For generations, grandmothers have recommended saltwater gargles as a remedy for colds, coughs, and various childhood ailments. Recent scientific research now supports this age-old advice, revealing that saltwater nose drops can reduce the duration of a childhood cold by up to two days.
A study at the European Respiratory Society Congress in Vienna revealed that homemade saline nasal drops can shorten a child's cold by two days and lower the risk of spreading it to others.
While painkillers and medications can alleviate symptoms, there is no treatment available to expedite recovery from a cold.
Professor Steve Cunningham from Edinburgh University, who contributed to the randomised control trial, noted, “Children experience 10 to 12 upper respiratory infections, or colds, annually. Our study found that those using saltwater nose drops had symptoms for an average of six days, compared to eight days for those receiving standard care. Additionally, the saltwater group required fewer medications.”
Cunningham noted that the 2.6 per cent saltwater concentration used in the study is not available over the counter but can be easily made at home.
The study involved 407 children up to six years old, who received either saltwater nose drops or standard care for their colds. Of the 300 who caught a cold, half used the drops, with three applications per nostril up to four times daily. In households using the drops, 46% of family members had cold symptoms, compared to 61% in the control group.
