Back in the 1970s, doctors frequently prescribed hypertonic saline (salt water) as a treatment. The idea was that the salty solution would draw water out of the airways, thinning mucus and making it easier to cough up. However, this theory was later disproved, and by the 1990s, hypertonic saline was largely phased out as an aerosolized treatment.
Fast forward to 2020, and a shift in medical thinking emerged: the longer the treatment, the better the potential outcome. This led to renewed interest in hypertonic saline, particularly for cases involving mucus plugging, often identified through X-rays or CT scans.
Common symptoms: Excessive mucus production tied to conditions like asthma, COPD, or bronchiectasis—or sometimes, a vague “other” category when the cause isn’t entirely clear but the treatment is worth trying.
Frequency: Typically prescribed every six hours.
Effect: Designed to thin mucus by creating a hydrating, salt-infused "hurricane" in the airways. Even if no visible sputum is produced, the treatment is believed to work on a microscopic level.
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