Help! My nose is about to explode. Sinus relief with Afrin.
Written: Sep 01 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: It works. You can't hardly beat this even with a perscription.
Cons: Not fun to use nose drops period. Can be addictive.
The Bottom Line: If you have a minor problem with your nose, then try some other stuff first like saline. If you have big problems, then this does the trick.
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| CyndiA's Full Review: Afrin Sinus 12 Hour Nasal Spray Decongestant .5oz |
I can’t think of anything much less pleasant than spraying stuff up my nose. If I didn’t have a bad problem with sinus infections, I would sure avoid any such self-torture. Since I’m likely to clog up and get a full-blown infection if I’m not pro-active, I’ve trained myself to use nasal sprays as necessary.
Afrin is the best brand for over-the-counter. In fact, it may be a better bet than prescription depending on your nasal problem. Most of the prescription sprays include steroids and are pretty big gun to use for anything other than serious snot problems. If you do need to get something from your doctor, I would suggest asking for Beconase AQ which works better than those air-only type sprays that don’t seem to relieve the stuffiness though do give a bit of a head rush on spray contact.
I use Afrin sinus (as listed here at Epinions) and also Afrin extra moisturizing. I’m a non nose dripper (that stuff just stays in my head and jiggles but doesn’t go anywhere), so those work better. If you stop up and can’t blow your nose, then you’re probably in need of one of these Afrin sprays. The sinus brand of Afrin has cooling immediate relief (kind of a menthol zip) while the extra moisturizing which sounds like a bad idea when you’re head is full of goop anyway actually helps those areas that are dry above and below a block.
The reason many folks prefer Afrin over other brands is that they have some patented medicine in the spray that prevents dripping from your nose or down your throat. This is true to some extent though if you are building up to an infection, this will cause some draining, which is what you need. It’s just not as sudden and steady as the release from some drops. In other words, this is a prettier way to get the job done.
I like Afrin the best because it actually does work. It reduces the swelling so that the nose can do what the nose is supposed to do. It does this without steroids though that does not mean that it is safe. Anything that alters the way your nose works is not great, but it’s needed at times.
You can use the spray 2 times per day with 2 to 3 sprays per nostril. That does not mean that you should max it. I use one spray per each nostril and try to keep it once per day. On a bad day, I’ll go twice but only one spray on each time per nostril. The limit on days is three. If you are still having problems after three days, then you should go see your doctor, because you do not want your nose to fall off or something. And, you do not want to keep using this and get addicted.
Addiction with nose drops is not like getting hooked on weed or pain pills. It’s not that you get a mellow feeling and want to go for the drift off. With nose drops, you need more and more just to breathe. You can mess up your natural nose reactions and then need to spray just to get air in. Or you can shrink things up so that your get nose bleeds. If you really abuse this stuff, then you may end up needing nose surgery, which is a lot worse than nose sprays in my book.
I hate to scare anyone about nasal sprays. They are a blessed relief if you have nasal pain and can also prevent sinus infections if used at the right time (before things get too stopped up). I’ve used Afrin sinus (or moisturizing) for several years now with good results. I keep a bottle of the steroids on hand too and use that if Afrin does not kick in and make me feel a whole lot better in 2 or 3 days. If neither seems to be doing the trick, I just go ahead and call for an appointment with my doctor. He puts me on antibiotics if the other stuff doesn’t help.
Some other things to help with nose stuffies include:
-Run an old style vaporizer—the kind with hot water that boils. Those old hot models have taken hits lately, but they really do work better than the cold water ones. See my review on the Duracraft at http://www.epinions.com/content_59963707012 . As long as you don’t put it where the little kids can touch it, it works like a charm.
-Rub Vicks VapoRub under your nose and on your chest. The old oily stuff is great, but they have a new cream version that I love. See my review at http://www.epinions.com/content_88012263044 . This one works the same but feels much better.
-Tree tree oil is a nice herbal alternative. You can put a little in the vaporizer water or dab some under your nose. That has worked well for me. It’s not as smelly and medicinal as the over-the-counters.
-Chicken soup has been found in some recent studies to help. The steam probably has some impact and the chicken has kind of a relaxing impact, which makes the nose less stuffy. It’s better, of course, if you have a mom to make it, but the Campbell’s works just fine if you are the one doing the mom scene.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
CyndiA
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 - Top 50 |
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Member: Cyndi
Location: catch me if you can
Reviews written: 1142
Trusted by: 632 members
About Me:
We were together for a long time - you and I.
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