Salt water rinses

[KeeperOfTheIceRN]

How many of you do salt water rinses and/or soaking for various complaints? Its not something that I think would need an MD order, but wanted to see what you guys thought!

[Eleven011]

I do the occasional salt water rinse for sore throats or a canker sore when the student or parent requests. I use some good ol' Morton table salt in a cup of warm water.

I do this. Will also try a salt water gargle for an annoying cough.

[Amethya]

We do this ALOT for my students. Helps for sore throats, mouth sores and bleeding in the mouth.

[Possum_RN]

My grandmother was a Red Cross Nurse during WWII. VERY old-school. My parents traveled a lot for business, and if I was feeling the least bit sick, I would try so hard to hide it from her! Salt-water gargles, and a grandmother who refused to believe in this "new-fangled" children's flavored medicine - she's dose down the "real stuff" for me.

I still gargle with salt though, for sore throats and to loosen mucus. I'm glad I survived the 40+ year out-of-date medication dosing though.

[halohg, RN]

I love to have students SW rinse for sore throats, lets me know if they are serious or just task avoidance. My frequent flyers cut down dramatically since they know what is coming.

[BluebellRN, BSN, RN]

My district LOVES a salt water gargle/rinse. 1lb of salt is part of each school's nursing supplies.

It's one of those things that doesn't hurt them, might help them, or at least make them think it helped. Ah, the power of placebo...

We don't have peppermints and I'm glad for that. I have enough frequent flyers as is, I could only imagine what it would be like if I had candy.

Oddly enough, the salt water doesn't deter my FFs. I actually have a few that will request a gargle to kill more time before having to return to class

[scuba nurse, BSN, MSN, RN]

I do for teeth that have come out, it stops the bleeding right away. Once in awhile for a canker sore or sore throat, but not all the time.

[GoodNP]

Salt water gargles are great for pharyngitis - as I was taught the hypertonic solution helps improve tonsillar and pharyngeal edema, thereby relieving some pain. Also the saline and the agitation of gargling rinse away that thick tenacious mucus from post nasal drip, thereby reducing cough/bronchial sx, not to mention the act of gargling gets some of the solution in the posterior sinuses, although a nasal saline rinse works better for this.

I don't work in a school, but in the family practice setting I encourage patients with URIs to take a steam shower upon waking to soften mucus, then use one of those squeeze bottles to irrigate the sinuses, then gargle the throat. Repeat at least once later in the day (minus the shower). In between, sipping on warm liquids like tea with honey and lemon or even chicken broth helps keep mucus off of the oropharynx.

[bsyrn, ASN, RN]

I do salt and warm water swish/gargle for canker sores, lost tooth or sore throat.

[100kids, BSN, RN]

I do salt water gargle/rinse for sore throat, canker sores or lost teeth. The ones who are really hurting are almost always willing to try it, and usually the ones looking to get out of class don't want to come back for more. WIN-WIN

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

I must confess that growing up in my house, we also did that, and used those portions. It works for a lot of stuff!

Growing up with Mom and Granny we did warm salt water for twisted ankles, sore throats, cuts. Salt cleans the wound, comforts the tissues. Osmosis and all that.

Chlorine cured athlete's feet.

Tummy ache? Constipated? Enema. And Granny believed in goose grease p.o. and topically for various situations. "Girls got hot toddy for female time of the month".

Have to be careful on the job, of course, and use modern, standardized procedures.