Institute of Medical Statistics, Informatics and Epidemiology, University Hospital of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Curr Allergy Asthma Rep. 2013 Apr;13(2):229-35. doi: 10.1007/s11882-013-0339-y.
The use of saline nasal irrigation (SNI) in the treatment of nasal and sinus disorders has its roots in the yoga tradition and homeopathic medicine. In recent years, SNI has been increasingly observed as concomitant therapy for acute (ARS) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Various devices are employed, such as nasal douches, neti pots or sprays. The saline solutions used vary in composition and concentration. This article gives a current overview of literature on the clinical efficacy of SNI in the treatment of ARS and CRS. It then answers frequent questions that arise in daily clinical routine (nasal spray vs. nasal irrigation, saline solution composition and concentration, possible risks for patients). SNI has been an established option in CRS treatment for many years. All large medical associations and the authors of systematic reviews consistently conclude that SNI is a useful addition for treating CRS symptoms. SNI use in ARS therapy, however, is controversial. The results of systematic reviews and medical associations' recommendations show the existing but limited efficacy of SNI in ARS. For clinical practice, nasal douches are recommended-whatever the form of rhinosinusitis-along with isotonic and hypertonic saline solutions in CRS (in ARS to a limited extent). To prevent infections, it is essential to clean the nasal douche thoroughly and use the proper salt concentration (2-3.5 %). Conclusive proof of the efficacy of SNI in the treatment of ARS is still pending. In CRS, SNI is one of the cornerstones of treatment.
盐水鼻腔冲洗 (SNI) 在治疗鼻腔和鼻窦疾病中的应用源于瑜伽传统和顺势疗法。近年来，SNI 已被越来越多地观察到作为急性（ARS）和慢性鼻-鼻窦炎（CRS）的辅助治疗。使用各种设备，如鼻腔冲洗器、洗鼻壶或喷雾器。使用的盐水溶液在组成和浓度上有所不同。本文对 SNI 治疗 ARS 和 CRS 的临床疗效的文献进行了综述。然后回答了日常临床实践中经常出现的问题（鼻腔喷雾与鼻腔冲洗、盐水溶液的组成和浓度、患者可能面临的风险）。SNI 多年来一直是 CRS 治疗的一种既定选择。所有大型医学协会和系统评价的作者都一致认为，SNI 是治疗 CRS 症状的有用方法。然而，SNI 在 ARS 治疗中的应用存在争议。系统评价和医学协会建议的结果表明，SNI 在 ARS 中的疗效有限。对于临床实践，推荐使用鼻腔冲洗器-无论鼻窦炎的形式如何-以及 CRS 中的等渗和高渗盐水溶液（在 ARS 中，程度有限）。为了防止感染，彻底清洁鼻腔冲洗器并使用适当的盐浓度（2-3.5%）至关重要。SNI 在治疗 ARS 中的疗效的确凿证据仍有待确定。在 CRS 中，SNI 是治疗的基石之一。
