Sterile saline solution

Sterile saline solution contains sterile water and salt sodium chloride. This type of solution is widely used in medicine, especially for sterilization since it is known to kill different microorganisms.Make Sterile Saline Solution

To make sterile saline solution at your home you will need to have a liter of distilled water and non-ionized salt. You can use cooking salt (not ordinary table salt) for this purpose, but laboratory grade sodium chloride is the best there is for saline solution. Check your neighborhood or online for some lab supply companies you can purchase this salt from. Next, you should have a clean jar with tight fitting lid, which you would use to keep the solution. To boil the water you will need two big saucepans. Besides that, you will also need a pair or tongs.

Fill one saucepan with tap water and place the jar, the lid and tongs (make sure that the handles are out of the water) inside. Boil the water for some 15 minutes, remove and cool down. Now, use another saucepan and pour distilled water and add 9 grams of salt. That is about one and a half teaspoon of sodium chloride. Then boil this water and salt for some 15 minutes too, cool down and pour cold saline solution in the jar you have previously prepared. Close with the lid and store in the refrigerator until you need this solution.

What Is Sterile Saline Solution Used for?

Sterile saline solution is used in dehydrated patients for intravenous injections. This solution is also found to be especially useful if patient cannot eat or drink anything because of vomiting or diarrhea. In these cases doctors usually prescribe a combination of sterile saline solution and glucose or dextrose.

After surgical interventions, patients cannot eat or drink anything. Sterile saline solution is very beneficial in these situations and the patient is therefore provided with water and some essential minerals.

Sinusitis and allergies often cause stuffy nose and congestion, so many of these patients use sterile saline solution for nasal irrigation. Pour the solution through one nostril and it will clear the nasal passages and sinus cavities, washing away traces of allergens and easing the breathing. The same solution can also be used as nasal spray. It will work as any other nasal spray, but because its components are completely harmless, it won’t have any side effects.

This solution can be used for disinfecting or storing contact lenses. Sterile saline solution is very similar to natural tears so it won’t irritate sensitive eyes.

Chemotherapy ports can also be cleaned using sterile saline solution, as well as piercing wounds.

Vets use this solution to hydrate animals, wash their wounds or to dilute antibiotic drugs before administration.