Cystic Fibrosis And The Salt Aerosol From Surfing
Medical studies started to look into the seashore aerosol for cystic fibrosis treatment. They discovered that the inhaled salt aerosol from seashore works better than drugs. Surfing can be of great help in cystic fibrosis.
Surfers suffering from cystic fibrosis gave medical researchers a clue about the benefits of salt aerosol; it says an article on MEDPageToday by CNN.
Two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine report about the benefits of salt aerosol. They state that cystic fibrosis patients who inhaled a nebulized saltwater solution had improved their condition by a lot. They had significantly improved their ability to clear mucus from the lungs and airways. It has also shown a significant decrease in the number of hospitalizations for lung problems.
“The patients who received just the hyper-tonic saline got all the benefit, while the patients who underwent pre-treatment with amiloride (a diuretic drug used to boost the hydration effect of the saltwater) had no improvement. We were blown away by this finding, and it sent us scurrying back to the lab where we discovered a novel property of amiloride: It blocked water transport from the blood.”
The normal transport of sodium in cystic fibrosis is disrupted due to a gene defect. This causes the lung airways surface to be dry and non-hydrated. The mucus is thick and sticky and build up in the lungs and airways. Coughing is not enough in cystic fibrosis sufferers to eliminate the thick and sticky mucus. Salt having a mucolytic effect, helps to fluidize the sticky mucus and clear it out.
Cystic Fibrosis and Salt Therapy
The CNN article concluded “In the Australian study, patients getting the saltwater through a nebulizer had significant improvement in lung function and — perhaps most significantly — they had 56 percent fewer lung exacerbation.” The treatment was done using a face mask nebuliser for 15 minutes at a time and the doctor said:
“If the saline cannot be adapted for a more patient-friendly delivery method, we may be able to use something other than salt to achieve the same effect.”
Looking for ways to simulate the benefits of surfing in cystic fibrosis, home salt therapy comes handy.
Through home salt therapy the saline solution is transformed in microscopic salt particles. These salt particles are released into the indoor air for breathing during the night sleep. No mask on the face, no mouth piece, no inconvenience – just free breathing, like at the seashore! It is very easy to use, natural, effective and offers long-term exposure to salt aerosol!
Read the CNN article here: http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/conditions/01/18/cf.saltwater/index.html