As per the new study, saltwater nose drops can cut a kid’s cold duration by two days.
“We found that kids using saltwater nose drops had cold symptoms for about six days, while those with usual care had symptoms for eight days,” said researcher Dr. Steve Cunningham, a professor of pediatric respiratory medicine at the University of Edinburgh in the U.K. He also added “The kids getting saltwater nose drops also needed fewer medicines during their illness,”
Usually, children catch 10 to 12 colds, “which have a big impact on them and their families,” Cunningham said. Medicines sold without prescription that contain drugs such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can treat cold symptoms, but until now doctors have not found treatments to speed up cold recovery, Cunningham said.
In this new study, scientists gathered over 400 children aged 6 years or younger and split them into two groups: one group used salt-water nose drops, while the other received normal care when they got a cold. In total around 300 children got a cold and half received saltwater drops to treat it.
Researchers point out that people in South Asia often use saltwater solutions to clean their noses or gargle when they have a cold.
Parents put three drops in each nostril at least four times a day using a saltwater mix they made at home with sea salt, researchers say.
Salt consists of sodium and chloride. “Cells that line the nose, and windpipes use chloride to produce hypochlorous acid inside them. They use this acid to fight off virus infections,” Cunningham explained.
“Giving more chloride to the lining cells helps them make more hypochlorous acid. This acid helps stop viruses from multiplying, which cuts down how long the virus infection lasts and how long symptoms stick around,” Cunningham added.
The kids who got saltwater drops recovered faster, and colds spread less to other family members. About 46% of those families saw other members catch a cold, compared to 61% of families whose kids got usual care. Around 82% of parents reported that the nose drops helped their kids recover faster, and 81% intend to use the saltwater drops again, according to researchers.
“When kids get over colds quicker, it means fewer people in the house catch a cold too. This has clear effects on how soon a family feels better and can go back to normal activities like school and work,” Cunningham said.
Reference:
Emilymartin. Salt-water nose drops may reduce the length of the common cold in children – European Lung Foundation
