In medicine, saline is a solution of sodium chloride (a substance also commonly known as table salt) in sterile water, used frequently for intravenous infusion, rinsing contact lenses, and nasal irrigation (or the yogic practice called jala neti). Saline solutions are available in various concentrations for different purposes. medicines, see medication and pharmacology. ... This articles section called Other facts does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Edible salt is a mineral, one of the few rocks people eat. ... In pharmacology and toxicology, a route of administration is the path by which a drug, fluid, poison or other substance is brought into contact with the body 1. ... A soft contact lens A contact lens (also known as contact, for short) is a corrective or cosmetic lens placed on the cornea of the eye atop the iris. ... Nasal irrigation is an ancient personal hygiene practice, originating from the Yoga practice of Jala Neti (literally: water cleansing), which involves regularly flooding the nasal cavity with warm salty water. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Nasal irrigation. ...

Normal saline is the solution of 0.9% w/v of NaCl (this nomenclature is confusing - "normal sodium chloride" to a chemist means a concentration of 5.85% w/v, also expressed as 1N NaCl_(aq) ). It contains 154 mEq/L of Na⁺ and Cl⁻. It has a slightly higher degree of osmolality (i.e. more solute per liter) compared to blood (hence, though it is referred to as being isotonic with blood in clinical contexts, this is a technical inaccuracy), about 300 mOsm/L. Normal saline (NS) is therefore used frequently in intravenous drips (IVs) for patients who cannot take fluids orally and have developed severe dehydration. Normal saline is typically the first fluid used when dehydration is severe enough to threaten the adequacy of blood circulation and is the safest fluid to give quickly in large volumes. In the physical sciences, weight is a measurement of the gravitational force acting on an object. ... The volume of a solid object is the three-dimensional concept of how much space it occupies, often quantified numerically. ... This articles section called Other facts does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In chemistry, concentration is the measure of how much of a given substance there is mixed with another substance. ... The equivalent (Eq or eq) is a reasonably common measurement unit used in chemistry and the biological sciences. ... When substances are dissolved, the number of distinct particles in solution is measured as Osmolality. ... A substance is soluble in a fluid if it dissolves in the fluid. ... Human blood smear: a - erythrocytes; b - neutrophil; c - eosinophil; d - lymphocyte. ... When substances are dissolved, the number of distinct particles in solution is measured as Osmolality. ... An intravenous drip in a hospital Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the administration of liquid substances directly into a vein. ... Dehydration (hypohydration) is the removal of water (hydro in ancient Greek) from an object. ...

Other concentrations of saline are frequently used for other purposes, such as supplying extra water to a dehydrated patient or supplying the daily water and salt needs ("maintenance" needs) of a patient who is unable to take them by mouth. Because infusing a solution of low osmolality can cause problems, intravenous solutions with reduced saline concentrations typically have dextrose (glucose) added to maintain a safe osmolality while providing less sodium chloride. As the molecular weight (MW) of dextrose is greater, this has the same osmolality as normal saline but contributes less sodium to the circulation. Because dextrose monohydrate (MW 198 in contrast to MW 180 for glucose) is the commercial form of dextrose used in these preparations, 5% dextrose actually contains only 4.5 g/dL of glucose. A space-filling model of glucose Glucose, a simple monosaccharide sugar, is one of the most important carbohydrates and is used as a source of energy in animals and plants. ... Glucose (Glc), a monosaccharide (or simple sugar), is the most important carbohydrate in biology. ... The molecular mass of a substance (less accurately called molecular weight and abbreviated as MW) is the mass of one molecule of that substance, relative to the unified atomic mass unit u (equal to 1/12 the mass of one atom of carbon-12). ... General Name, Symbol, Number sodium, Na, 11 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 3, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 22. ...

Concentrations commonly used include

1. Half-normal saline (0.45% NaCl), often with "D5" (5% dextrose), contains 77 mEq/L of Na and Cl and 4.5 g/L glucose.
2. Quarter-normal saline (0.22% NaCl) has 39 mEq/L of Na and Cl and always contains 5% dextrose for osmolality reasons.
3. Dextrose (glucose) 4% in 0.18% saline is used sometimes for maintenance replacement.

The amount of normal saline infused depends largely on the needs of the patient (e.g. ongoing diarrhea or heart failure) but is typically between 1.5 and 3 litres a day for an adult. A space-filling model of glucose Glucose, a simple monosaccharide sugar, is one of the most important carbohydrates and is used as a source of energy in animals and plants. ... Types 5-7 on the Bristol Stool Chart are often associated with diarrhea Diarrhea (in American English) or diarrhoea (in British English) is a generally unpleasant condition in which the sufferer has frequent watery, loose bowel movements (from the ancient Greek word διαρροή = leakage; literally meaning to run through). Acute infectious... The litre or liter (U.S. spelling, see spelling differences) is a unit of volume. ...

Rinsing with a saline solution is also a common remedy for a toothache or mouth pain. A toothache, also known as odontalgia or, less frequently, as odontalgy, is an aching pain in or around a tooth. ...

A hypertonic saline challenge test may be administered for determining the nature of the Bronchial airway.

See also

• Intravenous therapy
• Lactated Ringer's solution
• Oral rehydration therapy