How do you know you’re addicted to nasal spray?
You are addicted to nasal spray when using nasal spray actually becomes a daily ritual. You have a stuffy feeling when you don’t use nasal spray and that is often the biggest reason why people keep using nasal spray. Many people will say, ‘Just stop using it?’ But if you are addicted to nasal spray yourself, you know that this is easier said than done, because when you stop using it you will feel stuffy and you probably won’t be able to sleep well. And you do need a good night’s sleep.
Addictive Nasal Spray
Addictive nasal spray contains the substance: xylometazoline. When you use this spray in your nose, it gets to the nasal mucosa, then to the blood vessels of the nasal mucosa and these blood vessels are squeezed together making your mucous membrane thinner and easier to breathe. Have you been using this nasal spray for more than seven days? Then there is a ‘rebound effect’. This causes the blood vessels to open even more and the mucous membrane becomes thicker than it was before the treatment. As a result, you are much more stuffy than during a normal cold. The only solution is then: use nasal spray again and you end up in a vicious circle. Natural nasal sprays do not have this addictive (rebound) effect.
How do I get rid of my nasal spray addiction?
Capsinol can offer a good solution for this, but there are also solutions to do it yourself. We give you these tips.
Tip 1: Only use nasal spray in one nostril
Spray consistently but in one nostril. This way you can still breathe through the nose (on one side) and the other side can ‘kick the habit’. Preferably lie on your side in bed, and make sure that the side where your nostril does not receive the nasal spray is facing up. Within 5 to 10 minutes, blood flows away from your nasal mucosa, creating more space. Keep this up every day. After about a week you may be able to breathe freely again through the nostril that you have taped off. Is the nose clear? Then repeat with your other nostril. Some people will have it resolved faster than others. If all goes well, the complaints will subside on their own in the following months.
Tip 2: Tricky, but just stop!
Easier said than done: just stop. This is of course very difficult and especially for the heavy nasal spray addicts among us. Your nose will become very closed and full in your head. It really takes a while. Has a week passed? You will probably feel a clear difference and the nose will open more and more. Good luck!
Tip 3: Withdrawal from the nasal spray use
Another option is to taper off the use of the xylometazoline nasal spray. This is a good start, especially for extreme users. Preferably stick to this schedule: First a week 4 x a day, followed by 5 days 3 x a day, 3 days 2 x a day and finally 3 days 1 x a day and only before going to sleep.
Tip 4: Dilute the nasal spray
Step 1: Use your standard nasal spray with the substance xylometazoline in it. Preferably a bottle with one. Is this without a screw cap? No problem. Buy an empty nasal spray bottle and pour everything into it.
Step 2: Now you have your own bottle, but you also need a nasal spray bottle with saline (also called sodium chloride solution 0.9%) and a pipette.
Step 3: Use your own standard nasal spray first. The next day you fill this bottle with the saline nasal spray. Do this every day. You will therefore ingest an increasingly lower concentration of xylometazoline at a time. Try not to spray extra.
In the beginning you will notice that the nasal spray will not work as well, but if you persevere, your nose will get used to it. This way you will no longer need xylometazoline after a while. Keep in mind that this process can take several weeks.
Chronic nasal complaints
If you have stopped for a while and the nasal complaints continue, then you are probably hypersensitive to substances or a specific substance in the air. Think of an allergy or hypersensitive mucous membranes. These tips will then make little difference. In that case, Capsinol nasal spray offers the best results for a long-lasting and natural solution for the nasal complaints.
Did it work?
We are very curious if you have managed to get rid of the nasal spray addiction and with which solution. Please let us know by commenting below!