Winter has mixed impacts – beautiful and rough. It’s a domino effect if one gets sick at home. This must have happened pretty much with all the families. Having stuffed-up nose is really suffocating and by any means, we desire to get rid of it. Here comes the role play of Nasal decongestants! This is usually pretty popular during the winter season which is actually intended for a short-term use. But when it becomes an addiction, then it is something that we should really worry about.
What is the difference between addiction and dependency?
Generally, when your body craves for something, then that’s called as an addiction. But when your body relies on something for relief, it is called as a dependency. Sometimes, the
obsession of these things creates addiction and you won’t even have any knowledge about that. When you crave for a specific thing, it leads to the obsession of it and certainly you will have to take help to fix it.
Regardless of all the awareness, there are millions of people who are in
aggravating addiction for nasal sprays.
What’s in it?
Any nasal spray is a combination of the following things. You can find this under the active ingredients of any nasal spray.
- Neo-synephrine
- Phenylephrine
- Oxymetazoline
- Xylometazoline
The most considerable recommendation is ‘does not use it more than 3 to 5 days.’ Because when you use it longer there might be a possibility that you can get nasal tissue damage and chronic congestion.
Ignorance is Bliss! – Well, certainly not
Most of the people might have noticed the warning on the labels of nasal sprays – Overuse of the spray might harm you. But when you are annoyed by the blocked nostrils – who would really care! We all will ignore the warning in order to seek a temporary
relief from allergies to cold. Here, the fact is when you overuse it, on a late run you will need it so badly that you can’t breathe easier without it.
Damages & Effects
There are plenty of concerns you should be aware of when you are in the long term dependency of this nasal spray. You never should ignore the following impacts
- Nose bleeds
- Possibilities of nasal polyps
- Possibilities of high blood pressure
- Possibilities of impending damage that requires a nasal surgery to fix it
- Possibilities of organ damage in spite of long term use
Are you finding this as an annoying dependency now? If so, let us find some alternative ways to overcome this addiction.
The Alternatives
- Try to use the nasal spray in only one nostril and only when you need it. After 3 days to a week, that nostril will open on its own. Then you can switch to the other nostril to do the same thing.
- You can read the success stories of so many people who have been so dependent on nasal sprays for years to dilute the nasal spray with the help of normal nasal saline solution. This is there next to the nasal sprays. When you keep diluting the nasal spray with the help of nasal saline solution, eventually you no longer need the nasal spray. Moreover, the nasal saline solution is just a flush and there is no way that you will become dependent on it.
- You will get better results if you combine the first 2 options.
- There is a natural pepper spray which is an alternative also called as Sinus Buster.
If these alternatives aren’t working don’t be late to consult your doctor to see if he/she may prescribe you something to help you breathe easily.
Treatment:
Just like any other addiction, the first process is going to be withdrawal. To be honest, these withdrawal symptoms will be truly miserable but it is unavoidable. However, you can do the following thing that can blunt you from the severity.
- Stop the use of nasal spray immediately
- If you take high dose, try to stop taking it completely within 3 weeks
- Start using steroid nasal spray
When you follow these things you may recover from the withdrawal symptoms and your nose will be back to normal completely.
It is the time for stop worrying and finding a way out because the more you use the more you suffer. Never hesitate to take help when you need it. It’s not something that you can be trapped in for a long time. All you need is a little effort to overcome the addiction. Breathe free, don’t pay for it!
