nasal saline

Nasal saline is a solution of sodium chloride in water, typically prepared at an isotonic (0.9%) or hypertonic concentration, designed for intranasal administration. It functions primarily through mechanical and osmotic actions: it thins thickened mucus, facilitates the clearance of allergens, pollutants, and infectious agents from the nasal passages, and hydrates the nasal mucosa. Nasal saline is widely used as an over-the-counter treatment for allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, and nasal dryness, and is frequently employed as a postoperative irrigation following endoscopic sinus surgery to improve healing and symptom scores. In clinical research, it often serves as a placebo control or a baseline comparator for intranasal drug delivery studies involving corticosteroids, antihistamines, or antibiotics.

Brand names

OceanAyrNeilMed Sinus RinseSimply SalineArm & Hammer Simply SalineXlear

Other names

saline nasal spraysaline nasal irrigationisotonic sodium chloride solutionbuffered saline nasal spraynormal saline nasal spray