Nasal Spray Addiction? The Truth Behind Nasal Sprays

Stuffy nose strikes again! Along with uncomfortable breathing and possibly headache, the day seems to be dragging you around, right? Good thing that nasal sprays were invented to provide you with the much-needed relief.

The nasal sprays are available over-the-counter, like Omnaris which can be bought with an omnaris coupon in local pharmacies. However, there are many questions about nasal sprays that make people assume that they are either used without expecting any problems or the other way around.

In this article, we will be discussing the different types of nasal sprays and the information that you need to be able to judge if nasal spray can be really a cause for addiction. Find out as you read till the end!

The Truth Behind the Nasal Spray Addiction

So, is it true that the nasal spray makes an individual addicted to it? The answer to that is it depends on the type of nasal spray an individual use and how one uses it.

There are those nasal sprays that are safe to use daily for several months, and there are others that can cause a "nasal spray addiction" if an individual uses it for more than a few days.

Did you know that nasal sprays tend to be overused? A study in 2014 has found that out of 895 participants with nasal congestion, half of the participant populace overused the medication.

With this said, you can conclude that nasal spray addiction is not a real addiction like how cocaine or other illegal drugs affect a person. However, this kind of addiction may still lead to tissue damage, which can result in swelling and long-term stuffiness in the nose that may lead to further use and overuse of the spray.

There are some cases that an individual might need to undergo additional treatment, or possible surgery to correct any damage that was caused by overusing a nasal spray.

Now, knowing about the different types of nasal sprays and how to use it safely can help prevent this kind of issue.

Saline Nasal Sprays

Saline nasal sprays are drug-free, which means that it tends to be used safely by people of all ages. These sprays contain a small amount of salt and sterilized water, in which some contain a preservative to prevent the growth of mold or bacteria.

What Saline nasal spray do is loosen and thin the mucus inside an individual’s nose, which allows more natural breathing should congestion happen to arise due to colds or allergies. Additionally, it does not contain any medication and has no side effects.

Also, if you want to be sure about drug-free saline, then might as well be sure to look for sodium chloride (salt) and water as the main ingredient, with no any "active" ingredients.

Steroid Nasal Sprays

Steroid nasal sprays have corticosteroids as their main ingredient. Corticosteroid is not an anabolic steroid, but it is used as a way to calm inflammation which happens because of an overactive immune system response.

Now, many people think of anabolic steroids when you mention the word steroid. However, this type of steroid is popular with an individual who wants to improve muscle mass, such as bodybuilders.

However, since corticosteroid is not an anabolic steroid, building a body mass is out of the question. Instead, this steroid nasal spray can treat conditions such as hives, asthma, nasal allergies, and skin rashes from allergies or bites.

This kind of nasal spray can provide relief from nasal allergies or hay fever, and it is often replaced with other allergy medications taken by mouth. However, this spray might make you experience side effects from using it for the long-term.

The said side effects might include the following:

• Nosebleeds
• Headaches
• Eye conditions

Antihistamine Nasal Sprays

This type of nasal spray is often used to treat seasonal allergies. Now, antihistamine, which is the main ingredient blocks a chemical called histamine, which is responsible for any allergy symptoms such as itching, sneezing, and runny noses.

As for if it is addictive, then the answer will be no. The recommended daily use of this is up to 12 weeks. On the other hand, if you need to use the nasal spray for longer, then you should ask your doctor.

Takeaway

A medication like omnaris is used to treat allergy symptoms, which mainly targets nose (runny nose, itching, sneezing, and congestion) and that seasonal and year-round nasal allergies cause it.

Now, nasal sprays are just like any other medicine which harms you when you overuse or overdose the medication. With this said, you should look for a nasal spray that would fit your needs best.

Lastly, you should look for other information in regards with the different types of nasal sprays so that you will be able to compare which advantage/ disadvantage weighs well in your judgment for your stuffy nose.

Christine Simmons is a freelance creative writer who collaborates with various healthy lifestyle enthusiasts to share her experiences through the written word. She especially loves writing about health and the various ways to become healthy. Christine worked as a content marketing specialist in her formal life but recently left to pursue a full-time freelance career.