Rinsing your nose with salt water gives your nose cells what they need to make a natural germ-fighting chemical, which helps your body fight off viruses better.

Rinsing your nose with salt water gives your nose cells a special ingredient that helps them make a natural germ-fighting acid to fight off viruses.

Your nose and breathing tubes have special cells that make a natural cleaning chemical to kill viruses when you get sick.

Salty water might help your body's cells fight off viruses better by boosting natural defenses, which could explain why saline treatments work in some medical trials, but more research is needed to be sure.