Inhaling Salt Water Improves Cystic Fibrosis

There was a recent research conducted that showed that people who are suffering from cystic fibrosis had improvement in their condition when they inhaled the salt water solution at least twice a day and there was reduction in half of the patients who used to get hospitalized with complications of cystic fibrosis and it improved their ability to clear the mucus from the lungs.

There was also included in the study that there was marked improvement in the lung function.
According to the statistics, there are about 30,000 children and young adults in the United States that are being affected by cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is a fatal disease and in this disorder which causes a thick and sticky mucus to build up in the lungs. The inner surfaces of the lung in the patients with cystic fibrosis become dry, which makes the mucus both harder and stickier. During the normal process, the individual can cough up the mucus but in patients with cystic fibrosis the mucus does not come up that easily.

There was an incidental finding that the surfers who ride the waves and are suffering from cystic fibrosis had very fewer lung exacerbations.

This then led the researchers to think that this might have something to do with the salt water that the surfers who have cystic fibrosis have improved pulmonary functions.

The researchers added that the salt water adds a layer of lubricant to the inner lung surfaces and it rehydrates it and that helps make it a whole lot easier to clear the mucus.

The researchers conducted the study on 24 patients for 48 weeks and they found that the hypertonic saline were the ones who had the most benefit and on the other hand the patients who underwent treatment with amiloride, which is a diuretic drug to boost the hydration effect of salt water had no improvement at all.

It was found that people who had been getting the salt water through a nebulizer had marked improvement in lung function and they had about 56 percent fewer lung exacerbations.
The researchers also added that there is a whole lot need to perform more studies so that it could be learnt as to how the people would be able to tolerate the treatment.

It was also mentioned that the cystic fibrosis patients who are admitted for exacerbations at least one time a year can be reduced to half and this would be a whole big achievement.

The treatment with the salt water requires the patients to inhale it for about 15 minutes at a time. The researchers say that they need to find better ways of administering the drug for a less time possible.

This treatment can bring wonders for the patients who are suffering from the disastrous symptoms of cystic fibrosis and they will have a great chance to improve their quality of life.


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