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How To Get Over Nasal Spray Addiction

How To Use A Dns Properly

How To Get Over A Nasal Spray Addiction

To use a decongestant nasal spray properly, you need to point the nasal spray toward the back of the nose so that you can inhale the medicine. Avoid spraying directly at the nasal septum because you can damage tissue and cause a bloody nose. Here are a few other tips for using nasal spray:

  • Always read and follow product directions
  • Before using, blow your nose to clear nasal passages
  • Close the opposite nostril before administering
  • Inhale gently as you apply dosage
  • Avoid blowing your nose for several minutes after
  • Dont share nasal spray with others
  • How Do You Help People Who Have Overused Decongesting Sprays

    Firstly, I look for the initial reason of congestion that caused my patient to seek out the nasal spray. To do this, I perform a nasal endoscopy exam. If the endoscopy identifies any of the following causes, I then place my patient on a course of treatment to relieve the blockage.

    If none of the listed conditions are at fault, I will provide my patient with a steroid nasal spray and this does not cause rebound congestion nor is it addictive. I instruct patients to gradually lessen its use from twice a day to once a day and then to only use it at night. Ultimately, they wont be using the nasal spray at all.

    I may also recommend the use of saline nasal spray and if patients experience a headache during withdrawal from the decongesting spray, I may recommend paracetamol.

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    What Happens After Long

    After continuous and frequent use of nasal sprays, people can develop rebound nasal congestion . Symptoms of rebound nasal congestion and dependency on nasal spray may include:

    • becoming congested again soon after using the spray
    • having the sensation that the spray doesnt work anymore
    • wanting to use the spray more often than the sprays guidelines recommend
    • relying on the decongesting spray on a daily basis to breath normally

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    How To Use Afrin Without Rebound

    To use Afrin without rebound, remember to use it for no more than 3 days and in minimal doses. Preferably no more than two doses per day. Afrin dose can last 12 hours, so 2 doses are enough to cover a 24 hours day without causing rebound. If rebound congestion occurs, stop the usage immediately and contact a health professional for more information and change to prescription medicine. Rebound is mainly associated with OTC medicines so using a prescription drug can prevent rebound.

    Can You Get Addicted To Nasal Spray

    How Afrin Nasal Spray Works as a Short

    Addiction to nasal sprays then arises. You can recognise a nasal spray addiction by a prolonged period of use spanning more than two weeks. As a nasal spray dependent, you may need a squirt each night before sleep. Or you have a bottle near you throughout the day. Without the spray, your nose becomes congested and you are unable to breathe freely.

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    What Is The Rebound Effect Caused By Afrin

    Rhinitis medicamentosa is the clinical term for rebound congestion, a major problem caused by excessive and lengthy use of Afrin. This rebound effect has led to the erroneous belief that you can become addicted to Afrin.

    Afrin-caused rebound congestion is not a form of addiction. Instead, suffering recurring nasal congestion due to overuse of Afrin is a physiological reaction involving tolerance of nasal passage tissues to oxymetazoline. The nasal spray rebound effect has no psychological component. People dont crave Afrin the way they would a chemically dependent drug like opiates. The only thing that compels them to keep using Afrin is that they cannot breathe normally through their nose without repeatedly spraying oxymetazoline onto nasal passage tissues.

    How To End The Cycle

    Thereâs only one permanent solution — you have to stop using the nasal spray. Itâs probably going to take a few weeks, and the first week will be the hardest.

    Your doctor can help find the best way to ease your discomfort.

    âWe sometimes prescribe a short course of oral steroids to help patients get over the initial severe congestion that occurs while trying to quit the nasal decongestants,â Wang says. âWe may also recommend other treatments, such as drugs for allergy control, nasal emollients, or alternative therapies.â

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    How To Beat Nose Spray Dependence One Nostril At A Time

    Decongestant nose spray is fabulous when your nasal passages are so congested you cant breathe. Just a spritz can open clogged sinuses. However, such nasal sprays have a big downside: nose spray addiction. If a decongestant spray is used for more than a week, the tissues of the nose become dependent on it. Stopping it suddenly results in rebound congestion, and suddenly you cant breathe again! Sometimes people get stuck in this vicious cycle for years. How can you overcome it and break your nose spray dependence?

    Ways To Break The Habit

    How to beat Afrin Addiction. Stop taking nasal spray

    1. Cold Turkey – If you are hardcore like me, the best option for you to break this medical addiction is to go full-on cold turkey. What do we mean when we say “cold turkey”? We mean to just plain stop what you are doing that causes the addiction. Stop using the substance that is causing your suffering…in this case – nasal spray. Yes, there are negatives to the cold turkey method. The biggest negative is that your nose will continue to feel closed and you will not be able to breathe through it for at least a couple of days. In severe cases in which people have used nasal spray for a matter of years, the feeling of nasal clogging will probably last for at least a couple of weeks. Your body has to readjust itself to not having that chemical in order to open the pathways to the respiratory system. You may feel miserable and have a tantalizing desire to just pick up the bottle , but fight it! If you have quit smoking or some other addiction in the past cold turkey, you can quit this thing the same exact way! You are strong so don’t let something as simple as an inanimate bottle of nose lube keep you down.

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    Can You Get High Off Oxymetazoline

    People are usually surprised to learn that nasal spray addiction is common and very serious. The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines addiction as a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences to the individual that is addicted and to those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain.

    How Can I Break My Dependency To Nasal Spray

    Medications are used to treat health problems and make you feel better so it can be difficult to know the difference between having a medication work and being dependent on it. If you are using a nasal decongestant spray for more than 5 to 7 days and are unable to stop using it, whats likely happening to you is a rebound phenomenon.

    When stopping a nasal spray, you may notice a return to your baseline of nasal congestion and return of other symptoms like sneezing and a runny or itchy nose, Dr. Erdos said. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how best to cut back on the medication to help with withdrawal.

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    Myth : All Nasal Sprays Are The Same

    Imagine this scenario: You have a cold or seasonal allergies and head to the pharmacy to get a nasal spray to help clear the congestion so you can breathe. All nasal sprays are the same, so you can grab the first bottle you see, right? Wrong.

    There are four different types of nasal sprays, each with a different purpose.

    • : Decongestant nasal sprays alleviate congestion and a runny nose by temporarily shrinking the blood vessels in the nose . This type of nasal spray is typically sold over-the-counter with two main active ingredients, oxymetazoline and pseudoephedrine . Phenylephrine is now replacing pseudoephedrine in many products. Decongestant nasal sprays can be dangerous to use for an extended amount of time and that may cause rebound congestion .
    • Steroid: Steroid nasal sprays contain corticosteroids that help stop the inflammation of allergic rhinitis and seasonal allergies. Steroid nasal sprays work by applying the corticosteroid directly on delicate nose tissues to stop allergy symptoms like nasal congestion. Steroid nasal sprays are available in prescription form and over-the-counter with active ingredients like fluticasone propionate and triamcinolone acetonide .
    • Saline: Saline nasal sprays are an all-natural way to treat congestion and mucus build-up with a mixture of sterilized water and sodium chloride instead of medication. The combination helps loosen mucus and debris inside the nose to clear congestion and blockages.

    Choose The Right Rehab For Your Situation

    Nasal Sprays: How to Use Them Correctly

    Its crucial that you choose an oxymetazoline abuse rehab that meshes with your own expectations and goals for the recovery process. Ask the following questions when choosing a rehab:

    • What experience do the counselors and rehab staff have with addiction recovery for oxymetazoline?
    • Is the staff composed of recovered addicts?
    • Do they provide one-on-one counseling?
    • How many clients do they accept at a time? The smaller the number, the more attention you will receive.
    • How many clients are in a group therapy session? Again, if the number is small, clients tend to open up more, and the therapy sessions are more effective.
    • How much privacy do clients have? Ask questions on basic infrastructure and rooming situations.
    • What activities can clients engage in beside treatment?
    • Can clients connect with family?

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    Thatâs because after three or four days of near-constant use, the blood vessels in your schnoz start to depend on the spray.

    They start to swell beyond their normal size, because theyre waiting for the chemical hit, says Madeleine Schaberg, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. This vicious cycle of overuse and dependence can last for months, even years. Ive had multiple patients that have been dependent on the spray to breathe normally for 10 years, says Schaberg.

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    What Is Your Professional Advice For People Who Are Overusing Decongesting Nasal Sprays

    Key points I advise are:

    • Be aware of the hidden hazards .
    • Do not use the spray for more than three to five days.
    • Do not use the spray more frequently than the product instructions recommend.

    The first week of stopping decongestion sprays is often the most difficult. However, it is possible to overcome it with determination and medical assistance.

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    Why Do People Get Addicted

    With the use of nasal sprays, the nose becomes decongested but at the same time, more nasal congestion is created as a result. Once a person stops using the spray, the nasal congestion worsens. As a consequence, they believe they need to use the spray more often and for a longer period of time than recommended.

    Can You Become Addicted To Nasal Spray

    Nasal Spray Addiction (Conditions A-Z)

    When symptoms dont seem to improve, people tend to continue dosing for weeks or even months past their recommended use. This common occurrence begs the question, can you get addicted to nasal spray? Lets explore the difference between having an addiction and having a physical drug dependence on this particular type of nasal spray.

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    Is It Bad To Take A Decongestant Every Day

    Decongestant sprays are recommended for short-term use, for a maximum of three to five days. When we have a cold or the flu, our nasal passages become swollen and it makes it difficult to breathe comfortably. As our nasal passages swell, theres an increase in mucus production. Decongestants address that by constricting the blood vessels and therefore, reducing the inflammation. However, if youve been using decongestant spray and your congestion persists longer than your other cold or flu symptoms, youll know the decongestant has probably started working against you.

    Steroid Nasal Spray To The Rescue:

    Some people also use steroid nasal sprays to overcome nose spray dependency. Here is what another reader did.

    Q. I have been using Afrin Nasal Decongestant Spray for two decades. My mom started me on it when I was a kid with bad allergies and then I couldnt stop. I hated that nose spray dependence.

    I finally got off Afrin by using Flonase and diluting the last bottle of Afrin with saline. It took about a week, and though I am still a little stuffy, I am so glad to be off the decongestant. I just thought others might benefit from my experience.

    A. Thank you for sharing your success. Flonase is a corticosteroid nasal spray that has recently become available over the counter. It can be helpful during the process of weaning off a nose spray addiction. It is also useful in controlling nasal allergy symptoms.

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    Learn To Live Without Oxymetazoline

    A good nasal spray addiction treatment center will position you for success, but staying off nasal sprays can be a lifelong process. You should stick to the proven 12-step program or test other established recovery programs.

    Leverage your friends and family for support and continue to participate in local support groups. Positive reinforcement in a group setting can be very powerful, and it will help you sustain your recovery. Also, consider finding health services or rehab centers that provide post-recovery guidance and counseling.

    How To Stop Nasal Spray Addiction

    How To Use A Nasal Spray To Relieve Congestion

    Admitting there is a problem is the first step. Next, you should seek proper guidance, detoxify your body and commit to a nasal spray addiction treatment center. But it doesnt stop there. You should also make a dedication to your overall well-being and sobriety, and then stay fully committed to a recovery program.

    Here are the possible steps you should take if youre seeking recovery from oxymetazoline abuse:

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    Nasal Sprays Can Bring On Vicious Cycle

    • Read in app

    Very few drugs relieve a symptom as speedily as an over-the-counter decongestant nasal spray clears a stuffy nose.

    A couple of squirts can shrink swollen tissues in seconds to minutes, letting in an exhilarating rush of fresh air. With some sprays, a single dose works for as long as 12 hours.

    But relief provided by nasal spray decongestants like Afrin and Neo-Synephrine comes at a price: the risk of rebound congestion caused by overuse and, for some people, a vicious cycle of overuse and dependence that feels like an addiction.

    “It works so well that you tend to keep using it,” says Dr. David Vernick, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. “You’re used to breathing well with the spray, and when you stop it, you get congested. So you use it a little more frequently, yet the congestion doesn’t clear up for long.”

    That’s because after three or four days of continuous use, the sprays can cause the nasal linings to swell up again, even when the cold or attack of sinusitis or allergy that originally caused the problem has passed. If this pattern continues, a patient has a good chance of becoming trapped in a vicious cycle of overuse and dependence that can last for months or years.

    Confessions of nasal spray addiction now crop up regularly on Internet discussion forums: one site, afrinaddiction.com, markets a book of tips for kicking the habit.

    How Long Does Rhinitis Medicamentosa Last

    The rebound effect will last for as long as you are using nasal decongestants. Once you stop, it should resolve itself in 1-2 weeks. The main issue is how you decide to stop using nasal sprays.

    When I tried to quit Afrin cold turkey, it was a terrible experience. I could not sleep well at all. Now, I only use one spray in each nostril at night around 9 PM. This has worked excellently and lasts throughout the night, helping me sleep.

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    Is Any Nasal Spray Addictive

    No, not every nasal spray is addictive. But if you have a spray with the active substances xylometazoline or oxymetazoline and spray it in the nose for more than five days, you should be careful. The addictive effect is triggered by the substance xylometazoline that is in many nasal sprays. At first this substance works fine The mucous membrane is swollen due to a cold. Due to the substance xylometazoline, the blood vessels of your nose contract, the mucous membrane decreases in volume and breathing is nice and easy again.

    Unfortunately, when the remedy has worn off, the swelling of the mucous membrane returns more violently than before. The nose feels blocked again and you need the spray again to be able to breathe freely. The swelling will disappear again, but after a few hours the remedy will wear off again and you will need another spray to breathe through your nose. So you need the spray more and more often.

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    Suffering From Nasal Spray Addiction Step : Put Down The Afrin

    Addicted to nasal spray: The risks of instant relief

    If you suffer from seasonal allergies or an upper respiratory infection, your friends may warn you about the dangers of Afrin addiction. If you use it once, your body will become dependent on it, they say. While its not considered an addiction in the usual sense, your body can become dependent on the drug. Doctors call this phenomenon rebound congestion, or rhinitis medicamentosa, and it is a very real problem. In fact, it could be responsible for up to 9% of visits to allergists and ENT doctors.

    Afrin is a nasal decongestant spray sometimes used to relieve a stuffy nose and sinus pressure. As cold and flu season begins, youre more likely to use this OTC remedy. But you should beware of the side effects of using it too often.

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