Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesFormsHow to UseSolution Precautions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Uses
Forms
How to Use
Solution Precautions
Saline—or, simply put, salt water—is a versatile combination that is used for a variety of medical purposes. It can be used internally for intravenous (IV) hydration or externally to clean wounds or piercings. Saline is also used in the nose to treat congestion.
Not all saline solutions are created equal, though. Normal saline, sterile saline, and homemade saline solutions may be chemically similar, but this article will explore when and how to use—or not use—these different options.
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Saline Solution Varied Uses
Saline solutions are a combination of water and salt (sodium chloride). This may seem like a simple enough recipe, but how this solution is made, what materials are used, and how you will use it in or on your body make a difference.
The sections below will review some of the most common uses for saline solutions.
Internal Uses
Saline solution is a generic form of saline, but the concentrations of each ingredient will play a role in how this solution is used internally.
Normal saline is a specific mixture of 0.9 grams of sodium chloride per 100 milliliters of solution. This solution is typically water, but it’s important to note if that water is tap water, clean water, or sterile water.
Normal saline is a top choice for intravenous use—either for hydration and fluid replacement or to mix and dilute intravenous medications—because, chemically, it is the closest solution to your body’splasma.
Drinking Salt WaterTable salt can be mixed with water for various uses, but sodium chloride is the medical-grade salts found in most prepared saline solutions. In some instances, you may choose to make a homemade saltwater solution to gargle, rinse, or apply topically.For drinking, a little bit of salt in your water can be beneficial, but high concentrations of salt can do the opposite. Sea water, for example, has salt concentrations that are too high for people to drink.If you drink a concentrated salt solution, your kidneys will remove extra water to get rid of the excess salt, which could lead to dangerous levels ofdehydrationsince more water will leave your body through urination than you are drinking.
Drinking Salt Water
Table salt can be mixed with water for various uses, but sodium chloride is the medical-grade salts found in most prepared saline solutions. In some instances, you may choose to make a homemade saltwater solution to gargle, rinse, or apply topically.For drinking, a little bit of salt in your water can be beneficial, but high concentrations of salt can do the opposite. Sea water, for example, has salt concentrations that are too high for people to drink.If you drink a concentrated salt solution, your kidneys will remove extra water to get rid of the excess salt, which could lead to dangerous levels ofdehydrationsince more water will leave your body through urination than you are drinking.
Table salt can be mixed with water for various uses, but sodium chloride is the medical-grade salts found in most prepared saline solutions. In some instances, you may choose to make a homemade saltwater solution to gargle, rinse, or apply topically.
For drinking, a little bit of salt in your water can be beneficial, but high concentrations of salt can do the opposite. Sea water, for example, has salt concentrations that are too high for people to drink.
If you drink a concentrated salt solution, your kidneys will remove extra water to get rid of the excess salt, which could lead to dangerous levels ofdehydrationsince more water will leave your body through urination than you are drinking.
Topical Uses
Saline solutions are often used to clean, rinse, or treat various skin conditions or wounds.For this purpose, sterile saline isn’t as important, and you may even opt to make your own saline solution at home—depending on the specific use.
Forms of Saline Solution
Simply put, saline solution is a mixture of salt (sodium chloride) and water. Difference concentrations of these ingredients and where the ingredients come from can make a difference in how they are used.
Homemade
Homemade saline solution or salt water is fine for some uses. However, the safety of your solution will depend largely on how you are using it, and what materials you are using.
If you use sterile water, sodium chloride, and sterile preparation techniques, your saline solution should be safe for many purposes. However, boiled tap water or even filtered water cannot be used for many internal needs.
For example, homemade saline solutions should not be used intravenously, and saline solutions with tap water can be risky for things likecontact lens cleaning.
Store-Bought
If your purchase saline solution or sterile saline, you will have more assurance of the exact salt-to-water concentrations, and federal regulators have rules in place for how solutions labeled “sterile” are sourced and produced.
If you need a sterile saline solution for intravenous use or wound care, store-bought saline solutions are recommended.
How to Use Saline Solution
Normal saline is the most widely used solution in healthcare. It’s a versatile fluid that can be used internally or externally.
How you use saline solutions at home will depend on the type of solution, the concentration of salt to water, and what you are using the saline solution to treat.
Intravenous Use
Normal saline, half normal saline (0.45% NaCl), or saline mixed with other substances like dextrose are often used for hydration and internalfluid replacement. Dehydration, infection, shock, and other conditions may require the use of these fluids.
Although there are some cases in which you would receive intravenous fluids or medications containing normal saline at home, you should never inject any substance into your body or a vein without direct medical supervision or instruction.
Internal Use
Some drinks—like sports drinks—usually contain some amount of salt to help your body regulate its fluid and electrolyte balance. Drinking saline isn’t recommended, but there are times when you might need to ingest a more direct form of salt water.
Garglingwith salt water is probably the best example of this. You may be instructed to gargle salt water for problems like a sore throat, after dental care, or for cleaning. Saline solutions are also sometimes used for irrigating the nasal passages if you are congested or have a sinus infection.
In most of these cases, like gargling or sinus rinsing, you are not ingesting the saline solution completely. If you gargle, you will spit out the salt water when you are done. For a nasal rinse, the solution should flow from one side of your nose and out the other or down to your mouth and be spit out.
Humidification
If you use arespiratorydevice like home oxygen, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, or anebulizer, you may need to add water or saline to keep your nasal passages from drying out.
Saline, in particular, can be useful for helping to break up congestion in your airway and may be prescribed as a breathing treatment.
If your healthcare provider instructs you to use saline solution in a respiratory device, a store-bought version of the solution is preferred.
Congestion
Beyond inhaled uses, saline solutions are commonly used fornasal or sinus rinseswhen you have a cold or respiratory infection. For this type of use, homemade saline solutions are acceptable, but you should still be sure to prepare your solution using specific measurements and materials.
How to Use a Neti Pot Correctly
Wound Care and Cleansing
Many commercial options are available for wound care and cleansing, but normal saline is still the preferred choice.
Tap water and distilled water can be used, but their effectiveness will depend on the quality of your water. Saline solutions are preferred not just because of how they are prepared but also because they are similar to your natural body fluids, which impacts wound healing.
Whether you are cleaning a cut, a deep wound, or something as simple as apiercing, saline solutions can be used to clean and help dress most wounds. If you have a deep orinfectedwound, see a healthcare provider. Sterile saline solutions may be preferred in this kind of situation.
Making Saline Solutions at HomeYou have options when it comes to making saline solutions at home. The key is to use the cleanest, purest water possible. This can mean using distilled water or tap water that has beenboiled and then cooled.You should also take care that the container you are using has been properly cleaned or sanitized.In terms of specific recipes, you can use either of the following:Mix 3 teaspoons of salt with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and mix. Combine 1 teaspoon of this mix with 8 ounces (1 cup) of water.Mix 2 teaspoons of table salt with roughly 34 ounces (4 cups) of warm water.For either recipe, make sure the salt you are using is iodine-free and does not contain any anti-caking additives.
Making Saline Solutions at Home
You have options when it comes to making saline solutions at home. The key is to use the cleanest, purest water possible. This can mean using distilled water or tap water that has beenboiled and then cooled.You should also take care that the container you are using has been properly cleaned or sanitized.In terms of specific recipes, you can use either of the following:Mix 3 teaspoons of salt with 1 teaspoon of baking soda and mix. Combine 1 teaspoon of this mix with 8 ounces (1 cup) of water.Mix 2 teaspoons of table salt with roughly 34 ounces (4 cups) of warm water.For either recipe, make sure the salt you are using is iodine-free and does not contain any anti-caking additives.
You have options when it comes to making saline solutions at home. The key is to use the cleanest, purest water possible. This can mean using distilled water or tap water that has beenboiled and then cooled.You should also take care that the container you are using has been properly cleaned or sanitized.
In terms of specific recipes, you can use either of the following:
For either recipe, make sure the salt you are using is iodine-free and does not contain any anti-caking additives.
What Not to Do With Homemade Saline Solution
Homemade saline solutions should not be used for intravenous treatment or injected into the body.
Never use a homemade saline solution to rinse or store your contact lenses.
For sinus rinses, it is important to make the saline solution with distilled or sterile water or with boiled and cooled tap water. Tap water can contain microbes that can cause a severe infection if it is not boiled or specially filtered.
It’s also important not to deviate from a set recipe when making your saline solution. Saline solutions with high concentrations of sodium chloride can do more harm than good.
Summary
Saline solution is a versatile liquid that can be used internally and externally. Depending on how you use it, store-bought versions produced under strict regulation are usually preferred to avoid contamination or infection.
Talk to a healthcare provider before injecting or ingesting saline solutions. The ratios of salt to water can have a big impact on the benefits or risks of using these fluids.
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.UTMB Health.Common crystalloid intravenous fluids.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.0.9% sodium chloride injection, USP.Liu X, Lu M.Normal saline: past, present, and future.Science Progress.2023;106(2). doi:10.1177/00368504231168821National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Can humans drink seawater?United States Environmental Protection Agency.The danger of using tap water with contact lenses.Veniamakis E, Kaplanis G, Voulgaris P, Nikolaidis PT.Effects of sodium intake on health and performance in endurance and ultra-endurance sports.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(6):3651. doi:10.3390/ijerph19063651American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.New study: Gargling with salt water may help prevent COVID hospitalization.Zhang L, Mendoza-Sassi RA, Wainwright CE, Aregbesola A, Klassen TP.Nebulised hypertonic saline solution for acute bronchiolitis in infants.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.2023;4(CD006458. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006458.pub5.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Saline sinus rinse recipe.Fernandez R, Green HL, Griffiths R, Atkinson RA, Ellwood LJ.Water for wound cleansing.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2022;9(9):CD003861. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003861.Food and Drug Administration.Is rinsing your sinuses with neti pots safe?University of Michigan.Preparing saline solution.American Academy of Ophthalmology.How to take care of contact lenses.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.UTMB Health.Common crystalloid intravenous fluids.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.0.9% sodium chloride injection, USP.Liu X, Lu M.Normal saline: past, present, and future.Science Progress.2023;106(2). doi:10.1177/00368504231168821National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Can humans drink seawater?United States Environmental Protection Agency.The danger of using tap water with contact lenses.Veniamakis E, Kaplanis G, Voulgaris P, Nikolaidis PT.Effects of sodium intake on health and performance in endurance and ultra-endurance sports.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(6):3651. doi:10.3390/ijerph19063651American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.New study: Gargling with salt water may help prevent COVID hospitalization.Zhang L, Mendoza-Sassi RA, Wainwright CE, Aregbesola A, Klassen TP.Nebulised hypertonic saline solution for acute bronchiolitis in infants.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.2023;4(CD006458. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006458.pub5.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Saline sinus rinse recipe.Fernandez R, Green HL, Griffiths R, Atkinson RA, Ellwood LJ.Water for wound cleansing.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2022;9(9):CD003861. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003861.Food and Drug Administration.Is rinsing your sinuses with neti pots safe?University of Michigan.Preparing saline solution.American Academy of Ophthalmology.How to take care of contact lenses.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
UTMB Health.Common crystalloid intravenous fluids.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.0.9% sodium chloride injection, USP.Liu X, Lu M.Normal saline: past, present, and future.Science Progress.2023;106(2). doi:10.1177/00368504231168821National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Can humans drink seawater?United States Environmental Protection Agency.The danger of using tap water with contact lenses.Veniamakis E, Kaplanis G, Voulgaris P, Nikolaidis PT.Effects of sodium intake on health and performance in endurance and ultra-endurance sports.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(6):3651. doi:10.3390/ijerph19063651American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.New study: Gargling with salt water may help prevent COVID hospitalization.Zhang L, Mendoza-Sassi RA, Wainwright CE, Aregbesola A, Klassen TP.Nebulised hypertonic saline solution for acute bronchiolitis in infants.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.2023;4(CD006458. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006458.pub5.American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Saline sinus rinse recipe.Fernandez R, Green HL, Griffiths R, Atkinson RA, Ellwood LJ.Water for wound cleansing.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2022;9(9):CD003861. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003861.Food and Drug Administration.Is rinsing your sinuses with neti pots safe?University of Michigan.Preparing saline solution.American Academy of Ophthalmology.How to take care of contact lenses.
UTMB Health.Common crystalloid intravenous fluids.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.0.9% sodium chloride injection, USP.
Liu X, Lu M.Normal saline: past, present, and future.Science Progress.2023;106(2). doi:10.1177/00368504231168821
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Can humans drink seawater?
United States Environmental Protection Agency.The danger of using tap water with contact lenses.
Veniamakis E, Kaplanis G, Voulgaris P, Nikolaidis PT.Effects of sodium intake on health and performance in endurance and ultra-endurance sports.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(6):3651. doi:10.3390/ijerph19063651
American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.New study: Gargling with salt water may help prevent COVID hospitalization.
Zhang L, Mendoza-Sassi RA, Wainwright CE, Aregbesola A, Klassen TP.Nebulised hypertonic saline solution for acute bronchiolitis in infants.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.2023;4(CD006458. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD006458.pub5.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology.Saline sinus rinse recipe.
Fernandez R, Green HL, Griffiths R, Atkinson RA, Ellwood LJ.Water for wound cleansing.Cochrane Database Syst Rev.2022;9(9):CD003861. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003861.
Food and Drug Administration.Is rinsing your sinuses with neti pots safe?
University of Michigan.Preparing saline solution.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.How to take care of contact lenses.
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