Beware: There's Such A Thing As Using Too Much Nasal Spray

Nobody enjoys having a chilly or the flu, however the stuffy nostril that comes with it may be one of many extra annoying signs to deal with.

Not solely is it tough to breathe, it might have an effect on your sleep high quality. You end up tossing and turning as your nostril turns into an hourglass ― with one nostril clearing up only for the opposite one to plug up while you swap which aspect you’re mendacity on. And when sleep suffers, restoration time lags with it, that means it may take longer so that you can really feel higher.

That’s what makes nasal sprays so interesting. With simply a few spritzes you will get rapid aid. Nonetheless, depend on nasal spray for too lengthy and you might be doing extra injury than assist. Learn on to search out out why nasal sprays are so efficient at easing congestion and what might occur in the event you use them too typically.

Not all nasal sprays are the identical

First, it’s necessary to know that there are a number of kinds of nasal sprays available on the market. All of them deal with the identical downside (congestion) however are used for various root causes.

“There are a couple of classes of nasal sprays, however the ones mostly used are steroid-based sprays for allergic reactions or long-lasting use and fast-acting nasal decongestants like oxymetazoline, or Afrin,” mentioned Dr. Omid Mehdizadeh, an otolaryngologist and laryngologist at Windfall Saint John’s Well being Heart in Santa Monica, California.

Steroid-based nasal sprays (similar to Flonase and Nasacort) work by utilizing steroids to assist cut back the irritation and mucus within the nostril that's inflicting stuffiness.

“Decongestant nasal sprays work by constricting blood vessels within the nostril,” mentioned Dr. Darria Lengthy Gillespie, a board-certified emergency drugs doctor and founding father of Trueve. “This results in much less blood circulate to the nasal tissue and with it much less swelling and congestion.”

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There is a restrict to what number of days it is best to use nasal spray.

Sure nasal sprays can have a rebound impact

There’s been a long-standing declare relating to nasal sprays: Use them for too lengthy and you may truly turn out to be addicted, leading to getting stuffed up extra steadily as a result of your nostril is ready for its subsequent sniff of medication.

It’s a standard perception, Mehdizadeh mentioned, and one which’s not completely unfounded. “Many individuals are unaware of which nasal sprays improve the danger of rebounding and those [that] are protected to make use of for longer. Decongestant nasal sprays particularly improve a rebounding threat as a result of they constrict blood vessels and tissues that trigger swelling so quickly,” he defined. “In case you use a drugs like this chronically, as quickly as you take away it, the tissue is now depending on the chemical. That’s what creates rebound congestion that may very well be even worse than the preliminary swelling was.”

“Clinically, that is known as rebound mucosal hyperemia, which signifies that as a substitute of diminished blood circulate, you truly get a rise of blood circulate, inflicting a persistent blockage that's now not improved by decongestants,” Lengthy Gillespie added.

Nobody needs their congestion to hold on longer than it must, and also you actually don’t need it to turn out to be a persistent symptom. So, how lengthy is just too lengthy relating to utilizing nasal decongestants to assist recover from a chilly or the flu?

“Don’t use nasal decongestants for greater than three days,” Lengthy Gillespie mentioned. Previous that, you run the danger of coping with rebound congestion. In case you go nicely previous three days into every day utilization for weeks or months, you might injury the liner of the nasal cavity together with scaling down the tissue, which can result in rhinitis, Mehdizadeh added.

Different treatments that will help you breathe higher while you’re sick

In case you’re at your three-day mark on nasal decongestants and also you’re nonetheless not feeling higher, don’t panic. Lengthy Gillespie mentioned there are further steps you'll be able to take to clear up congestion with out worrying about rebounding, similar to:

• Utilizing a neti pot or different type or sterile saline irrigation. “This may cut back the necessity for medicines and supply aid for many who cope with continual sinus infections,” she defined.
• Oral decongestants, like Sudafed or Mucinex.
• Steam inhalation may also help relieve discomfort, although not fully cut back signs. You should buy a private steam inhaler (like this one) from most drugstores and pharmacies.

For congestion that simply received’t stop, Mehdizadeh mentioned it’s a good suggestion to see a specialist to rule out allergic reactions, not a chilly because the underlying trigger. “Particularly you probably have different signs like itchy eyes, eye watering, nasal drip and itching, and/or an itchy throat, a steroid-based, long-term nasal spray could also be a more sensible choice for you,” he mentioned.

“There’s additionally a risk that in case your congestion is an remoted symptom and nasal sprays aren’t working, it might be a structural situation similar to a deviated septum or nasal polyps,” Mehdizadeh added. “In case you’re not getting aid from nasal sprays or different decongestants, and have ache, discomfort or recurring nostril bleeds, hunt down an analysis from a specialist or your medical supplier.”