The Study
Hypertonic saline nasal irrigation and gargling should be considered as a treatment option for COVID-19
This study looked at a small group of people with colds caused by some coronaviruses (not the one that causes COVID-19) and found that those who used saltwater nose rinses seemed to get better a bit faster. But because it was a small study and not specifically about COVID-19, we can't be sure it would work for COVID-19.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Rinsing your nose and gargling with saltwater might help you get better faster from some coronavirus colds.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 569 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes, saving several days of sickness is meaningful for most people.
- 2People who did saltwater rinses got better about 2.6 days sooner and had shorter coughs (3.3 days less), stuffy noses (3.1 days less), and hoarseness (2.9 days less).
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Global Health
Year
2020
Authors
S. Ramalingam, C. Graham, J. Dove, L. Morrice, A. Sheikh
Related Content
Claims (7)
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.
Using saltwater nose rinses and gargling might help adults with common colds from coronaviruses feel less stuffy faster, cutting down how long their nose stays blocked by about 3 days, according to a small study.
Using saltwater nose rinses and gargling might help adults with common colds caused by certain coronaviruses feel better about 2.6 days faster, according to a small study.
Salt might help fight viruses like coronaviruses in lab tests, and this could be why people feel better when they use salt-based treatments.
Using saltwater nose rinses and gargling might help adults with common colds caused by coronaviruses get rid of a hoarse voice almost 3 days faster, according to a small study.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.