Salt Water Rinse for Colds
A pilot, open labelled, randomised controlled trial of hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling for the common cold
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Salt water rinses reduced viral shedding by ≥0.5 log10/day in 73% of users compared to 43% with standard care
This suggests salt water might actually reduce how much virus people spread, not just help symptoms
Practical Takeaways
Try hypertonic saline (2-3% salt solution) nasal irrigation and gargling within 48 hours of cold symptoms starting
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Salt water rinses reduced viral shedding by ≥0.5 log10/day in 73% of users compared to 43% with standard care
This suggests salt water might actually reduce how much virus people spread, not just help symptoms
Practical Takeaways
Try hypertonic saline (2-3% salt solution) nasal irrigation and gargling within 48 hours of cold symptoms starting
Publication
Journal
Scientific Reports
Year
2019
Authors
S. Ramalingam, C. Graham, J. Dove, L. Morrice, Aziz Sheikh
Related Content
Claims (9)
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.
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.
Using saltwater nose rinses and gargling might help you get over a cold faster by about 2 days if you start doing it right when symptoms begin.
Using saltwater nose rinses and gargling might help people with viruses shed less of the virus, making them less contagious and possibly feeling better faster, but this is based on a small study and needs more research.