Nasal rinsing: why flushing the nasal passages with tap water to tackle hayfever could be fatal

By Adam Taylor, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, Lancaster University

Nasal rinsing or irrigation is an increasingly popular technique to manage hayfever and other irritants in the nose. It involves pouring or squirting a solution into the nose to help wash out microbes, mucus and other debris such as dust or allergens.

There are specialised containers called neti pots that are used to pour water into one nostril, allowing it to run out of the other by tilting your head to the side. Water bottles and other specialised sprays pre-filled with saline solution can also be used.

But the practice is not without its risks, not least because if not…

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