What Nasal Spray Is Addictive

Myth : You Can Get Addicted To Nasal Sprays

This one is partially true. Decongestant nasal sprays can cause rebound congestion or rhinitis medicamentosa. The rebound effect is when your congestion can worsen when you stop using the decongestant nasal spray after long-term use, and its relatively common. In one study, half of the almost 900 participants with nasal congestion used their decongestant sprays for longer than recommended .

The reason behind rhinitis medicamentosa has to do with how these sprays work. Many over-the-counter decongestant nasal sprays work by constricting blood vessels that cause inflammation and increased mucus production inside the nose. When the blood vessels shrink, so does the inflammation and runny nose .

The effects of decongestant nasal sprays dont last long when the medication wears off, the vessels swell againand the runny nose returns. You have to use the nasal spray again to experience relief. Some research shows this can create an addictive pattern in some people who feel compelled to continually use more and more of the medication to get the same relief .

While scientists dont know the exact mechanism of rhinitis medicamentosa, they hypothesize that using decongestant nasal sprays long-term can lead to changes in your nasal mucosa and its blood vessels, contributing to rebound congestion. Also, some people may need a higher dose of the decongestant for it to work because the nasal mucosa gets used to it .

• Increased congestion between doses

Nasal Spray Addiction Treatments

Treating nasal spray addiction to natural remedies is becoming more popular. Unfortunately millions of people worldwide suffer from this medical condition. It is important to note that nasal spray addiction is a consequence of using a decongestant nasal spray to relieve the symptoms of a previous sinus condition. Therefore once the nasal spray addiction has been dealt with it may still be necessary to treat the cause of the original sinus condition such as infection or allergies.

Discontinue use Going cold turkey and stopping the use of the decongestant nasal spray can eventually break the dependency. However, this can cause sleep deprivation, anxiety, extreme nasal congestion, etc., and general suffering and misery.

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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Buying Guide For Best Allergy Relief Nasal Sprays

An allergy relief nasal spray can help you tackle your allergy symptoms. These dispersal sprays are used locally for hayfever, allergies, and sinusitis. People suffering from these conditions often prefer the convenience and ease of administering their medication via nasal spray over taking pills or receiving allergy shots.

If you suffer from seasonal allergies or hayfever , perennial allergies , or sinusitis, you may often find yourself seeking relief from congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes, runny noses, and red, watery, irritated eyes. Over the counter allergy relief nasal sprays can help relieve these bothersome symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Allergy relief nasal sprays are easy to keep handy, as theyre packaged small enough to carry in a pocket or purse.

Symptoms Of A Nasal Spray Addiction

A nasal spray addiction can be recognized by when you use nasal spray daily for more than two weeks. You need the nasal spray to keep the nose clear. You cannot breathe freely without nasal spray. The xylometazoline affects the cilia and nasal mucosa. The cilia provide protection against cold viruses. As a result, this protection is lost, so that the cold complaints increase sooner.

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Importance Of A Nasal Spray Addiction Treatment Center

Various treatments are available to tackle the negative effects of drug overuse and addiction. Studies show a combination of medicines to counter addiction, and effective rehabilitation programs like our nasal spray addiction treatment center is the proven way to cure patients. When treatment designs are based on each patients past drug abuse record and his or her emotional, social and health history, there is a high chance of sustained recovery. If the patient is committed and embraces the rehab therapies, the outcome would be a life without drug addiction. Help is available 24/7 at our nasal spray addiction treatment center in Florida, call this number for a free personal consultation .

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.

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Dependency Vs Addiction: The Rebound Effect

The rebound effect occurs when you use nasal sprays, specifically decongestant sprays, regularly. After a few days of using this type of spray, your nose will become less responsive to the effects of the medication. You may have problems with your nasal congestion returning, or rebounding, once the medication is stopped. As a result, you may need to use more and more to combat the congestion.

Some people confuse the rebound effect with addiction, but Dr. Erdos said nasal spray addiction isnt a true addiction. Addiction is defined as a severe substance disorder that results in continuous and compulsive use of a substance despite that substance causing harm, she said. Over-the-counter nasal sprays, however, dont cause the same physiological cravings.

While the rebound effect of some nasal sprays isnt a true addiction, they can lead to negative consequences such as rhinitis medicamentosa , chronic sinusitis and other long-term problems.

To better understand the different kinds of nasal sprays and how to use them safely, heres a breakdown of the four different types.

Which One Works Best

Many studies have shown that steroid nasal sprays are very effective at combating allergy symptoms in the nose. For example, in one study, researchers compared fluticasone and triamcinolone nasal sprays by asking 233 patients to fill out questionnaires over 21 days of treatment. The results of the study showed that both steroids were equally effective. It also showed that both medications were safe and didnt cause serious side effects. Another study from 2019 that also compared fluticasone and triamcinolone showed similar results.

Lets not forget about Afrin. Afrin is an older drug thats proven to work, but as we mentioned, you dont use it in the same way as Flonase or Nasacort. Afrin is for temporary symptom relief. It works in minutes but only lasts 12 hours. Flonase and Nasacort are for prevention. They take about 2 to 4 weeks to reach their full effect.

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Where Is Naloxone Available

Obtaining Naloxone depends on the state and country you reside in. In many areas, a physician prescription is often required, so speak with your doctor if you take Opioids for health conditions and pain management.

In order for Naloxone to be most effective, we need to get it into the hands of people who are most likely to be on the scene of an overdosethey can start the process of reviving the person before paramedics or law enforcement come.

– Dr. Stephen Jones, a researcher and author of the CDCs Opioid Overdose Prevention Programs Providing Naloxone to Laypersons report

Most recently, some areas have allowed the purchase of the medication through dispensing pharmacists or several retail pharmacies. In fact, cities and counties with Naloxone programs in place are showing slower rates in the growth of Opioid deaths compared to those without Naloxone programs. If you are concerned about yourself or someone you love overdosing on Opioids, check with your doctor about local regulations for purchasing Narcan.

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What Are The Different Product Options

For some people, the hardest part about choosing an OTC nasal spray comes from the fact that each brand has so many different product options. Heres a rundown of Flonase, Nasacort, and Afrin nasal spray products.

Flonase and Nasacort products come in adult and childrens versions, but if you read the labels, youll see that their ingredients and age limits are the same. They differ in the fact that the versions for children have 60 sprays per bottle, while the adult versions are also available in bottles that contain more sprays. Be sure to talk to a pediatrician before giving any of these medications to a child.

Flonase products:

• Childrens Flonase Allergy Relief

• Flonase Sensimist Allergy Relief

• Childrens Flonase Sensimist Allergy Relief

Flonase and Childrens Flonase are for people ages 4 and up.

Flonase Sensimist and Childrens Flonase Sensimist are for people ages 2 and up.

Flonase Sensimist is a newer product line that was made to produce a gentle mist with no scent or alcohol, and doesnt cause post nasal drip. It took away some of the major things people didnt like about the original Flonase. Unlike Flonase, which has fluticasone propionate, Flonase Sensimist has fluticasone furoate, a different variation of fluticasone.

Generic and fluticasone furoate nasal sprays are also available.

Nasacort products:

• Childrens Nasacort Allergy 24HR

Nasacort and Childrens Nasacort are for people ages 2 and up.

nasal spray is also available as a generic.

Afrin products:

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Can Prolonged Use Damage Nose Structures

Yes, it can.

• The nose contains air conditioning cushions with the overuse of decongesting sprays, the cushions become thickened. This is clinically called turbinate hypertrophy and it can increase the blockages in the nasal passages.
• The cilia are your nose hairs and these are important in clearing nasal and sinus secretions. Prolonged use of nasal sprays can cause the cilia to function abnormally.
• Overuse can also result in increased blood flow to the nose, therefore causing even more nasal congestion.

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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.

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The Bulge Nose For Mating

The sea elephant got its name from its bulging nose, which may remind you of an elephant’s trunk. It dangles down over the animal’s muzzle. During mating season the male pumps up his mouth with blood and air and gives off a loud noise to chase away its rivals. But both males and females absorb moisture through their noses – especially when fasting during mating season.

Pumping, snorkeling, talking – the amazing talents of animal noses

What Happens If You Use A Dns For Too Long

Typically when you experience congestion, your nasal passages have become swollen, shrinking the amount of space in your nose that air can move through. Decongestant nasal sprays work by immediately shrinking the swollen blood vessels, which provides fast relief and helps you breathe easier. However, when the drug wears off, your blood vessels swell up again .

DNSs are only intended for temporary relief . After a few days of using a nasal decongestant spray, your nose becomes less responsive to the effects of the medication. Youll find yourself needing more and more to get rid of your congestion. Or, when you stop the spray, your congestion may return right away. This rebound effect, or Rhinitis Medicamentosa , is often mistaken as addiction to nasal spray. If you continue to use a decongestant nasal spray for too long or too frequently, this swelling can become worse and lead to tissue damage inside the nose.

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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.

Can Nasal Sprays Be Addictive

It’s pretty scary to think that you’re addicted to any drug, especially one available at any grocery store! Oprah Winfrey even devoted an entire show to people who can’t live without their decongestant spray. But, fortunately, it’s safe to say that you are not really addicted to it.

Doctors and scientists define addiction in different ways. Scientists call drugs addictive if they stimulate the pleasure center in your brain. Psychiatrists, on the other hand, say something is addictive if your need for it makes you do illegal, harmful things to get it. Nasal sprays don’t do either of these things. They have no effect on the brain. And while you may “need” your medicine to breathe freely, you probably aren’t going to hold up a bank or skip work to go buy some.

Nasal sprays or drops are sold over-the-counter under brand names like Afrin, Sinex, Neo-Synephrine, Allerest, Duramist, and Sinarest. They contain a medicine that constricts the blood vessels inside your nose. When you have a cold, the flu, or allergies, these blood vessels become swollen and dilated. This stimulates the nasal membranes to produce large amounts of mucus. Like stepping on a garden hose, constricting the blood vessels reduces the blood flow to your nostrils. The swollen vessels shrink, and this helps to dry things up.

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The Difference Between The Rebound Effect And Addiction

Having a rebound effect and being addicted arenât the same thing.

A drug addiction changes your brain and the way you act. If you’re addicted to a drug, you might keep using it, even though you know it hurts you.

A rebound effect happens when your nose gets used to the medicine in the nasal spray, so much so that the spray doesnât work to clear your congestion anymore.

Youâre probably not addicted to nasal spray unless you:

• Have cravings

And If You Do Manage To Kick The Habit You Should Never Use The Products Again Warns Researcher

If youve never been dependent on a nasal spray like Otrivin, Zymelin or Rhinox, you probably have no idea what it means to have a stuffy nose. Like really stuffy. So you sound like Goofy wearing a diving mask.

Until you shower your nostrils with a nasal spray elixir, that is. A temporary solution that has caused your mucous membrane to swell because youâve been using the nasal spray for too long.

Sverre Karmhus Steinsvåg heads the Ear-Nose-Throat department at the Hospital of southern Norway and is an adjunct professor at the University of Bergen. In his role as a doctor he sees nasal spray dependency close up.

He has researched how the preservatives in nasal spray act on mucous membranes, and witnesses how people who are addicted get desperate if they cant spray themselves.

Patients say that they cant breathe, cant concentrate at work and cant sleep, Steinsvåg says.

Without the nasal spray they feel like a fish out of water, he says. Theyve usually been using this kind of nasal spray for months or years.

Long-term inflammation

Steinsvåg estimates that several hundred thousand people in Norway today rely on nasal sprays. There are no exact figures on this because the products are sold over the counter all over- from pharmacies to grocery stores and gas stations.

The active substances xylometazoline and oxymetazoline cause blood vessels in the nasal mucosa to contract, which allows freer breathing.

Snowball effect

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How To Use A Dns Properly

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: