- 1. Dehydration
- 2. Eye cleaning
- 3. Washing of burns or wounds
- 4. Nebulizations
- 5. Washing the nose
- 6. Medication vehicle
- Possible side effects
- Who should not use
Saline, also known as 0.9% sodium chloride, is a sterile saline solution used to make infusions into the vein in cases of decreased fluid or salt in the body, cleaning of the eyes, nose, burns and wounds or for do nebulizations.
This product can be purchased in conventional pharmacies without a prescription in the form of plastic bottles, the price of which may vary according to the amount of liquid in the packaging.
Saline can be used in several situations:
1. Dehydration
Saline can be used to treat the lack of fluids or salt in the body, which can occur due to episodes of diarrhea, vomiting, gastric aspiration, digestive fistula, excessive sweating, extensive burns or bleeding. Know the symptoms of dehydration.
In cases of dehydration, administration should be done directly into the vein, by a health professional.
2. Eye cleaning
Saline can also be used for eye cleaning, but a closed, sterile package should always be used. For this, the ideal is to opt for individual single-use packaging, which can be found in pharmacies or in the supermarket.
To facilitate cleaning with saline, sterile compresses soaked with this solution can be used.
3. Washing of burns or wounds
Washing of burns or wounds with saline should always be carried out from the center to the periphery, and can be performed by a health professional in the hospital or at home, in order to eliminate waste from the region that is susceptible to infections.
Here's how to make a wound dressing at home.
4. Nebulizations
Inhalation by nebulization with saline is a great treatment for sinusitis, colds or flu, as it helps to humidify the airways and fluidize secretions, clearing the airways, thus facilitating breathing. See how to do nebulization for sinusitis.
In addition, saline is also widely used to dilute drugs such as budesonide, ipratropium bromide or salbutamol, for example, which prolongs the nebulization time.
5. Washing the nose
A great way to unclog your nose is to do a nasal wash with saline and a syringe without a needle, because through the force of gravity the water enters through one nostril and out through the other, without causing pain or discomfort, eliminating secretions.
In addition, it is also a good way to keep your nose properly clean, being useful for those who have any respiratory allergies, rhinitis or sinusitis, for example. See how to do the nasal wash.
6. Medication vehicle
In certain situations, the saline can also be used as a medication vehicle, so that they can later be administered directly into the vein.
Possible side effects
Saline is generally well tolerated and rarely causes side effects. In addition, adverse reactions depend on the route of administration, and the main side effects include edema, erythema, infection and abscess at the injection site, thrombophlebitis, electrolyte imbalances, pontic myelinolysis, hyperchloremia and hypernatremia.
Who should not use
Saline should not be used in people who are hypersensitive to sodium chloride or any other component of the product. In addition, saline should not be used intravenously in patients with hypernatremia, decompensated heart failure, kidney failure or generalized swelling.
