It is recommended that you shower with the nose if you have a cold nose. The water removes the stuck mucus and then drains it, explains Jens Wagenknecht, board member of the German Society of General Practitioners with a practice in Farrell, Lower Saxony. The effect is similar to jumping into the water in a pool. “Water dissolves mucus the most.”
When choosing the nasal douche, make sure the salt content is not too high. Wagenknecht explains that too much salt in water increases mucosal stimulation. For orientation, he recommends paying attention to the term physiological saline solution. The salt content in the solutions corresponds to the normal salt content of body fluids. But salt can also be dispensed with: “pure water is also sufficient,” says the doctor.
With or without salt: Correct technique is important when rinsing your nose. The head is tilted to one side during the infusion. In this position, the water stays in the nose and does not flow down the throat. After a few seconds, you tilt your head forward so that the water flows out of your nose, and Wagenknecht demonstrates the procedure. Taking a nose shower does not prevent colds. There is no scientific evidence for this, Wagenknecht explains.