Nasal irrigation involves rinsing the sinuses with a saline solution. A saline solution is necessary because pure water can be quite irritating for this purpose. An isotonic saline (0.9%) solution is probably the least irritating and is most similar to the body's natural fluids.
The following recipe will make an isotonic saline solution for nasal irrigation:
- Clean a one-quart glass jar. It is best if the glass jar has a screw-on top.
- Into the glass jar, mix the following:
- 1 teaspoon of pickling/canning salt (don't use table salt because it contains a number of additives)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (not baking powder)
- 1 pint of warm water (not hot).
Make sure to mix the solution enough so that all the salt dissolves. You can store the solution at room temperature for up to one week.
(Click Nasal Irrigation to learn more about this recipe, including information on how to heat the solution up and how to perform nasal irrigation in children and infants.)
