How nasal sprays work: How Does Nasal Spray Work?

30.08.202324.06.2023 by alexxlab

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How Does Nasal Spray Work?

When allergy season arrives, you don’t want to be trapped inside avoiding pollen. That’s where nasal sprays with allergy-fighting ingredients come in. However, with so many different types of nasal sprays on the market, it can be hard to choose the best one to treat your symptoms. Learn how popular over-the-counter (OTC) nasal sprays work, including decongestant, steroid, saline and antihistamine sprays, with this helpful guide.

10. RICHMOND, VA

Improving from its number eight spot last year, Richmond scored “better than average” on its allergists to patients ratio but remains “worse than average” in terms of its pollen/mold score.

9. PROVIDENCE, RI

Despite its coastal location Providence was rated “worse than average” on all measures (pollen/mold score, amount of patients using allergy medication, and allergist to patient ratio).

8. DAYTON, OH

Moving up from its number eleven spot last year, Dayton was rated “worse than average” on both its pollen/mold score and the amount of patients using allergy medication.

7. WICHITA, KS

From number twelve last year to number seven this year, Wichita is “worse than average” in terms of its pollen/mold score but has an “average” number of allergists to patients.

6. MCALLEN, TX

Part of the Rio Grande Valley and therefore subject to seasonal “Cedar Fever.”2 McAllen scored “worse than average” on all measures (pollen/mold score, amount of patients using allergy medication, and allergist to patient ratio).

5. KNOXVILLE, TN

For a city rated “worse than average” on its pollen/mold score and amount of patients using allergy medication, Knoxville is “better than average” in terms of its allergists to patients ratio.

4. MEMPHIS, TN

Not far from its number two spot last year, Memphis continues to be “worse than average” in terms of its pollen/mold score and the amount of people using allergy medication.

3. OKLAHOMA CITY, OH

For being “worse than average” on its pollen/mold score and amount of patients using allergy medication, Oklahoma City is “better than average” in terms of its allergists to patients ratio.

2. LOUISVILLE, KY

From the number one spot last year to number 2 this year, Louisville has—unsurprisingly—a “worse than average” pollen/mold score. Luckily, the city is doing “better than average” in terms of its allergists to patients ratio.

1. JACKSON, MS

With its “worse than average” pollen/mold score and amount of patients using allergy medicine, the AAFA found Jackson to be the worst city for spring allergy sufferers this year.

What Are Steroid Nasal Sprays?

Steroid nasal sprays, also known as corticosteroid nasal sprays, help reduce inflammation when sprayed in the nose. They’re used to treat hay fever, sinusitis, non-allergic rhinitis and nasal polyps. Betamethasone or fluticasone are common active ingredients in steroid nasal sprays.

Steroids are a man-made version of the hormones secreted by your adrenal glands, the two small glands above your kidneys. When used correctly, steroids help reduce inflammation and swelling from a sneezy, runny or stuffy nose.

Steroid nasal sprays can be used as needed or over a longer period. If you have symptoms when you start using the spray, it may take a few days before you feel the full effects of the medication. Using the product regularly, as per the label’s instructions, is important—pausing treatment because your allergies have subsided may cause them to return. Steroid nasal sprays typically have few side effects.¹

What Are Antihistamine Nasal Sprays?

When your body is fighting allergies, it releases a chemical called histamine that make your blood vessels expand and swell. If you suffer from allergies, your body can recognize something harmless, such as dust, pollen or pet hair, and mistakenly start producing histamine. This can cause a stuffy or blocked nose, runny nose, watery eyes and other allergy symptoms.^2,3

Antihistamine nasal sprays block the effects of histamine and contain anti-inflammatory properties to prevent and treat your allergies. Antihistamine nasal sprays such as azelastine are available over the counter like other steroid and saline sprays. ^2,3 Unlike steroid nasal sprays, azelastine’s side effects include drowsiness, a common side effect of some antihistamines, and a bitter taste in your mouth.⁴

What Are Saline Nasal Sprays?

Saline nasal sprays moisturize your nasal passages and loosen up any hardened mucus in the nose. These simple, over-the-counter sprays provide temporary relief from an irritated nasal lining. They’re useful in the winter when you’re susceptible to colds and a dry nose. They can also be used to flush out pollen or other irritants that accumulate throughout the day.^2,5

How Do Nasal Decongestant Sprays Work?

Nasal decongestant sprays help relieve a congested, stuffy nose. When you come down with a cold or flu, the blood vessels and tissues in your sinuses become inflamed and swollen, making it harder to breathe. Decongestants provide short-term relief from stuffiness and open your airways by reducing the swollen blood vessels and tissues in your nose. Unlike steroid nasal sprays, nasal decongestant sprays shouldn’t be used for more than three days at a time, as this can cause irritation. Possible side effects of nasal decongestants include drowsiness and a dry mouth.⁶

How Does Flonase Work?

Flonase is a corticosteroid nasal spray that helps fight inflammation caused by hay fever or allergies to pollen, mold, dust or pets.⁷

When you encounter allergens, your body reacts by producing substances that cause allergy symptoms. Many allergy pills only block one out of six of these substances, but Flonase products block six (including histamine) to give you 24-hour allergy relief.*

*Mechanism vs. most OTC allergy pills. Flonase acts on multiple inflammatory substances (histamine, prostaglandins, cytokines, tryptases, chemokines and leukotrienes). The exact number and precise mechanism are unknown.

How Does Saline Nasal Spray Work?

Common Nasal Spray Questions, Answered

Written by Dr. Melody Hartzler – Genexa Healthcare Provider & Partner on June 25, 2021

Whether it’s caused by a cold, allergies, or simply dry air, nasal congestion can stop you in your tracks and make your day miserable. There are many different over the counter treatment options that can help relieve symptoms of nasal congestion, but if you’re looking to minimize your use of medication, saline nasal spray is a good bet.

Saline nasal spray is an effective way to temporarily reduce nasal congestion, but how does saline nasal spray work?

What is saline nasal spray?

People hoping to find relief from nasal congestion can choose from three different types of nasal sprays: saline nasal spray, decongestant nasal spray, and steroid nasal spray.

Saline nasal sprays are made of a salt water solution and do not contain any medication. These nasal sprays can be purchased over the counter without a prescription and can also be made at home.

Saline nasal sprays work by moisturizing the nose, dissolving and loosening the mucus in the nasal passages, adding moisture to the nasal passages to prevent them from becoming more inflamed, and preventing the nasal passages from drying out.

Because saline nasal sprays consist of a natural solution that does not contain any medication, they can be used as often as needed. Saline nasal sprays are especially popular for use in children because they can help relieve congestion in children who are unable to blow their noses and clear mucus.

Decongestant nasal sprays are available over the counter and by prescription. Unlike saline nasal sprays, which do not contain any medication, decongestant nasal sprays work by narrowing the blood vessels that line the nose. As the blood vessels narrow, the swollen tissues around them become less inflamed, helping to reduce congestion.

Decongestant nasal sprays can cause a “rebound effect” when used for a period of three or more days, after which time your congestion might start to get worse. Decongestants are also commonly available in the form of a pill.

Additionally, most decongestant nasal sprays should not be used on toddlers, and for children aged 6 through 12, should be used with adult supervision and under the direction of their pediatrician.

Steroid nasal sprays are also available both over the counter and with a prescription. Although steroid nasal sprays are most commonly used to treat allergy symptoms, they can also be helpful in reducing congestion caused by a sinus infection or similar illness. Steroid nasal sprays work similarly to other steroid medications and reduce inflammation in the tissues, though it should be noted that steroid nasal sprays are used chronically, which is different from decongestants.

What is saline nasal spray used to treat?

Because saline nasal sprays are so gentle, they can be used to treat a variety of different conditions with low risk. It should be noted that while saline nasal sprays can help to reduce symptoms associated with congestion, they do not treat the root cause of the congestion.

Saline nasal sprays are commonly used to treat the following conditions:
Relief of general nasal congestion and dryness
Relief of symptoms caused by upper respiratory infections such as colds or sinusitis
Relief of symptoms caused by respiratory allergies
Prior to using an inhaler medication
When breathing cold or dry air that can dry out the nasal passages
Prior to using nasal steroid sprays
Relief of symptoms caused by hay fever
Prior to using medicated allergy nasal sprays
Following nasal surgery that leaves the nasal passages feeling dry or crusty

How does saline nasal spray work?

Saline nasal sprays work in several ways to improve symptoms associated with nasal congestion.

First, saline nasal sprays help to minimize your risk of getting sick by washing foreign invaders like viruses, irritants, and allergens out of your nasal passages before they have a chance to trigger an immune response.

Second, saline nasal sprays can help to improve the effectiveness of medicated nasal sprays when the saline spray is used first, as it improves the moisture content in the nasal passages, making them more receptive to medication.

Third, saline nasal sprays help to clean and hydrate the lining of the nasal passages, which is important in maintaining a strong nasal immune response.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly when you are feeling sick, saline nasal sprays thin and loosen excess mucus in the nose and sinuses, helping to reduce symptoms of nasal and sinus congestion and feelings of discomfort.

How do you use saline nasal spray?<

Using saline nasal spray is simple enough that anyone, including children, can do it.

If possible, blow your nose first in order to remove as much congestion from your nasal passages as possible. If you are helping a child who cannot blow their nose, it’s ok to skip this step.
Remove the cap from the bottle and follow any instructions on the label to get the spray ready for use.
Close off one nostril by pressing your finger lightly against the side of the nostril. Place the spray bottle underneath your open nostril and place your thumb at the bottom of the spray bottle.
Next, squeeze the spray bottle as you inhale to breathe the saline solution into your nostrils.
Repeat if indicated on the directions, then switch sides.

After you have finished using the spray, try to avoid blowing your nose right away and avoid sneezing if possible. Give the saline solution time to work to loosen and thin mucus before blowing your nose to relieve congestion.

Are there any side effects associated with saline nasal spray?

Saline nasal sprays do not contain any medication, so most people will not experience side effects when using these sprays. However, some side effects may rarely occur. The vast majority of these side effects subside quickly.

Side effects associated with saline nasal spray include:

Sneezing
Eye irritation if the produce gets into the eye
Abnormal or salty taste in the mouth
Cough
Nose irritation

How much saline nasal spray should I use?

The amount of saline nasal spray that you should use depends on the condition being treated.

When saline nasal spray is used to relieve nasal congestion or dryness, it is recommended that patients use two sprays per nostril as needed. Because there is no medication in saline nasal spray, you don’t have to worry about using too much of this treatment.

If saline nasal spray is being used prior to administering nasal steroids, the recommended amount is one spray per nostril prior to using nasal steroid sprays, which are typically used two to six times per day.

What should I do if a saline nasal spray doesn’t relieve my congestion?

If you are experiencing nasal congestion and have been using saline nasal spray without any improvement for several days, you may benefit from using a different type of nasal spray.

Decongestant nasal spray and antihistamine nasal spray can both be effective at treating symptoms of nasal congestion depending on the cause of the congestion. Antihistamine nasal sprays are most helpful when used to treat drainage caused by a runny nose, postnasal drip, or itchy, watery eyes, while decongestant nasal sprays are most helpful for nasal or sinus congestion.

What are the differences between decongestants and antihistamines?

While decongestant nasal spray and antihistamine nasal spray both work to relieve congestion, there are some important differences between the two treatment options.

Decongestant nasal sprays work by reducing the swelling that occurs in the nasal passages. As a result, pressure in the nasal cavity reduces and airflow improves, allowing you to breathe more easily.

When used for more than three days, decongestants can cause congestion to get worse by producing a “rebound effect,” so talk to your doctor if the medication does not work within three days.

Decongestants are typically taken during the day because they can have a stimulant effect that keeps you awake, although decongestant nasal sprays are less likely to have this effect than decongestant pills. People with high blood pressure or heart disease may not be able to use decongestants safely, as these medications can cause blood pressure to increase.

Antihistamines work by blocking the action of a chemical produced by the body called histamine. Histamine is a substance produced by the immune system in response to the presence of allergens. People with allergies commonly experience symptoms like an itchy, runny nose or eyes and swelling of the nasal passages during an allergy attack.

Although histamines are not the cause of congestion in people with a runny nose caused by a cold, they can still be helpful in reducing symptoms of congestion.

The most common side effect caused by antihistamine nasal sprays is drowsiness, which means that it is generally best to use antihistamine nasal sprays at night. Other common side effects associated with antihistamines include dry mouth, headache, and dizziness.

Summary

Saline nasal sprays work by thinning and loosening thick mucus inside the nasal passages to help reduce congestion. Although saline nasal sprays contain no medication, they are effective at providing temporary moisture to the nasal passages, which can help reduce symptoms of congestion.

Saline nasal sprays have very few, if any, side effects for most people and can be used as many times per day as needed because they do not contain medication.

Sources:

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/nasal-sprays-work-best-when-you-use-them-correctly-heres-how/

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000549.htm

https://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-congestion

https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a608026.html

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Nasal spray: action and use

How a nasal spray works

Intranasal nasal medicine

Why are nasal sprays so effective?

When the atomizing device is actuated, vapors of the sprayed liquid are ejected. Tiny droplets settle on the nasal mucosa, creating a thin, highly effective film. Thus, the active ingredients of the spray, such as xylometazoline and dexpanthenol, very quickly get to where they should relieve the symptoms of a runny nose: right in the nose.

Which nasal spray should I use?

Which nasal sprays can be used for the common cold? The topical group includes decongestant nasal sprays for acute coryza such as Nazik ^®. Nasal sprays containing cortisone are used, in particular, for chronic or allergic rhinitis (hay fever).

Nazik ^® nasal spray
Nasal spray for quick relief of a runny nose
Nazik ^®, which contains a special combination of active ingredients: xylometazoline and dexpanthenol
See products
Instructions for use

Scientifically proven: the effect of Nazik ^®

Clinically proven plus effect

Back in the 1990s, Klosterfrau patented Nazik ^®, a plus-effect nasal spray that combines xylometazoline and dexpanthenol. Since then, this special compound of active ingredients has been repeatedly investigated in independent scientific projects. The authoritative Pharmaceutical Gazette (Pharmazeutische Zeitung) (05/2004) reports a comparative study presented by the Institute for Clinical Research in Aachen: “For five days, each of 76 patients was given three times a day in each nostril 100 µl of 0.1 mg xylometazoline and 5 mg dexpanthenol (Nazik ^® ), or only 100 µl of 0.1 mg xylometazoline. Complaints were subsequently assessed on the basis of a summary scale that considered typical symptoms of the common cold: “After three and five days of treatment, the combination of xylometazoline and dexpanthenol, with a score of 4.5 and 2.8, showed significantly better effects compared to monotherapy with a score of 7.6 and 6 .0″. The speaker talks about the clinically significant acceleration of healing due to the addition of dexpanthenol as a derivative of pantothenic acid, which acts as a protection for the mucous membrane.

^{source: http://pharmazeutische-zeitung.de/index.php?id=pharm4_05_2004}

Can nasal sprays make you addicted?

We hasten to reassure you!

When using nasal sprays, the question of dependence often arises. Allay alarm: nasal spray is not a drug. When used as directed, it does not cause any dependence and does not cause symptoms that can be compared to those of addictive substances. However, a certain habituation effect may occur. The addictive effect means that after seven days of use, the risk of addiction to the drug increases. The mucous membranes of the nose get used to the active substances, and the swelling of the mucous membrane increases again. If the user of the drug reacts in the same way with repeated use, a cycle of long-term use may occur.

But this does not mean that decongestant nasal sprays cannot be used. We are talking about responsible handling of the drug, as with the use of other drugs. In this case, for example, it is worth considering that the treatment should last no more than seven days.

Therefore, when choosing a drug, make sure that it is guaranteed to have an effect – like Nazik ^® . With Nazik ^®, a runny nose can go faster. Its use may also reduce the risk of addiction.

Quickly answer the most common questions about nasal spray, nose drops, runny nose and colds!

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Drop addiction | Articles 100med

Addiction. What is it like? A person has enough weaknesses, and it is impossible to cope with many, sometimes for years, decades. Alcoholic, narcotic, gaming. But there is another one that everyone, of course, has heard of – addiction to drops and nasal sprays.

The main reason for the appearance of such a problem is chronic nasal congestion, leading to a lack of oxygen and malfunctions in the body, for example, inflammation and swelling of the nasal passages, which are accompanied by the development of rhinitis of a different nature.

Vasoconstrictor drops have become a salvation for people with eternally stuffy noses. At the beginning of the use of the drug, it really seems that salvation has been found. Many mindlessly start using the medicine every time breathing becomes difficult again. This is the biggest mistake that subsequently leads to an appointment with an otolaryngologist.

How do drops work?

Decongestant nasal drops and sprays constrict blood vessels near the nasal passages. This reduces inflammation, relieves swelling, and makes breathing easier. Over time, patients who regularly take vasoconstrictor drops develop dependence on the action of these drugs.

It is not recommended to take vasoconstrictor drops on your own without a doctor’s prescription, as they act on the mucous membrane, causing it to shrink and push blood back. The size of the nasal concha decreases, and later returns to its original position. This process is regulated by the production of natural adrenaline, and the active use of vasoconstrictor drops leads to deterioration and disruption of the mechanism of its production. As a result, a person becomes addicted, and the swelling does not go away on its own.

How to cope on your own?

It is best to endure the condition of acute rhinitis. To alleviate the condition, you can limit yourself to washing the nose with a solution of sea salt.

Interesting facts, knowing which you can avoid nasal congestion:

Nasal congestion is caused not only by pathologies and diseases, but also by bad habits. Alcohol relaxes the muscle tissue and mucous membranes, against which the soft palate sags. This process leads to the appearance of a well-known phenomenon – snoring;
Smoking is another factor that negatively affects the nasal mucosa. Because of the resins, an irreversible process of degeneration of the mucous membrane can begin.

Treatment

If you can’t cope with the problem on your own, then you need to contact a specialist who will prescribe competent treatment. This is what otorhinolaryngologists do. There are two main methods of treatment:

Conservative ones include washing courses, taking steroids, antihistamines, physiotherapy and intranasal blockades (when a doctor injects medicine with a thin needle under the mucous membrane of the lower nasal conchas). To achieve a sustainable effect, all these manipulations are prescribed in a course of 7-10 procedures. Doctors also recommend a gradual decrease in the dosage of drops and replacement with more gentle ones. Abrupt withdrawal contributes to severe swelling and persistent nasal congestion, which causes a lot of discomfort to the patient.
The surgical method of treatment gives a more pronounced, lasting result. It includes several types of operations: radio wave submucosal vasotomy of the inferior turbinates, septoplasty (septum surgery), conchotomy of the inferior turbinates.

There are cases when, in addition to medical rhinitis, other diseases also occur, for example, a deviated septum.