By IANS
New York : Rinsing noses regularly with special nasal wash made from sea water could help treat flu and cold and prevent its recurrence in children, a new study says.
The findings, published in the January issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, looked into the conditions of about 400 children aged 6-10 with colds or the flu.
The children were randomly assigned to receive either standard medication plus cleaning with a special saline nasal wash made from Atlantic seawater or standard medication alone.
The nasal wash formula was given six times a day for eight weeks, then three times a day for the next four weeks.
By the second visit, patients receiving the nasal wash had less stuffy and runny noses. By eight weeks, those in this group had less severe sore throats, coughs, nasal obstructions and secretions, the online edition of Health Day reported.
Children using the nasal wash also had shorter illnesses and fewer missed school days.
“We brush our teeth every day, however, we do not pay attention to our noses – a potential gate for infection,” study co-author Jana Skoupa of Pharma Projects in Prague, Czech Republic, said.
“Nasal wash should be used, based on our findings, immediately,” Skoupa recommends.
“The saline technique could provide a more holistic alternative to over-the-counter medications, and has the added advantage of having little downside and not contributing to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance,” Skoupa added.
“This is very promising, but there needs to be more studies to confirm what the authors have found,” said Tom DeWitt, a scientist and director of general paediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre.