To flush infected mucus, and with it all pathogens, apply a nasal wash.

Nasal washing is one of the most effective therapeutic and preventive procedures. Lavage of the nasal mucosa is used in the treatment of many ENT diseases.

The nasal mucosa normally produces mucus, which maintains moisture and protects the body from dust and allergens. If a virus gets onto the nasal mucosa, the surface begins to swell and produce a huge amount of mucus to protect itself.Therefore, when we have a cold, it flows from our nose and lays down nasal breathing. With prolonged and severe edema, mucus can stagnate and then fester. The suppuration of mucus leads to sinusitis, antritis and other ENT diseases. It is therefore very important to do the washing, which cleans the sinuses from pus, stagnant mucus, bacteria.

When you need to wash your nose

Nasal washing is used in combination with other drugs and procedures. We describe some cases where washing is necessary.

1. Nasal flushing is considered an integral part of treatment for diseases such as sinusitis, acute respiratory viral infections, adenoiditis, sinusitis, tonsillitis.
2. Sometimes benign neoplasms appear in the nose, called polyps. Because of their growth breathing is laid, a person is forced to constantly breathe through his mouth. This leads to discomfort and other unpleasant consequences. Polyps are easy to get rid of with a nose wash course.
3. Nasal washing has a powerful preventive effect in protecting against bacteria and viruses. If you have been indoors with a large number of people (especially during the period of respiratory diseases), the risk of infection increases dramatically. Therefore, having come home, it is necessary to do the washing of the nose.This will protect you from the disease, even if the virus has already got into your nose. He just washed off and did not have time to penetrate the body. This is especially true for people with reduced immunity - these are children, the elderly, pregnant women.
4. Very effective washing and allergic diseases. If allergens are in the nose, they will torment a person for a long time. Washing the nose will help reduce the number of allergens in the body, get rid of sneezing, itching in the nose, the flow of mucus.
5. In addition, many doctors say that regular nasal washing helps strengthen the immune system, make a person more stress-resistant, workable. Washing the nose improves the overall microflora of the body, which reduces the risk of asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia. Washing improves the patient's condition with nervous exhaustion, headache, fatigue.

Thus, nasal washing is a necessary procedure for many categories of patients. But in order for washing to be beneficial, the procedure must be carried out correctly.

How to flush the nose - procedure technique

You can rinse your nose with any medication that you can buy at the pharmacy or prepare it yourself. We'll talk about a variety of medicines a little later, and now you will learn how to do a classic nasal wash with salt water.

1. Take two glasses of warm water, about 40 degrees. When washing, you can not use cold water, because you can cause hypothermia. Dilute a tablespoon of salt in water. Salt pulls mucus out, removes swelling of the mucous membrane and disinfects the surface from various bacteria and germs.
2. For washing, you can use a small rubber bulb, a large volume syringe (without a needle, of course) or a small kettle. The procedure should be carried out over the sink or over the basin.
3. If you use a kettle, fill it with salt water. Attach the tip of the kettle to the right nostril, and tilt your head to the left. Gently pour saline water into the nostril. If the nose is clear and you have sufficiently relaxed all the muscles, water will flow from the left nostril.
4. If the fluid flows out of the mouth, then you are washing the nose incorrectly. It is necessary as if to hold the throat so that the liquid does not fall into it.
5. If washing is done with a pear or syringe, pay attention to the fact that it is not necessary to supply water with a strong pressure. In this case, the accumulated mucus can fall into the middle ear.
6. After washing, you need to blow each nostril thoroughly, so that there is no solution in the nose. Keep in mind that for about an hour more leftover mucus and fluid will flow from the nose - this is normal.
7. After the procedure is better not to go out. Water washes away not only mucus, but also useful microflora. Cold air, getting on the mucous membrane, can lead to hypothermia of the body. It is best to do the procedure a few hours before bedtime.
8. As was said, washing the nose flushes along with the bacteria the beneficial microflora of the nasal mucosa. Therefore, it is often impossible to do the procedure. Rinsing the nose is best done no more than twice a day with the disease and once a day as a prophylactic norm.

Is it possible to do nasal washing for children

Nasal washing in children is permissible only if the child understands the essence of the procedure and agrees to conduct it.Forced to flush the nose should not be a child can choke. For the same reason, the nose is not washed with small children - they can choke with water, which fell into the nose.

Rinsing the nose of young children with a pipette. Type in a pipette salty water and drip 3-4 drops into each nostril of the baby. Salt water thins mucus to make it easier to get it out. The child of the first year of life can not blow his nose, therefore, the mucus must be removed with special devices. In the pharmacy, you can buy a soplotsos, which is a small rubber bulb. With the help of the vacuum that is created in the nostril, it draws all the mucus and the remnants of salt water. Such washing is very useful for the child. It not only cleans the airways of the baby, but also moisturizes the mucous membrane. After all, as you know, if the mucosa is overdried, it creates favorable conditions for the development of bacteria.

Medical nasal wash solutions

In the pharmacy, you can choose any suitable means for washing the nose. Usually they are made on the basis of pure water and sea salt.These are aquamaris, aqualor, dolphin, salin, otrivin, humer. They are very convenient to use, because the packaging has a special dispenser adapted for washing the nose.

If the washing is professional and done in the office of an ENT specialist, special formulations with antibiotics are usually used.

You can also use any antiseptics that are found in each home first aid kit. These are furatsilin, hlorofillipt, hydrogen peroxide, a weak solution of potassium permanganate. One of the most effective means of washing the nose at home is sea water. It is easy to prepare, because the ingredients are in every home. Add a pinch of salt, baking soda and a few drops of iodine to a glass of water.

In more serious cases, with purulent stagnation, miramistin, protorgol, and levomycetin are used. The use of these drugs for a simple cold, and without a doctor's prescription is undesirable.

Folk recipes for the preparation of solution for washing

Herbal decoctions, plant juice and other recipes of traditional medicine have no less pronounced medicinal properties. They relieve swelling and inflammation, disinfect the mucous membrane, anesthetize and soothe. We have collected for you the most effective and effective recipes.

1. Chamomile. This flower has a huge amount of medicinal properties. To wash the nose with chamomile broth, you need to take a tablespoon of dried inflorescences and two glasses of water. Pour the boiling water over the chamomile and let the broth brew for about an hour. When the decoction is still warm enough, it needs to be drained and used to rinse the nose. Chamomile decoction removes puffiness and redness, soothes the mucous membrane, improves blood circulation. It is also very effective in allergic reactions.
2. Calendula. This plant is known to all because of its antiseptic properties. Prepare a healing broth - one tablespoon of a plant for half a liter of boiling water. Calendula solution for washing the nose is often used for viral colds. Calendula decoction can also be used for concomitant symptoms, such as gargling.
3. Mint and Eucalyptus Mint decoctions are used for washing to remove strong swelling and clear the airways. Take a tablespoon of mint or eucalyptus and prepare a rich broth. Do the washing with this compound to breathe your nose with pleasure.
4. Celandine. Rinsing the nose with celandine has a powerful medicinal effect on the body. When preparing the solution, you need to be extremely careful - in a concentrated form, the decoction can be poisonous. For two glasses of water you need to add no more than two teaspoons of crushed plants. Broth celandine successfully used for the treatment of sinusitis, sinusitis, adenoiditis.
5. Beet and honey. In many diseases of the respiratory tract is used this popular recipe. Grate the beets on a grater and squeeze the juice out of it. In a glass of warm water, dissolve 10 tablespoons of beetroot juice and a tablespoon of natural honey. Best of all, if the honey is fresh in a liquid state (that is, candied honey will not give the desired benefits). Prepared composition need to rinse the nose, as usual. It helps with allergic and viral infections.

When you can not flush the nose

Any procedure has contraindications. Nasal flushing is no exception. Nose can not be washed with nosebleeds and a tendency to nosebleeds. Also, you can not self-medicate with any tumors in the nasal passages.Washing is strictly contraindicated in otitis media and damage to the eardrum. If there is a history of nasal septum injuries, it is not recommended to flush the nose, as in this case the flow of mucus and fluid may be unpredictable. And, of course, you do not need to rinse your nose with a solution that you are allergic to.

Nasal flushing is a natural and effective procedure for cleansing the airways, protecting against viruses and removing germs. Flush your nose, take care of yourself and be healthy!

Video: how to wash your nose