Does salt help heal wounds?
In this brief article, we will answer the question: does salt help heal wounds and five different wounds that you can heal with salt.
Does salt help heal wounds?
Yes, salt helps heal wounds and has an anti-inflammatory effect on it. Salt is a naturally occurring compound found in many foods and in crystalline form as well. The most common salt used for food is Table Salt called Sodium Chloride. It has found its application in seasoning of foods, additive, medicines and healing processes. Ancient Egyptians used it to heal wounds and decrease pain of the wounds.
How does salt heal wounds?
Salt is known for its healing properties due to a process called Osmosis. The particles of sodium chloride force the bacteria and other liquids to move out of the body. This process helps heal the wounds and also clean them naturally.
What wounds can salt heal?
- Cold sores:
The sores formed by the virus Herpes Simplex are called cold sores. The sores are formed on the mouth around the lips in the form of tiny blisters. These sores are painful and look gross; one way to heal them is with salt. Apply salt mixed with water on these sores, and it initiates the healing process meanwhile cleaning the viruses.
- Canker Sores:
These sores are the result of stress and anxiety. Canker sores happen inside the mouth on the cheeks and gums. They are white or yellow and have a red ring around them. The cure is drinking saltwater and rinsing the inside of your mouth with it
- Fungal Infections:
One example of fungal infections that can be cured by salt is thrush; it is a build-up of yeast in the mouth and spreads in the mouth. It causes pain and difficulty when swallowing. Rinsing with salt water is also its cure or start to the healing process.
- Abscess:
The bacterial infection in your teeth cavity formed by decay is called an abscess. It can cause severe pain, infection, and sensitivity to hot and cold. It can also lead to a fever. It is highly recommended to clean it with the help of saltwater and rinse your mouth with it
- Skin wounds:
Salt has an anti-inflammatory and cleaning nature, which, when applied to wounds, helps with the healing process. The open wounds on the skin get healed by it as it cleans away the germs to avoid infections. It might hurt to apply salt on wounds because it burns the germs on our skin and cleans it.
Salt is a natural healer and is used to heal many wounds, but that does not mean that one should jump into the sea with open wounds. There is a difference between seawater and saline water.
Other FAQs about Salt which you may be interested in.
Difference between seawater and saline water
Seawater is a lot different from saline water in many ways. Seawater is the water of the sea, and even though it is filled with salts, it also has many other things in it, including living organisms and microbes. If you jump with an open wound in the sea, firstly, it will start bleeding. Then there is a danger of microbes attacking the wound. Seawater is not sterile, and it will worsen the situation
On the other hand, saltwater is called saline. In it, salt water is added to warm water, and there is no other component present. You should boil the water before using it for wounds. It makes the solution sterile and good for application on wounds.
Side effects of saltwater application:
Alongside many benefits, using saltwater for wounds also has many side effects. Some of them are given below:
- It irritates the skin; when you apply salt on an open wound, you will feel a sudden pain.
- Saltwater may not heal the wound immediately and cause a little bitter taste in the mouth
- Drinking salt water is quite dangerous for people with hypertension.
- It affects the body osmotic balance and causes a shift in ion exchange in the body
- Too much salt may lead to excess sodium and chloride in the body
- Using salt can cause rashes on the skin to people who might be sensitive to it
- Saline water isn’t the best choice to drink, but you can rinse your mouth with it
These side effects don’t apply to everyone, so you don’t have to scare away. Using salt as a healing paste is a right choice and it is readily available at everyone’s home. It is easy to use and doesn’t require much effort, and most importantly, it cleans the wound. It is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. That is why it is used in medicines and assists in healing wounds.
Conclusion:
In this brief article, we have answered the question: does salt help heal wounds and five different wounds that salt can heal.
References:
https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/79116292/does-salt-water-really-heal-open-wounds
