Evidence is growing that saline drops and nasal sprays can help treat colds

Saline nasal drops seem to speed up our recovery from colds. In the latest study on the topic, children who used a homemade version of the drops stopped experiencing symptoms such as sneezing and nasal congestion two days earlier than those who did not.

More than 200 viruses can cause cold-like symptomsmaking it difficult to develop general but effective treatments that target them. As a result, most cold therapies only relieve symptoms rather than shorten their duration.

But research increasingly suggests that saline solutions may be the exception. Research has found that adults who use saline nasal drops or sprays for colds experience reduction of symptoms, faster recovery And they are less likely to pass on the infection.

Now, Steve Cunningham at the University of Edinburgh in the UK and his colleagues tested the approach on children. The parents of 150 children with cold symptoms were asked to put three drops of a saline solution in each nostril of their child at least four times a day, starting 48 hours after symptoms began and continuing until they resolved. The water-based solution, which the parents prepared themselves, contained 2.6 percent salt.

A separate group of 151 children received routine cold care from their parents, such as over-the-counter medications and encouragement to rest. All children were under 7 years old and their symptoms were recorded by their parents.

The researchers found that those who started using the drops within 24 hours of symptoms onset recovered two days sooner than those who didn't use the drops at all. Other members of their households were also less likely to develop cold symptoms. But children who started using the drops later fared no better than those who didn't use them at all, and were no less likely to pass on colds.

Cunningham, who will present the findings at the European Respiratory Society meeting in Vienna, Austria, on Sept. 8, says chloride ions in saline may prompt cells to produce more of an antiviral substance called hypochlorous acid. However, this may need to be started early in the infection, before the virus becomes more entrenched, he says.

But William Schaffner at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee is skeptical that the approach actually helps clear up viral infections. “I'd like to see a lot more [evidence] “To convince me that it's an antiviral effect and not symptom relief,” he says.

Researchers could treat a select group of children with plain water drops or a lower concentration of saline, Schaffner says. That could tell us whether saline nose drops speed recovery by targeting viruses or simply ease symptoms by moisturizing the mucous membranes, he says.