The Comparison of Wearing Boreh and Socks with Oxymetazoline HCl 0.05% Spray for Nasal Congestion Among State High School 1 Students in Pupuan, Tabanan

Introduction: Nasal congestion is one of the most common ear, nose, and throat problems. It is mediated by various mechanisms, including vasodilatation. Indonesia is a country with abundant knowledge of traditional medicine, with increasing applications because its safety has been proven. Boreh is one of the traditional medicines that has been used by the Balinese for generations, with various benefits. Wearing socks also helps with distal vasodilatation and increases blood flow to extremities. We would like to compare the effect of wearing boreh and socks with oxymetazoline HCl 0,05% spray for nasal congestion.

Method: This crossover study was conducted in 70 students. The participants were divided into two groups: group A (boreh with socks) and group B (oxymetazoline HCl 0.05% spray), followed by a washout period for 48 hours and crossover. The nasal patency was measured using a stainless plate at 6 different time points for each intervention. The data were analyzed, and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: Most participants were girls (58.6%). Group B had statistically significantly better nasal patency but only at the 35th minute before crossover (39.35 ± 15.34 versus 32.01 ± 13.33; p = 0.029). Before crossover, Boreh with socks increased nasal patency significantly in the first 5 minutes and decreased gradually starting from the 15th minute (+7.34 mm2; p = 0.015), but oxymetazoline HCl 0.05% spray did not increase nasal patency significantly (p > 0.05). After crossover, the nasal patency in both groups did not differ significantly (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Boreh and socks were more effective in decreasing nasal resistance than oxymetazoline HCl 0.05% spray, but further studies are required.