Never use nasal sprays for more than 3 days: Here's why
A doctor explained what happens with prolonged use of nasal sprays (photo: Freepik)
Nasal sprays provide quick relief for a runny or blocked nose, but uncontrolled use can lead to serious health issues. In particular, this may cause dependency, chronic swelling of the nasal mucosa, and even damage to nasal tissues, explains American doctor Kukadia Suraj.
What happens with prolonged use of sprays
According to the doctor, nasal sprays constrict certain blood vessels, thereby reducing nasal discharge and temporarily relieving symptoms.
But the problem is that people use them longer — more than two to three days. This leads to a rebound effect, known as rhinitis medicamentosa.
"Rhinitis medicamentosa can be awful. Once you stop taking the medication, it then gives you these horrible rebound symptoms, and you'll feel like you need to go back on it," he explained.
As a result, you'll have to use nasal sprays again, which leads to dependency.
Rhinitis can occur in anyone using sprays, drops, or gels to relieve nasal congestion.
The main symptom of this condition is nasal congestion, which can also manifest as itching in the nasal passages, a runny nose, and sneezing. Most types of rhinitis cause additional symptoms affecting the eyes, ears, or throat.
When not to use nasal sprays
Nasal sprays should not be used in the following cases:
- Allergy or hypersensitivity to the components of the drug, for example, preservatives or the active substance
- Damage to the nasal mucosa (ulcers, recent surgeries, nasal injuries) — some sprays may worsen healing
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding — some sprays are not recommended or should only be used under medical supervision
- Children — some nasal sprays should not be used in children under a certain age (e.g., under 2 or 6 years)
- Hypertension, heart disease, thyrotoxicosis — use caution with vasoconstrictor sprays, as they may increase blood pressure and cause tachycardia
Earlier, we shared 10 facts about paracetamol and ibuprofen that could save your health.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
