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Washing the nasal cavity is a painless and useful, but rather specific procedure.
It helps to remove mucus accumulated in the nasal passages, restores nasal breathing, reduces swelling of the mucous membrane and the amount of discharge in rhinitis. A salted solution helps to relieve breathing with a runny nose and effectively prevents the development of sinusitis.
Frequency and means of flushing
Even in the absence of diseases of the nasal cavity, it is recommended to wash it daily or every other day. It is necessary to do this, like any hygiene procedure, in the morning, before breakfast. In the presence of rhinitis or sinusitis, you can rinse your nose up to 5 times a day, regularly, 2-3 hours after eating.
You can rinse your nose with ready-made pharmaceutical solutions that contain either sea water or isotonic solutions consisting of a concentrated 0,9% sodium chloride solution.
You can wash with homemade solutions, which are prepared by dissolving half a teaspoon of ordinary salt in a glass of water. This concentration is not suitable for those who have hypersensitivity, therefore, with a burning sensation, tingling, it is necessary to add the same amount of water to the solution.
The temperature of the solution should be close to the normal temperature of the human body, that is, to 36,6 degrees. Hot water in this case is traumatic, capable of causing burns.
Also at home, it is possible to rinse the nose with herbal infusions. You can cook them from any anti-inflammatory herbs – coltsfoot, chamomile, sage and others. Water for the preparation of infusions for washing the nose should be taken boiled or any mineral without gases.
How to properly flush
When washing the nose in a clinic or hospital, you don’t have to worry about the technology of the process – there are special devices for these purposes. These methods are shown as symptoms of specific diseases, they are not resorted to unnecessarily.
At home, you can rinse your nose very simply using a syringe or a syringe without a needle. The tip of the syringe or syringe is inserted into the nostril and the finished liquid is poured out under gentle pressure. A person leans over a container or sink and turns his head to the side.
This must be done so that the poured solution has the opportunity to go around the nasal septum and flow out through the opposite nostril. In this process, it is necessary to breathe through the mouth so that the liquid does not have the opportunity to get into the ears.
With normal airway patency, the process will go perfectly – the fluid will pass through the nasopharynx and flow out through the opposite nostril. Sometimes part of the solution may come out through the mouth, this is normal. From the second nostril, it is necessary to perform the same manipulations, and after bilateral washing, you should blow your nose. During the procedure, it is important to be relaxed.
When washing the nose of a child, the process scheme does not change in any way, it is only important that the baby is able to hold his breath while inhaling. Before the procedure, it is necessary to relax and calm the child, as fear will lead to the wrong course of manipulation. Using the example of an adult, it is necessary to demonstrate that there is nothing terrible or painful in washing the nose.
When washing the nose, the baby is placed on its back and a few drops of the washing solution are dripped into each nostril. Then a thick flagellum is made of cotton wool and they try to carefully screw it into each nostril, to a depth of 1 centimeter, in order to pick up the remnants of the solution. If there are crusts, then the flagellum is moistened with vegetable oil, this will soften them.
In cases with infants, it is still better to use special pharmacy flushing products that are equipped with special pipettes.
Alternative flushing techniques
With the classic method of washing the nose, many people may experience discomfort, so it is acceptable to carry out the procedure with alternative methods. You can try to pour water or a solution into the nostril with a kettle, and release it through the mouth.
Some try to sniff the solution poured into the saucer, which can also effectively help in cleaning the nasal passages.
Also, alternative methods include the hospital method of washing the nose. “Cuckoo” or the technique of moving fluid or washing the nose according to Proetz, developed by an American doctor, by whose name he was named, helps to quickly and effectively deal with diseases such as sinusitis, sinusitis, adenoiditis and others.
Indications for the “cuckoo” method are:
- polyps that occur in the nose;
- prolonged and often recurring rhinitis;
- allergic manifestations in the form of a runny nose;
- polysinusitis, sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, sphenoiditis;
- enlargement of the adenoids.
Contraindications for Proetz lavage include epilepsy and frequent bleeding from the nose. Sinusitis can be treated for children over 5 years of age, all adults, including pregnant women.
“Cuckoo” means a slow infusion of warm solutions of antiseptic preparations through one nostril and the simultaneous suction of the remnants of the solution with mucous secretions through the second nostril using a special vacuum device.
You can carry out the manipulation by introducing antiseptics with a syringe and suctioning the liquid with an iron or plastic pear. About 100-120 milliliters of solution should be poured into each nostril.
A feature of the “Cuckoo” is the need to create a constant smooth flow of fluid through both nostrils.
During the process, the patient lies on the couch on his back, his head hangs back down a little, he breathes evenly and constantly says “cuckoo”. These words are necessary to close the nasopharynx so that the liquid does not pass into the esophagus.
Reasons and contraindications for washing
The main sources of upper respiratory tract infections are viral infections. As a result of rhinitis, mucosal edema and inflammation occur.
A runny nose is always combined with inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, often in the larynx. Swelling of the nasopharynx can begin to capture the mouth of the auditory tubes, which leads to otitis media due to the lack of the ability of the middle ear to clean itself.
To prevent the spread of a viral infection from the nasopharynx towards the larynx and middle ear, it is important to start washing the nose immediately at the first symptoms of a cold, which will clear all sinuses from plaque, suppuration and mucus.
In the course of a viral disease, washing the nose increases the effectiveness of drugs that have a more active effect on the mucosa that is clean from plaque and pus. If they are not removed, the drug will fall on them, and in the course of blowing it out of the nasal cavity, without having any therapeutic effect.
During the course of an acute respiratory infection, the nasal passages swell, blocking normal breathing, due to which, with increased fluid pressure during washing, you can either damage the middle ear or deliver a virus under pressure to its area.
In order to effectively and safely rinse the nose in this case, it is necessary to restore nasal breathing with vasoconstrictor drugs.
Also, do not rinse your nose immediately before going out into the cold air. If the patient has a deviated nasal septum, there will be practically no effect from washing. It is not allowed to wash the nose at home with polyps, it is better to do it in the clinic.
But the main contraindications to washing the nose at home are the occurrence of neoplasms in the nasal cavity, frequent bleeding from the nose, prerequisites or the presence of inflammatory processes in the middle ear, as well as intolerance to the components of the washing solution.