Physiological serum

At some point in our lives we have all used saline . A substance composed of salt and water that has a wide range of uses, including cleaning wounds and certain areas of the body such as the eyes.

What is physiological saline?

A saline solution composed of salt and water is known as physiological serum . It can be found in pharmacies in multiple formats; a prescription is not necessary to acquire this type of serum.

Regarding the composition of physiological serum, it is formed with nine grams of sodium chloride for each liter of water ; thus, it can be applied to the eyes, and even to wounds without any fear of itching or stinging.

Its uses are multiple, both in children and adults. In the case of conjunctivitis , one of the most common eye diseases, saline solution is essential to maintain good eye hygiene and thus not worsen symptoms. As for babies, this serum is used to clean their nose and eyes. We will explain all the uses of physiological serum in detail in future sections.

Types of physiological saline

The different types of serum are categorized based on the presentation format.

• Blisters: it is the most used of all since it is very comfortable and manageable; In addition, it can be easily transported. Another great advantage that physiological serum in ampoules provides is that it is much safer as it is a single dose; each vial is used only once. This format is ideal for all kinds of uses, both between adults and children.
• Bottles: physiological saline can also be found in bottles. This format is somewhat more complex to use since the amount of serum must be extracted using a syringe. One of the main disadvantages is that once opened, the container is completely exposed to contamination. It is recommended for use only for nasal washes and mouthwashes.

Benefits of saline solution

This type of serum brings together a large selection of benefits and advantages that are interesting to know.

• If you opt for the presentation in ampoules, it is a completely sterile substance ; the chances of it becoming contaminated are zero.
• Saline solution is very useful for cleaning dead cells and other debris.
• In the case of wounds, it significantly reduces the risk of infection by eliminating bacteria.
• Maintains the pH of the skin.
• Its application is totally painless; does not cause any stinging or irritation.
• Anyone can use saline solution, even babies and pregnant women.
• It is a harmless substance that has no contraindications.

Can you prepare physiological saline at home?

As we have pointed out, the composition of this type of serum is water with salt. However, preparing it at home is not as simple as it may seem.

The truth is that there are many pages that explain how to make homemade physiological saline, mixing a liter of tap water and a tablespoon of salt. Well, the result has nothing to do with what we can find in pharmacies since tap water is not sterile.

Therefore, this solution can be used to clean the nose in the case of adults; but it is not recommended to use it for cleaning the eyes or open wounds.

Uses of physiological saline

Next we are going to explain in detail all the uses that this type of serum has.

Nasal washes

One of the main uses that is given to physiological saline is to eliminate the snot of the little ones . Babies do not know how to clean their nasal mucus and for parents it is a somewhat cumbersome task, so the serum is of great help to clear their nose. In addition to cleaning mucus, it deeply hydrates the nasal mucosa.

Of course, this use can also be applied among adults. If you have a severe nasal congestion and / or suffer from a spring allergy , physiological saline can be your best ally to help you breathe better.

Eyes

As we have pointed out, the physiological saline used to clean the eyes must be completely sterile; therefore, for this use, the presentation format in ampoules must be chosen.

One of the main symptoms of conjunctivitis is an excessive production of legañas during the night, so that those who suffer from this condition wake up with their eyes glued. Well, this serum is of great help to clean the area ; it should be applied with sterile gauze.

Another use of saline solution in relation to ocular health has to do with the moment in which a foreign body enters the eye; Applying a few drops from a single-dose ampoule helps lubricate the eye and thus expel the body easily and quickly.

In the same way, among those babies who suffer from lacrimal obstruction, physiological saline is ideal to clean the eye area without any danger.

Clean wounds and burns

Before disinfecting and healing a certain wound or burn, it must be cleaned. Well, this is where saline comes into play. You simply have to apply it on the wound, from the central part to the outside to prevent microorganisms from passing inside.

Cleaning tattoos

A tattoo is still a wound, so this use of saline bears a certain relationship with the previous point.

Before performing any type of cure, the application of serum is highly recommended to clean the area .

Physiological serum or sea water

As both have a composition of water and salt, many people believe that physiological serum and seawater are the same substance. However, there are significant differences between the two.

The physiological saline is a 0.9% solution of sodium chloride in water; It is used for nasal and eye washes, as well as for cleaning burns and wounds.

Meanwhile, seawater , although it is also a sterile sodium chloride solution, is obtained directly from the sea through water filtration. Thus, it preserves all the minerals intact: potassium , sulfate, calcium and magnesium. There are two types.

• Isotonic seawater: the sodium chloride concentration of this type of seawater is exactly the same as in the case of physiological serum, 0.9%.
• Hypertonic seawater: has a sodium chloride concentration of 2.3%.