See the dangers of nasal decongestant addiction

During the fall, colds and flu become more common. Among the symptoms, nasal congestion tends to cause a lot of discomfort. As a result, many patients resort to the use of certain nasal decongestants, called topical vasoconstrictors, which offer immediate relief. However, when not used correctly and without a medical prescription, this medication can harm your health and be addictive.

According to the otorhinolaryngologist at Alfa Instituto de Comunicação e Audição, Dr. Fernão Bevilacqua, excessive use occurs precisely because the medication provides a very quick response to the relief of nasal symptoms. “When a person realizes that the decongestant makes them feel like their nose is clear, almost instantly, this ends up encouraging them to want look for more doses of the spray, which makes her dependent”, he warns.

According to the specialist, chronic and prolonged use can lead to vasoconstriction, which is a reduction in the passage of blood vessels. This effect affects the most sensitive areas of the body, such as the heart, brain, lungs and intestine, which, in the long term, can suffer irreversible complications.

Identifying excess

To know when the use of nasal decongestants becomes an addiction, Dr. Fernão Bevilacqua recommends observing the frequency of places where the product is present in everyday life. “An addicted person carries the product in their pocket, in the glove compartment of the car, in their work backpack, in their purse, in the bathroom and even buys boxes and lots”, he warns.

This means the medicine is always at hand, with easy access. But neither always the symptoms are apparent, the most common being the difficulty in feeling the air flow through the nose, even if it is unobstructed. “Excessive use causes the mucosa to become hypertrophic, in addition, the person loses sensitivity to air”, points out the otorhinolaryngologist.

Addiction treatment

One of the ways to kick your addiction to nasal decongestants is to replace the contents of the spray or spray bottle with saline solution. Furthermore, according to Dr. Fernão Bevilacqua, the act occurs gradually, and it may be necessary to medication use to relieve mucosal sensitivity.

“An otorhinolaryngologist may suggest the use of corticosteroids, nasal washing or even oral medications such as anti-inflammatories and antihistamines, depending on each case. But to stop instantly, the best way is to switch to saline solution”, reiterates the specialist .

Proper use of decongestants

Furthermore, it is not because the medicine causes dependence in some people that it does not have a value important for medicine. The doctor highlights that nasal decongestant can be used for light post-operative bleeding, in addition to being recommended for those who have acute sinusitis for two or three days.

“What matters is always having a prescription and medical monitoring so that this type of product can be used. It is important that the specialist evaluates when the decongestant is being used chronically and ends up becoming a poison instead of helping the patient, causing harm to health”, he concludes.

By Renata Sbrissa