The science-backed hack to getting over a cold and flu two days faster… and how to avoid spreading it
Flushing flu and cold viruses out of your sinuses could help you recover faster, an expert has revealed.
Dr Brandon Luu, an internal medicine physician in Canada, posted on X this week the results of a small, resurfaced study that looked at adults suffering from the common cold.
In the 20XX study, patients were assigned either to undergo standard cold therapies, which could include rest and over-the-counter medications, or nasal irrigation, which involves rinsing the nasal passages with a saline solution to help clear out mucus.
The at-home rinsing is meant to help clear congestion from a cold, the flu or other sinus infections.
However, researchers behind the study found nasal rinsing could clear out the viruses themselves and slash the amount of time someone suffers from cold and flu symptoms.
The study found participants who did nasal irrigation with a three percent saline solution shortened the length of their illness by two days on average. This translated to 22 percent less time sick than those who used standard therapies.
Those who rinsed also used 36 percent less over-the-counter medications, and virus transmission to other household members was reduced by 35 percent.
Additionally, symptoms such as congestion, sneezing and coughing lasted up to three fewer days in people who flushed out their sinuses.
A resurfaced study suggests nasal rinsing may reduce the length of the common cold by up to two days (stock image)
‘Washing viruses out of your nose and throat can help you get better faster,’ Dr Luu, who was not involved in the 2019 study, wrote.
It’s thought that the nasal rinse flushes out virus particles before they can cause a deeper infection. Additionally, the chloride ions in salt water might activate the body’s innate antiviral response by increasing production of hypochlorous acid, a natural antimicrobial compound.
The study’s resurgence comes as the dangerous new flu strain H3N2 subclade K surges in the US.
The latest CDC data shows positive influenza tests are up 56 percent compared to the week before, and the amount of people hospitalized has surged 47 percent. Positive tests are also up 50 percent compared to this time last year, while hospitalizations have doubled.
The newest data, which goes through December 13, shows ‘very high’ flu transmission in New York City, New York state, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Colorado and Louisiana.
And the ‘super flu’ is on the rise in all but four states: Arkansas, Wyoming, Utah and Hawaii.
While the classic signs like fever, cough, fatigue and body aches are the same as previous strains, doctors believe H3N2 subclade K’s symptoms are more severe.
Several schools across the country have closed for days at a time after hundreds of students came down with flu-like symptoms, and a growing number of hospitals have reintroduced mask policies for patients, visitors and doctors.
The above CDC graph shows the gradual increase in positive influenza tests through December 13, the latest available data
Dr Ken Redcross, an internal medicine physician in New York and spokesperson for Boiron USA, told the Daily Mail: ‘Flu season typically peaks from December to February, and we’re still on the upswing. Even if this year doesn’t reach last season’s historic highs, we expect cases and hospitalizations to increase in the coming weeks.’
He urged Americans to seek medical care immediately if symptoms become severe or worse, including ‘especially trouble breathing, persistent chest pain, confusion, dehydration, or a high fever that doesn’t come down.’
‘In children, red flags include fast breathing, blueish lips, extreme fatigue, or fever with a rash,’ he added.
About 3 million Americans have contracted the flu, which accounts for three in four flu cases, so far this season, and there have been at least 1,900 deaths. Approximately 30,000 people have been hospitalized.
In the 2019 study, participants kept symptom diaries for 14 days and collected nasal swabs to measure viral shedding, when particles of a virus move from the infected individual into the environment.
The team found 73 percent of the nasal rinsing group had significant reduction in viral load compared to 43 percent in control group.
In terms of symptoms, sneezing was shortened by 1.5 days, while runny nose, cough and hoarseness were reduced by two days. People in the intervention group also suffered from a stuffy nose for three fewer days.
The study authors recommended nasal rinsing as soon as cold or flu symptoms begin. They suggested mixing three teaspoons of sea salt with two cups of boiled, cooled distilled water. Avoid using tap water because it may contain harmful amoeba that can lead to life-threatening infections.
To perform the rinse, pour approximately about 0.6 ounces of the solution into a small bowl. Pour that into one nostril and gargle with the same solution for 15 to 20 seconds. Perform this three to six times per day. As symptoms improve, reduce frequency.
