RSV, SARS AND WASHING NASAL PASSAGES
By Dr. Lon Jones, D.O.

     I have written several times about the variety of benefits that accompany regularly washing nasal passages with a spray containing xylitol. I have not, however, explained how this is done. Adults should tilt your head forward and place the tip of the spray into the nostril. You should be able to breathe around it and it should not be in far enough to block breathing. The bottle should be upright so it is able to spray. Tilting the head back and holding the bottle horizontally makes a stream and can be startling when it hits the nostril and goes down your throat. Practice a few times just making a spray. This is what should go into the nose. One or two sprays in each nostril is all that is necessary. The upright bottle should be pointed toward the back of the head. Taking a sharp breath along with the spray will spread it around in the back of the nose where it is most effective. For babies and children the head should be tilted forward just as with adults. If the infant can't cooperate by taking a sharp breath don't worry if some of the spray runs back out the nostril. It should not cause a problem. I recommend parents use this on infants regularly every time you change a diaper. Spraying the nose just before changing allows the solution to run down the back of the nose while the child is lying down.
     I recently heard of another potential benefit of regularly washing the nose. Two of my grandchildren attend a day care where there was an epidemic of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). RSV is a viral infection that can be very serious for infants and children. It can cause pneumonia and require hospitalization for the children. RSV infection is one of the most common causes of asthma in children. These two grandchildren, who have their noses washed regularly by parents and caregivers, did not have any trouble with illness while most of the other children were sick with runny noses and congestion.

     Washing the nose regularly should also help to prevent SARS if you plan on traveling to an area where it is a problem. A son who regularly sprays his nose stayed at the hotel in Hong Kong at the hotel where SARS broke out of China into the rest of the world, and did not have any problems. One or two examples do make a good case for claims, but the logic is hard to refute. If you have a problem that starts in the nose then regularly washing your nose may help reduce the problem.
     Currently the most common treatment for nasal congestion is still anti-histamines and decongestants. One of the most commonly used 'non-sedating' ant-histamines, that you can see advertised frequently on network television, was used on a large group of children for two weeks. A non-acting pill, called a placebo, was given to another equally large group of children. The Physician's Desk Reference or PDR (the big red or blue book that has most of the information about the drugs doctors use) relates that the children, ages 6 to 12, given the anti-histamine had two times as many upper respiratory infections and twice as much wheezing as the children getting the non-acting pill.
     I think it is about time we stopped using these drugs and started regularly helping our bodies do what they want to do: wash out what is irritating them. Ask your pharmacist about washing your nose. And please tell your children and grandchildren to do so.