Sterimar Isotonic Nasal Hygiene Spray

Question : What do bidets, stinky cheese, horsemeat and frogs' legs have in common ? Answer : You don't have to be French to appreciate them but it helps ! And squirting sea water up your nose to help prevent and cure runny or stuffy noses is another French thing ! When it comes to dealing with their health, French people are willing to put up with whatever it takes - quite literally "put up" when it comes to suppositories !! So using Sterimar is widespread and has been so for generations. My French in-laws fell on the floor laughing at my strange Britishness when I said "eeuurgghhh that's disgusting" the first time they offered me a bottle when I had a cold !



The science behind the product is perfectly simple : "Sterimar Isotonic Seawater-based Nasal Microspray is ideal for ENT (ear, nose and throat) disorders and daily nasal hygiene. It acts as a nasal cleanser, removing dirt, excess mucus and irritants. Sterimar Isotonic contains a dilution of 31.8% of seawater in purified water containing approximately: 959mg of Sodium Chloride in 100ml solution. Sterimar Isotonic comes in a pressurised aerosol which delivers a micro-fine spray, which gently and safely clears out the nasal passage. Its unique patented nozzle fits all nostril sizes, safely and comfortably, from babies to adults. An automatic sealing valve prevents contamination of the remaining solution so that each spray is aseptic. "

My French hubby and his parents swear by it and start gaily squirting at the first sign of a sniffle. I still see it as a warped version of colonic irrigation of the nasal passages and keep up my "résistance" - although I have to admit, I did use it when suffering from hayfever while pregnant. Unable to take any antihistamines, I was really suffering but the nasal spray - perfectly safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women as it's just purified seawater - dampened down and washed out all the pollen, giving instant relief.

My French doctor grins every time one of the kids has a cold and puts it on the prescription, saying "I know you won't use it because you think it's disgusting but you should, it really works !" I can never bring myself to squirt it up baby Pierre's nose as, judging by his screams and squirms, he thinks it's some new kind of torture - but then again, the alternatives (using a nasal aspirator or watching him struggle to feed with a bunged up nose) aren't much better.

From looking on the website, I've just noticed that it can also help to alleviate snoring so I might have to try and convince Mike to squirt some up his nose before going to bed !!

If you can get past the idea of squirting water up your nose, it's a good product - "prevention is better than cure" so you can either wait to get a stuffy nose or just integrate it into your daily hygiene routine.

star rating : 4/5


RRP : £6.49 (for 100ml)

available at Boots, Lloyds Chemists and independent pharmacies