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Nasal Irrigation is the Best Way to Fight Allergies, Stuffy Noses

by VR Sreeraman on May 12 2008 4:10 PM

An American health expert suggests that nasal irrigation may be the best way to fight problems like allergies, nasal congestion, and stuffy noses.

An American health expert suggests that nasal irrigation may be the best way to fight problems like allergies, nasal congestion, and stuffy noses.

Dr. Melissa Pynnonen, co-director of the Michigan Sinus Center and an assistant professor in the University of Michigan's department of otolaryngology, has revealed that nasal irrigation involves rinsing the nose and nasal passages with a solution made specifically for the purpose.

She says that a quarter-teaspoon of kosher salt, eight ounces of warm tap water and a quarter-teaspoon of baking soda are the ingredients that form this solution.

Melissa has revealed that the solution can be administered in a number of ways.

For those who have never tried nasal irrigation, Melissa suggests squirting four ounces of the solution into each nostril with the help of a squeeze bottle.

She says that making a "K" sound would prevent the solution from coming out of the mouth.

She has also revealed that many people pour the solution into the nostrils rather than squeeze it.

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Such people use a miniature teapot for the purpose, she adds.

Melissa says that Turkey basters or syringes like those used to suction a baby's nose also work.

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"For most patients, the benefit of nasal irrigation is that it does a great job of treating symptoms that otherwise aren't well treated with medicine," Live Science quoted Pynnonen as saying in a statement.

"Nasal irrigation can be considered a first-line treatment for common nasal and sinus symptoms. It's often more effective than medications," she said.

According to her, nasal irrigation offers a cheap and easy way to control mild allergy symptoms in some cases, without having to depend on medications.

She even says that so long as children are old enough to cooperate, it is safe to administer them nasal irrigation, using a smaller amount of solution.

Source-ANI
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