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During the winter in cold climates the
air is usually quite dry, and this results in many people
having dry nasal passages leading to itching, burning, and
mucus crusts forming.
These complaints increase when the humidity
is low in the winter months from December to May in the northern
part of the world and during long journeys by airplane.
The traditional medical treatment is a
spray of isotonic sodium chloride, or saline, solution. A
new study compared saline with sesame oil.
Swedish researchers used the sesame oil
spray with great benefits on nasal dryness, stuffiness and
crusts apparent within 4 days. After 14 days of treatment
80% of the subjects were improved. The sesame oil was far
superior to the saline spray which only worked in 30% of the
subjects.
Archives
of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery November 2001
127:1353-1356
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