NASAL REBOUND

Rhinitis medicamentosa is the medical name for rebound congestion caused by the overuse of over-the-counter (OTC) nasal sprays. These non-prescription sprays contain decongestants that work effectively for the short term but over time irritate and inflame the mucous membranes in the nose.  Instead of reducing congestion, continued use of the sprays can lead to increased nasal congestion.  One way to end this vicious cycle is to stop using the OTC decongestant sprays altogether.  An allergist might prescribe nasal corticosteroid sprays to be used daily.  These drugs do not work immediately, but they will control nasal congestion safely without any rebound effect.  The doctor could also recommend the regular use of a saline (saltwater) nasal spray that contains no irritating drugs.

P.S.   OTC decongestant nasal sprays have labels that indicate the number of consecutive days to use the product.

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