Nose Cleaning

The nose is one of our body organs that can filter incoming air through the fine hairs it has, as a body defense organ and as a means of smell. Colds, stuffy noses, sneezing are nasal complaints that are often complained of by patients. This is related to the upper respiratory tract, especially the nose.

Every day our noses pass through 10,000 to 15,000 liters of air every day. Each liter of air contains millions of particles. These particles settle in the nose and can trigger inflammation. Every day, pollutants freely enter our noses due to air pollution. The air that is inhaled finally contains substances that are not good for health, even dangerous. The nose ends up working harder. As a result, the mucociliary system that functions to moisturize and sweep away dirt will be damaged. A moist nose will become dry and the process of filtering incoming air will be disrupted, so that dirt, dust, and pollutants will accumulate in the nose.

Another consequence is that infections easily occur, so you easily get colds. Therefore, we can try to apply nasal washing in our daily routine.

Nasal Wash

Nasal wash is the activity of rinsing the nose from bacteria and dirty air using physiological solution.

Benefits of Nasal Wash

The benefits of nasal wash include:

Cleaning dust and dirt that accumulates in the nose

Preventing infections in the nasal cavity, respiratory tract, and lungs

Reducing symptoms in cases of allergies and sinusitis
Making the nose feel clean and fresh
Cleaning thick mucus
Moistening a dry nose due to a cold environment or infection

Nasal wash can be done by anyone. From children to adults and the elderly, as well as people who have a history of nasal allergies, sinusitis, respiratory tract pain, or other diseases on doctor's instructions.

When to Wash Your Nose

If you wash your nose, here are good times to do it:

- Healthy people: 2 times (minimum 10-30 cc) per day

- For prevention: for example after exposure to pollution or after visiting a sick person, it can be done 2 times (more)

- Sick people: 3 times (+midday) with more

Steps for Washing Your Nose

To avoid making mistakes, you can follow these steps:

Wash your hands first
Pour the nasal wash solution into a container
Take the liquid using a syringe (without a needle)
Tilt your head to the left if you want to spray into your right nostril, and vice versa, while opening your mouth, hold your breath
Point the syringe at the nostril while aiming to spray into the outer wall of the nose, while opening your mouth
Spray into the nostril
Let the liquid come out of the other nostril
Clean your nose with tissue
Throw the tissue in the trash
Repeat on the other nostril. Wash your hands after washing your nose

This nasal washing action is safe and provides good benefits if done routinely. For more information, you can visit the ENT-KL polyclinic at Hermina Tangerang Hospital. Good luck, Hermina Friends!