When is it prescribed?
The most well-known use of Protargol solution is as a remedy for the common cold. However, few people know that they can treat diseases of the ears, eyes, bladder, and nasopharynx.
Among them:
- sinusitis;
- inflammatory processes in the ears;
- adenoiditis;
- chronic urethritis;
- blepharitis;
- conjunctivitis.
You can learn about why it is prescribed, whether there are contraindications and how to take Zyrtec drops for children from our article.
Read reviews about the use of Zodak drops for children in this material.
Detailed and clear instructions for using Fenistil drops for children under one year old can be found here.
Protargol for infants with a runny nose
It can be very difficult to select a drug to treat a particular disease for a newborn child, since not everything can be used from birth.
Yet such people exist. The most famous and widely used is Protargol.
Let's take a closer look at the instructions for using protargol drops and reviews about them, for the treatment of what diseases in infants they are used, can Protargol be used for a runny nose in newborn infants, under the age of one year, at what age exactly?
A symptom such as a runny nose can bother you at any age. There are many reasons for its appearance. Protargol is considered an effective treatment for runny nose. It contains silver proteinate. A pediatrician may prescribe Protargol for infants.
Description of the drug
Protargol is available in two main forms: a liquid solution and a powder intended for self-dilute with water. Silver ions are the active ingredient against microbes and bacteria.
The color of the liquid solution is light or dark brown. There is no smell, the taste is bitter.
The medicine, getting on the mucous surface of the nose, creates a protective film. At the same time, it has the effect of constricting blood vessels, swelling subsides, and it becomes easier to breathe.
The number of microbes decreases and their spread stops due to the accumulation of ions on the bacteria themselves. As a result, the inflammatory process decreases and stops.
The medicine gives results in complex therapy with other antiviral and antibacterial drugs. Symptoms of a runny nose quickly go away, and residual effects are eliminated by other drugs.
The drug is most effective in the early stages of development of a respiratory disease.
Protargol is prescribed in the following cases:
- Inflammatory processes in the paranasal sinuses: sinusitis, sinusitis.
- ARZ, ARVI.
- Inflammatory diseases of the inner and middle ear.
- Adenoids.
- Blepharitis in newborns.
- Conjunctivitis.
The medicine perfectly fights bacteria. But he will not be able to cope with viruses and allergic rhinitis on his own, so additional drug therapy is necessary.
Bacterial runny nose can be easily distinguished from other types. Nasal discharge has a thick consistency and may be yellowish or greenish in color. At night, an infant may cough. This is explained by the fact that snot envelops the larynx and causes a cough reflex.
Improper use of Protargol or its overdose can lead to side effects.
For parents whose children are prone to allergies, it is better not to use this remedy for the common cold. A rash, urticaria may appear, and less commonly the condition leads to anaphylactic shock.
The medicine Protargol is not addictive, does not reduce immunity, does not affect the functioning of the digestive system, therefore the unformed intestinal microflora of an infant will not be affected.
The product should not be used simultaneously by a nursing mother and a baby. This will avoid overdose.
Rules of application
Before each use, shake the bottle of solution vigorously. The earlier the drug is opened, the less silver particles will precipitate. If a cloudy dark sediment appears, or when the expiration date has expired, the drug cannot be used.
The drug is intended for instillation into the nose or lubricating its mucous surface with a cotton tourniquet. A single dosage for an infant is 1-2 drops in each nostril twice a day. For adenoids, the doctor may decide to increase the dosage.
If the drug is used in the treatment of runny nose in children under one year old, then some important points need to be taken into account.
- Before instillation, the nasal passages should be cleared of crusts and accumulated mucus. For this, any saline solution will be useful, for example, saline or Aqua Maris.
- After instilling the saline solution, you need to use a respirator to suck out excess mucus.
- The baby is placed on his back or picked up. Tilt your head back a little and tilt it to the side. After this, the required amount of medicine should be instilled.
- Lubricate the nasal passages using a cotton swab.
- Clothes and bedding should be covered with a towel, as the solution is difficult to wash off and leaves stains.
If the child is a newborn (up to 3 weeks), then the solution is first diluted with water to reduce the concentration of the active substance.
The course of treatment most often lasts 6-8 days, in some cases it can be extended to 14 days.
Frequent use is not recommended. The interval between courses should be at least a month. This will avoid the accumulation of silver ions in the body, which is dangerous due to intoxication.
Colloidal silver, as in the photo, contains protargol for infants, but it is recommended to use it in an individual dosage
We recommend watching a video review of the drug Sialor for infants. It describes in detail the method of application, as well as the parents’ opinion on this matter.
The appearance of a runny nose in a baby is not uncommon. This is the most common symptom in children in the first year of life. Protargol is used to treat runny nose in children and adults.
This drug eliminates runny nose, has an astringent and antiseptic effect.
The main positive properties of Protargol: elimination of all types of bacteria and fungal infections
Protargol is an anti-inflammatory agent for topical use. The composition of the drug includes colloidal powder, which contains particles of silver, due to which the product has an astringent effect.
The main advantage of the drug is the absence of dysbacteriosis. The drug is prepared to order in some private and many public pharmacies.
The drug is available in the form of drops of 1% or 2%. The concentration of the active substance is 7.8-8.3%. Taking into account the concentration, silver ions reduce the growth of bacteria and completely remove them. The solution is in the form of a clear liquid, may have a dark brown or light brown color. It has no smell and tastes bitter.
Thanks to its unusual composition, the drug can be used to treat ENT diseases even in young children.
Protargol can be stored for a day after opening. It should be remembered that exposure to sunlight causes the drug to lose its beneficial properties.
Protargol for infants is prescribed for diseases of the ENT organs
For purulent inflammatory processes in the middle ear, Protargol is also prescribed. The use of Protargol is advisable only for bacterial infections, which are characterized by thick green discharge from the nose.
It should be noted that the drug is not addictive, so it can be used to treat diseases in both children and adults.
In gynecological practice, the use of the drug is indicated for cervical erosion, cervicitis, vaginitis, salpingitis and other diseases.
Protargol is often used to treat urethritis and cystitis. It should be noted that the drug based on silver ions is not used as the only remedy in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the ENT organs. It is advisable to use the drug in combination with other drugs.
Before administering drops to your baby, you need to thoroughly clean the nose.
According to the instructions, the drug can be used from 5 years of age, however, under the supervision of a doctor, drops can be used even for children under one year old under the supervision of a pediatrician.
Before instilling Protargol into your nose, you should clean your nasal passages and rinse your nose. For this purpose, a special syringe, a suction device and cotton swabs are used. If necessary, use saline solution.
Next, place the baby on his back and drip the solution 1-2 drops into each nostril. Perform the procedure morning and evening for 5 days. It is advisable not to delay treatment, especially for infants. If the disease has become chronic, the duration of treatment can be up to 2 weeks. If the baby is only 2-3 weeks old, then use a weak solution for a runny nose.
The drug can be used to lubricate the mucous membranes. This method is less effective, but eliminates the occurrence of side effects. Before use, be sure to shake the container with the contents.
For conjunctivitis, instill 2 drops into the eyes 2-3 times a day. The effectiveness of treatment with Protargol depends on the concentration of the active substance. In small quantities, silver ions prevent the development of pathogenic bacteria, and in high concentrations they completely destroy them. The dosage of the drug is prescribed only by a doctor.
Improper use of Protargol can lead to side effects
How does the drug work and how long does it take to notice the effect?
The principle of operation is simple. After instillation, an antiseptic protective film is formed on the mucous membrane of the organ.
Under the influence of silver ions, microvessels begin to narrow and bacteria die. If there are inflammatory processes, they gradually weaken and become less pronounced.
For the first time after instillation, it becomes much easier . The therapeutic effect of the drug and the feeling that it has begun to act can be noticed within a few minutes after instillation.
Dosage and frequency of administration
The dosage and frequency of use of the drug for infants and children under one year of age depend on the type of disease for which Protargol is used.
Inflammatory processes of the eyes. Children are recommended to instill 2-3 drops 2-4 times a day. Solution 1-2%.
Urological infections. A 2% solution is used as a means for washing the organs of the genitourinary system.
ENT diseases, for example, runny nose. Instill 1 drop 3 times a day.
The positive effect of therapy can be observed after two or three days. The approximate duration of treatment is 5 days.
If during this time the medicine does not help the child, the therapist prescribes another medicine.
These are approximate dosages; they are in no way intended to constitute instructions for treatment. The exact dosage and duration of use is determined by the doctor .
Instructions for use
If the child is less than a year old, then use a 1% solution, and for older children you can use 2%. The dosage, duration, frequency of administration, as well as the concentration of nasal drops for a runny nose are determined by the doctor, because they depend on the diagnosis and age of the patient.
For inflammatory eye diseases, for example, conjunctivitis, infants are prescribed 1 to 3 drops per day. For ENT diseases, a small child needs to instill 1 - 4 drops into the nose twice a day. Before treating a child, you must make sure that he is not allergic to this drug. To do this, a test is carried out - one drop of the product is applied to the skin in the elbow area and the result is checked after 15 minutes. If there is itching , redness or other negative reactions in this area, then this drug is contraindicated for the child.
How to properly instill the drug into the nose of infants?
To put Protargol drops into the nose for a runny nose in infants , you must adhere to the following rules:
- the nasal cavity is washed with saline solution, using drops, sprays or saline;
- the child’s nostrils are cleaned with a nasal aspirator or a cotton swab;
- The baby is placed on his back, the bottle with the medicine is shaken and the medicine is instilled into each nostril using a pipette;
- This procedure is repeated every day in the morning and evening.
This drug is not addictive , but the duration of treatment should be two weeks, no more, and it is best to limit it to 5 - 7 days. This is explained by the properties of silver, which spreads throughout all organs and settles in them. Its excess amount in the body can cause the development of a rare disease called argyrosis, in which the color of the skin and eyes acquires a silvery tint.
Thus, if a child develops a runny nose caused by an infection, the pediatrician may prescribe a drug such as Protargol. Its versatility is due to its antifungal and antiviral properties. Repeated use is possible only as prescribed by a doctor. In each case, the treatment period and dosage are determined individually.
Method of use
Drops are used by instillation. When treating the nose, it is important to clean the nasal passages before instillation. To do this, you can use cotton swabs, a special suction, or a nasal bulb.
Cotton swabs should be used very carefully, as they can damage the baby's delicate mucous membranes. Doctors recommend using cotton wool instead of sticks, which can be obtained by tightly twisting a small piece of cotton wool into a tube.
After cleaning, we instill drops into the nose one by one, the child should lie on his back. Sometimes Protargol is not instilled, but is simply lubricated in the nostrils with a cotton swab or cotton swab.
When treating the eyes, the medicine is instilled behind the mucous membrane, slightly lowering the lower eyelid. It is better to instill in the ears with the child lying on his side.
Before use, the drug must be shaken thoroughly.
Eye treatment
The positive effect of treatment is due to the following properties:
- Anti-inflammatory;
- Antimicrobial;
- Drying;
- Regenerating.
The drug has been very popular for many years and is safer than vasoconstrictor drops. It is suitable for the treatment of runny nose in children, practically without causing allergic reactions or side effects when used correctly.
Its use stops the spread of bacteria and restores damage to the sinus mucosa.
Treatment of adenoid vegetations in children should be comprehensive. This drug can be prescribed for inflammation of the adenoids in children (adenoiditis), and for hypertrophy of the adenoid tonsil.
How to use it for adenoids? To do this, use a 2% solution of Protargol, which is used to coat the area of the nasopharyngeal tonsil. This procedure must be performed by a specialist who knows where this tonsil is located and can see it using a special nasopharyngeal speculum.
When the adenoids are inflamed, a 1% solution is instilled into the nostrils as with a normal runny nose. In this case, you need to make sure that the drops flow to the back of the nose and hit the adenoids. To do this, it is better to instill them in the baby in a lying position.
It is very simple to control whether the drops hit the roof of the nasopharynx or not. After instillation, just look into the child’s mouth; they will flow down the back of the throat or ask the baby if he has an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
A decade ago, doctors did not recommend using Protargol to treat children under 2 years of age. Now the bar has been raised a little and doctors do not prescribe this drug to children under 5 years of age.
The instructions for Protargol have not been revised since Soviet times, so it states that the solution can be used from 2 years of age. Parents should be vigilant and not use silver solution to treat children under 5 years of age; it is better to replace this medication with alternative drops that have been developed in recent years.
It is strictly forbidden to drip Protargol into the nose of newborns, as silver ions can lead to toxic shock and death. But Protargol is often used to wash the eyes of babies immediately after birth. This helps eliminate pathogenic microbes and prevent serious eye diseases.
Another reason that the medicine can be given to children only from 5 years of age is that silver tends to accumulate in various tissues of the body. So, for newborn babies, just a few days of using the drug is enough for silver ions to accumulate in excess and lead to the incurable disease arginosis.
For the treatment and prevention of eye pathologies, Protargol is allowed to be used even by young children. Often, after birth, a newborn’s eyes are treated with a 1% silver solution. For the treatment of ophthalmological diseases in children under 12 years of age, a 1% solution is taken; adolescents older than this age can be prescribed a 2% solution.
Before rinsing the eyes with Protargol, they must be thoroughly rinsed from purulent contents. For this purpose, you can use boiled water or saline solution.
Overdose and adverse reactions
There have been no cases of overdose, but the dosage should be strictly observed. Otherwise, side effects may occur or worsen.
Although there is only one contraindication to the use of the drug, the drug gives various adverse reactions:
- itching and burning;
- dry mouth;
- redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes;
- feeling of numbness;
- headache;
- dizziness;
- craving for sleep;
- manifestation of allergic reactions, for example, urticaria, dermatitis;
- Quincke's edema;
- anaphylactic shock.
Storage conditions and shelf life
The shelf life of the medicine is very short. After preparation, the solution can be used for no longer than a month .
The greatest effectiveness of the drug can be obtained in the first five days after preparation; over time, the positive effect is minimized.
If you buy a ready-made solution, be sure to look at the date of manufacture.
The storage place should be cool, the temperature does not exceed 25 degrees Celsius, and dark.
Cost in the Russian Federation and conditions for dispensing from pharmacies, analogues
Protargol can be easily purchased at a pharmacy without a prescription from a doctor. It is sold only in state pharmacies, where it is manufactured.
You can also buy it in other pharmacies, but under the commercial name Sialor at a price that is several times higher.
A structural analogue of the drug is Collargol ; its main component is also silver.
The average price for medicine in the Russian Federation is 150 rubles. Depending on the region, it may be lower or higher, but not much.
Our publication will tell you when it is prescribed, whether there are contraindications and how to properly use Viferon antiviral suppositories for children.
This article lists tablets against motion sickness for children.
Instructions for use and reviews of the drug Kagocel for children are presented here.
Analogues of the drug
Analogs of the drug that are similar to Protargol include:
- Sialor. The drug is actively used in pediatrics. Available in tablet form. The amount of active substance is 200 mg. The kit includes a bottle of water for dissolving the tablets.
- Collargol. A bactericidal drug containing albumin and silver. The drug is used only when diluted with water. It can be used even from birth, but Collargol is prescribed exclusively by a pediatrician.
- Poviargol. An antimicrobial drug that has an anti-inflammatory effect. Does not irritate the skin and does not cause allergic reactions.
- Vitargol. Used as a biologically active food supplement. The drug is usually used for preventive purposes or as an addition to complex therapy in the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the ENT organs.
Reviews
- Masha: “When my child got sick for the first time, he was not even a month old. He had a runny nose and a slight cough. A runny nose was treated with Protargol. The effect of the treatment was not long in coming, and the snot stopped flowing immediately. The course of treatment was only five days. During this time, the runny nose went away. I really liked the medicine.”
- Katya: “I have two daughters, for both of them I take Protargol drops when they have a runny nose. I really like the product."
- Tatyana: “I have been using Protargol to treat my child for a long time, one might say, since birth. The medicine is great, I’m not going to change it.”
