After your visit
Saline Nasal Rinses: Water and Device Safety
If a clinician recommends nasal irrigation, water safety and a clean device are essential. Water that is safe to drink is not automatically safe to put into your nose. Use the instructions supplied with the device and saline product rather than improvising a mixture.
What to do next
- Choose water labeled distilled or sterile. If using tap water, follow the FDA’s boiling and cooling directions before use. Untreated tap water is not appropriate.
- Use the correct saline mixture and follow the device’s instructions for positioning and gentle flow.
- Wash and dry your hands first. Clean the device after use and allow it to dry as directed.
- Do not share the device. Ask your clinician before rinsing if you are immunocompromised or unsure whether it is appropriate.
When to contact your care team
Contact a clinician if rinsing causes nosebleeds, fever, headaches, or worsening symptoms. Severe headache, fever, confusion, or vomiting after a nasal rinse requires urgent medical attention. A rinse is not a substitute for evaluating a worsening infection.
Put it into practice
Keep the rinse instructions with the device. Before a trip, decide how you will obtain safe water and clean the equipment. Do not assume a hotel tap or an unlabeled bottle meets the same standard as sterile or distilled water.
Notes for your next visit
Write these in your own notes or on a printed copy. Bring them to your follow-up.
- The water source I will use:
- My device’s cleaning and replacement directions:
- The symptoms that should make me stop and call:
Sources and further reading
General education for adults. Follow your clinician’s individual plan and the current instructions for your prescribed product. If instructions conflict, ask your clinician or pharmacist to clarify. For a medical emergency, call 911.