Colds and sinus infections are common among children, but a new study suggests their symptoms could be eased using a simple saline nasal wash.
The Czech study, which is published in the Archives of Otolaryngology, included 401 children between the ages of six and ten who were suffering from a cold or flu.
Half of the participants were given a nasal wash made from modified processed seawater, while the remainder were treated using standard cold and flu medication.
The researchers found that children who used the nasal wash six times a day for up to three weeks followed by three times a day for up to 12 weeks had less stuffy and runny noses than those who took standard medication.
They also had fewer sore throats during the eight weeks after the study began, and took fewer days off school.
The study authors noted that saline nasal irrigation "seems effective in such health conditions".
Colds and sinus infections are common among children, but a new study suggests their symptoms could be eased using a simple saline nasal wash.
