# Nasal Spray Rebound **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561 "2011-11-01T23:57:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/1 "2011-11-01T23:57:50Z")
So my doctor prescribed an OTC nasal spray to help relieve some sinus pain. He said not to take it for more than three days as there is a nasty rebound associated with continued use. So, how long after the third day before I can use it again? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/2 "2011-11-02T00:14:37Z")
Did you ask your doctor? ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/3 "2011-11-02T01:13:07Z")
Nope and I don’t want to spend the 20 dollar co-pay to find out nor can I wait two days for them to call me back with an answer. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/4 "2011-11-02T01:18:24Z")
General advice from one who was once addicted: Use it as little as you can get away with. I will use them only: 1. if I absolutely need it to get a night’s sleep and 2. when flying. Otherwise I use a saline nose spray, just .9% salt and nothing else but water. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/5 "2011-11-02T02:26:17Z")
Call the pharmacy you bought it at (or any pharmacy nearby) and ask? Pharmacists often can give advice on medication usage, especially OTC ones. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/6 "2011-11-02T02:38:17Z")
I don’t use 12-hour nasal sprays any more! Except for 1% Neo-Synepherine and saline, I don’t think there are any other type of nasal sprays available. I’ve gotten hooked too often on those evil 12-hour products. When you do get sucked into that whirlpool, the ONLY thing you can do it quit cold-turkey. And that means sleepless nights gasping for breath, as your nasal tissues swell up so much they feel like gross saddlebags hanging outside your nose against your face. My recommendation is to use a Neti pot, a humidifier, and drink LOTS and LOTS of water. If you are so congested you absolutely cannot sleep, then buy a bottle of 1% Neo-Synepherine drops, and a bottle of Ocean saline spray. Pull the spray head out of the Ocean bottle, put in half a dropperful of Neo-Synepherine, then recork the bottle. Use one or two sprays in each nostril ONLY before bedtime. If your sinus problem turns out to be a chronic thing, talk to your doctor about an Rx nasal spray. But avoid the 12-hour sprays like the plague! ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/7 "2011-11-02T03:44:37Z")
Thanks all. Not having congestion problems. My nasal passages are so swollen that it’s causing awful pain in my nose and eye area. Trying saline spray now. ---
**Author:** ![zwede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ac91a4/32.png) [@zwede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zwede)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/8 "2011-11-02T13:27:20Z")
Individual reaction to the 12-hr sprays varies greatly. I’ve been using them for years. During allergy season I use them daily for several months. When allergy season is over I stop using them. Never once have I noticed any form of dependency or “rebound”. I am careful about using the absolute minimum amount I can get away with though. Instructions say to use 3 pumps per side. I use no more than 1/2 pump and only on one side (I only need one side clear to sleep). ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/9 "2011-11-02T13:32:16Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Not having congestion problems. My nasal passages are so swollen that it’s causing awful pain in my nose and eye area. Doesn’t swollen nasal passages = congestion? Or is there a distinction I’ve been missing all these years? ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/10 "2011-11-02T15:03:53Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Doesn’t swollen nasal passages = congestion? Or is there a distinction I’ve been missing all these years? I spose. I’m not clogged up with mucus though. I guess that’s what i consider congested. I may be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Laggard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de053/32.png) [@Laggard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laggard)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/11 "2011-11-02T15:05:17Z")
> [@zwede](#): > > Individual reaction to the 12-hr sprays varies greatly. I’ve been using them for years. During allergy season I use them daily for several months. When allergy season is over I stop using them. Never once have I noticed any form of dependency or “rebound”. > . Yeah. I’m sure there have been times in my life where I’ve used them daily for days in a row. I never noticed dependency either. Hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![AndyLee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@AndyLee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyLee)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/12 "2011-11-02T15:17:56Z")
What kind of nasal spray was the OP prescribed? Usually OTC nasal sprays are the chief causes of nasal rebound. I agree with the poster that said, ask the pharmacist. For the OTC stuff, I found that using it only in one nostril per day and weaning yourself off of it works best. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/13 "2011-11-02T15:23:30Z")
I also use them almost daily but always at about less than half the dosage and I often mix what’s left in the bottle with saline solution to dilute it. I was addicted once and having to take the stuff every 20 minutes wasn’t fun. If you do get addicted, a good way to get off is to continue to use it in one nostril and let the other one go through withdrawal and clear up. Then stop with the other nostril. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nasal-spray-rebound/601561/14 "2011-11-02T17:44:44Z")
I used a similar method to quit heroin: first one arm, then the other.